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Astrophysics and Astronomy Commons™

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2007

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Articles 1 - 30 of 264

Full-Text Articles in Astrophysics and Astronomy

Theory And Numerics Of Gravitational Waves From Preheating After Inflation, Jean-François Dufaux, Amanda Bergman, Gary Felder, Lev Kofman, Jean-Philippe Uzan Dec 2007

Theory And Numerics Of Gravitational Waves From Preheating After Inflation, Jean-François Dufaux, Amanda Bergman, Gary Felder, Lev Kofman, Jean-Philippe Uzan

Physics: Faculty Publications

Preheating after inflation involves large, time-dependent field inhomogeneities, which act as a classical source of gravitational radiation. The resulting spectrum might be probed by direct detection experiments if inflation occurs at a low enough energy scale. In this paper, we develop a theory and algorithm to calculate, analytically and numerically, the spectrum of energy density in gravitational waves produced from an inhomogeneous background of stochastic scalar fields in an expanding universe. We derive some generic analytical results for the emission of gravity waves by stochastic media of random fields, which can test the validity/accuracy of numerical calculations. We contrast our …

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Starspots And Relativity: Applied Doppler Imaging For The Gravity Probe B Mission, Stephen C. Marsden, Svetlana V. Berdyugina, Jean-Francois Donati, Joel A. Eaton, Michael H. Williamson Dec 2007

Starspots And Relativity: Applied Doppler Imaging For The Gravity Probe B Mission, Stephen C. Marsden, Svetlana V. Berdyugina, Jean-Francois Donati, Joel A. Eaton, Michael H. Williamson

Information Systems and Engineering Management Research Publications

We present Doppler images and surface differential rotation measurements for the primary of the RS CVn binary IM Pegasi, the guide star for the Gravity Probe B experiment. The data used is a subset of that taken during optical support of the mission and was obtained almost nightly over a near three year period from the Automatic Spectroscopic Telescope operated by Tennessee State University. Using the technique of least-squares deconvolution to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the data, we have reconstructed 31 maximum entropy Doppler images of the star. The images show that the spot features are relatively stable for …

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Evidence For A Population Of High-Redshift Submillimeter Galaxies From Interferometric Imaging, Joshua D. Younger, Giovanni G. Fazio, Jia Sheng Huang, Min S. Yun, Grant W. Wilson, Matthew L.N. Ashby, Mark A. Gurwell, Kamson Lai, Alison B. Peck, Glen R. Petitpas, David J. Wilner, Daisuke Iono, Kotaro Kohno, Ryohei Kawabe, David H. Hughes, Itziar Aretxaga, Tracy Webb, Alejo Martínez-Sansigre, Sungeun Kim, Kimberly S. Scott, Jason Austermann, Thushara Perera, James Lowenthal, Eva Schinnerer, Vernesa Smolčić Dec 2007

Evidence For A Population Of High-Redshift Submillimeter Galaxies From Interferometric Imaging, Joshua D. Younger, Giovanni G. Fazio, Jia Sheng Huang, Min S. Yun, Grant W. Wilson, Matthew L.N. Ashby, Mark A. Gurwell, Kamson Lai, Alison B. Peck, Glen R. Petitpas, David J. Wilner, Daisuke Iono, Kotaro Kohno, Ryohei Kawabe, David H. Hughes, Itziar Aretxaga, Tracy Webb, Alejo Martínez-Sansigre, Sungeun Kim, Kimberly S. Scott, Jason Austermann, Thushara Perera, James Lowenthal, Eva Schinnerer, Vernesa Smolčić

Astronomy: Faculty Publications

We have used the Submillimeter Array to image a flux-limited sample of seven submillimeter galaxies, selected by the AzTEC camera on the JCMT at 1.1 mm, in the COSMOS field at 890 μm with ∼2″ resolution. All of the sources - two radio-bright and five radio-dim - are detected as single point sources at high significance (>6 σ), with positions accurate to ∼0.2″ that enable counterpart identification at other wavelengths observed with similarly high angular resolution. All seven have IRAC counterparts, but only two have secure counterparts in deep HST ACS imaging. As compared to the two radio-bright sources …

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Merged Ionization/Dissociation Fronts In Planetary Nebulae, William J. Henney, R. J. R. Williams, Gary J. Ferland, Gargi Shaw, C. R. O'Dell Dec 2007

Merged Ionization/Dissociation Fronts In Planetary Nebulae, William J. Henney, R. J. R. Williams, Gary J. Ferland, Gargi Shaw, C. R. O'Dell

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

The hydrogen ionization and dissociation front around an ultraviolet radiation source should merge when the ratio of ionizing photon flux to gas density is sufficiently low and the spectrum is sufficiently hard. This regime is particularly relevant to the molecular knots that are commonly found in evolved planetary nebulae, such as the Helix Nebula, where traditional models of photodissociation regions have proved unable to explain the high observed luminosity in H2 lines. In this paper we present results for the structure and steady state dynamics of such advection-dominated merged fronts, calculated using the Cloudy plasma/molecular physics code. We find …

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An Ab Initio Study Of The Structures, Vibrational Spectra, And Energetics Of Alshx (X = –1, 0, +1), Sujata Guha, Joseph S. Francisco Dec 2007

An Ab Initio Study Of The Structures, Vibrational Spectra, And Energetics Of Alshx (X = –1, 0, +1), Sujata Guha, Joseph S. Francisco

Chemistry Faculty Research

The ground state of aluminum hydrosulfide, AlSHX (where X = − 1,0, + 1), has been examined using high-level ab initio electronic structure calculations at the CCSD(T) level with an augmented correlation-consistent basis set. The geometries have been optimized up through the aug-cc-pV5Z level and vibrational frequencies calculated using the aug-cc-pV5Z basis set. The energetic properties of AlSH are also examined. The adiabatic ionization potential and electron affinity of AlSH are calculated to be 198.5 and 7.7 kcal mol−1, respectively. Dissociation of AlSH into AlS + H will require 78.2 kcal mol−1 of energy, and the Al-S bond energy is …

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Spitzer Irs Observations Of Seyfert 1.8 And 1.9 Galaxies: A Comparison With Seyfert 1 And Seyfert 2, R. P. Deo, D. M. Crenshaw, S. B. Kraemer, M. Dietrich, Moshe Elitzur, H. Teplitz, T. J. Turner Dec 2007

Spitzer Irs Observations Of Seyfert 1.8 And 1.9 Galaxies: A Comparison With Seyfert 1 And Seyfert 2, R. P. Deo, D. M. Crenshaw, S. B. Kraemer, M. Dietrich, Moshe Elitzur, H. Teplitz, T. J. Turner

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present Spitzer mid-infrared spectra of 12 Seyfert 1.8 and 1.9 galaxies over the 5-38 μm region. We compare the spectral characteristics of this sample to those of 58 Seyfert 1 and 2 galaxies from the Spitzer archives. An analysis of the spectral shapes, the silicate 10 μm feature and the emission-line fluxes have enabled us to characterize the mid-IR properties of Seyfert 1.8/1.9s. We find that the EWs of the 10 μm silicate feature are generally weak in all Seyfert galaxies, as previously reported by several studies. The few Seyfert galaxies in this sample that show …

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Structure Formation Inside Triaxial Dark Matter Halos: Galactic Disks, Bulges, And Bars, Clayton Heller, Isaac Shlosman, Evangelie Athanassoula Dec 2007

Structure Formation Inside Triaxial Dark Matter Halos: Galactic Disks, Bulges, And Bars, Clayton Heller, Isaac Shlosman, Evangelie Athanassoula

Department of Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We investigate formation and evolution of galactic disks immersed in assembling live DM halos. Models have been evolved from cosmological initial conditions and represent the collapse of an isolated density perturbation. The baryons include gas participating in star formation (SF) and stars with the energy feedback onto the ISM. We find that (1) the triaxial halo figure tumbling is insignificant and the angular momentum (J) is channeled into the internal circulation, while the baryonic collapse is stopped by the centrifugal barrier; (2) density response of the (disk) baryons is out of phase with DM, thus washing out the …

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Solid Phase Crystallization Of Vanadium Dioxide Thin Films And Characterization Through Scanning Electron Microscopy, Felipe Rivera Dec 2007

Solid Phase Crystallization Of Vanadium Dioxide Thin Films And Characterization Through Scanning Electron Microscopy, Felipe Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

Crystalline films of vanadium dioxide were obtained through thermal annealing of amorphous vanadium dioxide thin films sputtered on silicon dioxide. An annealing process was found that yielded polycrystalline vanadium dioxide thin films, semi-continuous thin films, and films of isolated single-crystal particles. Orientation Imaging Microscopy (OIM) was used to characterize and study the phase and the orientation of the vanadium dioxide crystals obtained, as well as to diferentiate them from other vanadium oxide stoichiometries that may have formed during the annealing process. There was no evidence of any other vanadium oxides present in the prepared samples. Indexing of the crystals for …

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Small-Scale X-Ray Variability In The Cassiopeia A Supernova Remnant, Daniel J. Patnaude, Robert A. Fesen Dec 2007

Small-Scale X-Ray Variability In The Cassiopeia A Supernova Remnant, Daniel J. Patnaude, Robert A. Fesen

Dartmouth Scholarship

A comparison of X-ray observations of the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant taken in 2000, 2002, and 2004 with the Chandra ACIS-S3 reveals the presence of several small-scale features (≤10'') that exhibit significant intensity changes over a 4 yr time frame. Here we report on the variability of six features, four of which show count rate increases from ~10% to over 90%, and two of which show decreases of ~30%-40%. While extracted 1-4.5 keV X-ray spectra do not reveal gross changes in emission-line strengths, spectral fits using nonequilibrium-ionization, metal-rich plasma models indicate increased or decreased electron temperatures for features showing increasing …

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New Multiwavelength Variability And Optical Microvariability Investigations Of X-Ray And Radio Selected Blazars, Margaret Angela Osterman Dec 2007

New Multiwavelength Variability And Optical Microvariability Investigations Of X-Ray And Radio Selected Blazars, Margaret Angela Osterman

Physics and Astronomy Dissertations

The extreme AGN known as blazars can be classified based on their spectral properties into X-ray and radio selected objects, known as XBLs and RBLs, respectively. In this work, the results of new multiwavelength campaigns are presented for two XBLs and two RBLs. Each campaign contains simultaneous observations in the radio, optical, and X-ray regimes. A campaign on a third RBL was completed using near-simultaneous archival radio, optical/IR, and gamma-ray data. The simultaneous multiwavelength behavior exhibited in each campaign was analyzed by examining the multiwavelength variability and using spectral analysis. Observations of prominent optical microvariability were quantitatively analyzed. Previously published …

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Slowmo: A Search For Nearby Stars, Misty Adana Brown Dec 2007

Slowmo: A Search For Nearby Stars, Misty Adana Brown

Physics and Astronomy Theses

I report on suspected nearby stars with proper motions 1.0 arcsec > μ ≥ 0.5 arcsec/yr in the southern sky (DEC = −90° to 00°). This sample of slow-motion (SLOWMO) stars complements the work of Jao (2004), who reported on faster moving stars with μ ≥ 1.0 arcsec/yr in the entire sky for his doctoral dissertation, and the work of Finch (2007), who uncovered stars moving slower than 0.5 arcsec/yr between declinations −90° and −47°. Characterizations of SLOWMO systems include trigonometric parallaxes, optical and infrared photometry. For stars without trigonometric parallaxes, colors and apparent magnitudes are used to calculate photometric distance …

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Construction And Analysis Of An Ozone Profile Climatology Over Houston, Texas, Gary A. Morris, Anne M. Thompson, Ryan Perna, John Yorks, Bernhard Rappengluek, Greg Ostermann, Barry Lefer, Renee Boudreaux, Aaron Chow, Bonnie Ford, Elizabeth Thompson, Scott Hersey, Brittni Emery Dec 2007

Construction And Analysis Of An Ozone Profile Climatology Over Houston, Texas, Gary A. Morris, Anne M. Thompson, Ryan Perna, John Yorks, Bernhard Rappengluek, Greg Ostermann, Barry Lefer, Renee Boudreaux, Aaron Chow, Bonnie Ford, Elizabeth Thompson, Scott Hersey, Brittni Emery

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Presentations

Since the summer of 2004, over 200 ozonesondes have been launched from the campuses of Rice University or the University of Houston (29.7 N, 95.3 W), each about 3 miles from downtown Houston. These sounding launches have been sponsored by NASA, the Shell Center for Sustainability of Rice University, and the Texas Commissions for Environmental Quality as part of a large effort to understand Houston’s ozone problem. Data from these soundings have provided valuable insight into the seasonal and diurnal variations of the vertical ozone distribution and their relationship to changes in atmospheric conditions. In this presentation, we show annual …

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Construction And Analysis Of An Ozone Profile Climatology Over Houston, Texas, Gary A. Morris, Anne M. Thompson, Ryan Perna, John Yorks, Bernhard Rappengluek, Greg Ostermann, Barry Lefer, Renee Boudreaux, Aaron Chow, Bonnie Ford, Elizabeth Thompson, Scott Hersey, Brittni Emery Dec 2007

Construction And Analysis Of An Ozone Profile Climatology Over Houston, Texas, Gary A. Morris, Anne M. Thompson, Ryan Perna, John Yorks, Bernhard Rappengluek, Greg Ostermann, Barry Lefer, Renee Boudreaux, Aaron Chow, Bonnie Ford, Elizabeth Thompson, Scott Hersey, Brittni Emery

Gary A. Morris

Since the summer of 2004, over 200 ozonesondes have been launched from the campuses of Rice University or the University of Houston (29.7 N, 95.3 W), each about 3 miles from downtown Houston. These sounding launches have been sponsored by NASA, the Shell Center for Sustainability of Rice University, and the Texas Commissions for Environmental Quality as part of a large effort to understand Houston’s ozone problem. Data from these soundings have provided valuable insight into the seasonal and diurnal variations of the vertical ozone distribution and their relationship to changes in atmospheric conditions. In this presentation, we show annual …

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Constraints On An Optical Afterglow And On Supernova Light Following The Short Burst Grb 050813, P. Ferreo, S. F. Sanchez, D. A. Kann, S. Klose, J. Greiner, J. Gorosabel, Dieter H. Hartmann, A. A. Henden, P. Møller, E. Palazzi Dec 2007

Constraints On An Optical Afterglow And On Supernova Light Following The Short Burst Grb 050813, P. Ferreo, S. F. Sanchez, D. A. Kann, S. Klose, J. Greiner, J. Gorosabel, Dieter H. Hartmann, A. A. Henden, P. Møller, E. Palazzi

Publications

We report early follow-up observations of the error box of the short burst GRB 050813 using the telescopes at Calar Alto and Observatorio Sierra Nevada, followed by deep VLT FORS2 I-band observations obtained under very good seeing conditions 5.7 and 11.7 days after the event. Neither a fading afterglow nor a rising SN component was found, so the potential GRB host galaxy has not been identified based on a comparison of the two VLT images taken at different epochs. We discuss whether any of the galaxies present in the original 1000 XRTerror circle could be the host.In anycase, the optical …

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Two Jovian-Mass Planets In Earthlike Orbits, Sarah E. Robinson, Gregory Laughlin, Steve Vogt, Debra A. Fischer, R. Paul Butler, Geoffrey W. Marcy, Gregory W. Henry, Peter Driscoll, Genya Takeda, John A. Johnson Dec 2007

Two Jovian-Mass Planets In Earthlike Orbits, Sarah E. Robinson, Gregory Laughlin, Steve Vogt, Debra A. Fischer, R. Paul Butler, Geoffrey W. Marcy, Gregory W. Henry, Peter Driscoll, Genya Takeda, John A. Johnson

Information Systems and Engineering Management Research Publications

We report the discovery of two new planets: a 1.94 MJup planet in a 1.8 yr orbit of HD 5319, and a 2.51 MJup planet in a 1.1 yr orbit of HD 75898. The measured eccentricities are 0.12 for HD 5319b and 0.10 for HD 75898b, and Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations based on the derived orbital parameters indicate that the radial velocities of both stars are consistent with circular planet orbits. With low eccentricity and 1 AU < a < 2 AU, our new planets have orbits similar to terrestrial planets in the solar system. The radial velocity residuals of both stars have significant trends, likely arising from substellar or low-mass stellar companions.

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The Webt Campaign On The Blazar 3c 279 In 2006, Markus Böttcher, Jeff W. Robertson, Stéphane Vennes Dec 2007

The Webt Campaign On The Blazar 3c 279 In 2006, Markus Böttcher, Jeff W. Robertson, Stéphane Vennes

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

The quasar 3C 279 was the target of an extensive multiwavelength monitoring campaign from 2006 January through April. An optical-IR-radio monitoring campaign by the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) collaboration was organized around target-of-opportunity X-ray and soft γ-ray observations with Chandra and INTEGRAL in 2006 mid-January, with additional X-ray coverage by RXTE and Swift XRT. In this paper we focus on the results of the WEBT campaign. The source exhibited substantial variability of optical flux and spectral shape, with a characteristic timescale of a few days. The variability patterns throughout the optical BVRI bands were very closely correlated with each …

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Spiral Disk Opacity From Occulting Galaxy Pairs In The Sloan Digital Sky Survey., Benne W. Holwerda, W. C. Keel, A. Bolton Dec 2007

Spiral Disk Opacity From Occulting Galaxy Pairs In The Sloan Digital Sky Survey., Benne W. Holwerda, W. C. Keel, A. Bolton

Faculty Scholarship

A spiral galaxy partially overlapping a more distant elliptical offers a unique opportunity to measure the dust extinction in the foreground spiral. From the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR4 spectroscopic sample, we selected 83 occulting galaxy pairs and measured disk opacity over the redshift range z ¼ 0:0Y0:2 with the goal of determining the recent evolution of disk dust opacity. The enrichment of the ISM changes over the lifetime of a disk, and it is reasonable to expect the dust extinction properties of spiral disks as a whole to change over their lifetime. When they do, the change will …

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The Opacity Of Spiral Galaxy Disks. Viii. Structure Of The Cold Ism., Benne W. Holwerda, B. Draine, K. D. Gordon, R. A. Gonzalez, D. Calzetti, M. Thornley, B. Buckalew, Ronald J. Allen, P C. Van Der Kruit Dec 2007

The Opacity Of Spiral Galaxy Disks. Viii. Structure Of The Cold Ism., Benne W. Holwerda, B. Draine, K. D. Gordon, R. A. Gonzalez, D. Calzetti, M. Thornley, B. Buckalew, Ronald J. Allen, P C. Van Der Kruit

Faculty Scholarship

The quantity of dust in a spiral disk can be estimated using the dust’s typical emission or the extinction of a known source. In this paper we compare two techniques, one based on emission and one on absorption, applied to sections of 14 disk galaxies. The two measurements reflect, respectively, the average and apparent optical depth of a disk section. Hence, they depend differently on the average number and optical depth of ISM structures in the disk. The small-scale geometry of the cold ISM is critical for accurate models of the overall energy budget of spiral disks. ISM geometry, relative …

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X-Ray Emission From O Stars, David H. Cohen Dec 2007

X-Ray Emission From O Stars, David H. Cohen

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

Young O stars are strong, hard, and variable X-ray sources, properties which strongly affect their circumstellar and galactic environments. After ~1 Myr, these stars settle down to become steady sources of soft X-rays. I use high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy and MHD modeling to show that young O stars like theta-1 Ori C are well explained by the magnetically channeled wind shock scenario. After their magnetic fields dissipate, older O stars produce X-rays via shock heating in their unstable stellar winds. Here too I use X-ray spectroscopy and numerical modeling to confirm this scenario. In addition to elucidating the nature and cause …

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Zinc Cysteine Active Sites Of Metalloproteins: A Density Functional Theory And X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure Study, N. Dimakis, Mohammed Junaid Farooqi, Emily Sofia Garza, Grant Bunker Dec 2007

Zinc Cysteine Active Sites Of Metalloproteins: A Density Functional Theory And X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure Study, N. Dimakis, Mohammed Junaid Farooqi, Emily Sofia Garza, Grant Bunker

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Density functional theory (DFT) and x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy are complementary tools for the biophysical study of active sites in metalloproteins. DFT is used to compute XAFS multiple scattering Debye Waller factors, which are then employed in genetic algorithm-based fitting process to obtain a global fit to the XAFS in the space of fitting parameters. Zn-Cys sites, which serve important functions as transcriptional switches in Zn finger proteins and matrix metalloproteinases, previously have proven intractable by this method; here these limitations are removed. In this work we evaluate optimal DFT nonlocal functionals and basis sets for determining optimal …

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An Examination Of Colliding Galaxy Clusters: Recreating 1e 0657-56 With Gadget-2, Joseph Johnson Dec 2007

An Examination Of Colliding Galaxy Clusters: Recreating 1e 0657-56 With Gadget-2, Joseph Johnson

All Theses

In this thesis I use the publicly available smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) code GADGET-2 to investigate and recreate the phenomenon of two merging galaxy clusters, as currently seen in the hot X-ray cluster 1E 0657-56 (the 'bullet cluster'). In this scenario, the stellar and dark matter components of the galaxies pass through the collision without experiencing strong stopping forces, but the intra-cluster gas is significantly slowed by ram pressure. This leads to a spatial separation between the galaxies and the intra-cluster gas, which provides a testing ground for gravitational theories. Weak gravitational lensing in the cluster has been used to …

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X-Rays From Magnetically Channeled Winds Of Ob Stars, In 'Magnetic Massive Stars', David H. Cohen Dec 2007

X-Rays From Magnetically Channeled Winds Of Ob Stars, In 'Magnetic Massive Stars', David H. Cohen

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

OB stars with strong radiation-driven stellar winds and large-scale magnetic fields generate strong and hard X-ray emission via the Magnetically Channeled Wind Shock (MCWS) mechanism. In this brief paper, I describe four separate X-ray diagnostics of the MCWS mechanism in OB stars, with applications to the prototype young O star, theta-1 Ori C.

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Scandium Oxide Thin Films And Their Optical Properties In The Extreme Ultraviolet, Guillermo Antonio Acosta Nov 2007

Scandium Oxide Thin Films And Their Optical Properties In The Extreme Ultraviolet, Guillermo Antonio Acosta

Theses and Dissertations

This study reports on the physical and optical characterization of scandium oxide thin films. Thin films of scandium oxide, 20-40 nm thick, were deposited on silicon wafers, quartz slides, and silicon photodiodes by reactively sputtering scandium in an oxygen environment. These samples were characterized using ellipsometry, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray analysis. A 28.46 nm thick scandium oxide thin film was measured in the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) from 2.7 to 50 nm (459.3 to 24.8 eV) using synchrotron radiation at the Advanced Light Source Beamline 6.3.2 at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. In …

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The Rotation Period Of The Planet-Hosting Star Hd 189733, Gregory W. Henry, Joshua N. Winn Nov 2007

The Rotation Period Of The Planet-Hosting Star Hd 189733, Gregory W. Henry, Joshua N. Winn

Information Systems and Engineering Management Research Publications

We present synoptic optical photometry of HD 189733, the chromospherically active parent star of one of the most intensively studied exoplanets. We have significantly extended the timespan of our previously reported observations and refined the estimate of the stellar rotation period by more than an order of magnitude: P = 11.953 ± 0.009 days. We derive a lower limit on the inclination of the stellar rotation axis of 54° (with 95% confidence), corroborating earlier evidence that the stellar spin axis and planetary orbital axis are well aligned.

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Intrinsic Absorption With The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer, Jay Patrick Dunn Nov 2007

Intrinsic Absorption With The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer, Jay Patrick Dunn

Physics and Astronomy Dissertations

We present a survey of 72 Seyfert galaxies and quasars observed by the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE). Our survey is the largest to date searching for intrinsic UV absorption with high spectral resolution, and is the first step toward a more comprehensive study of intrinsic absorption in low-redshift AGN. We have determined that 72 of 253 available active galactic nuclei (AGN) are viable targets for detection of intrinsic absorption lines. We examined these spectra for signs of intrinsic absorption in the O VI doublet (lambda lamdba 1031.9, 1037.6) and Lyman beta (lambda 1025.7). The fraction of Seyfert 1 galaxies …

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Construction Of A Calcium Matter-Wave Interferometer, Christopher Joseph Erickson Nov 2007

Construction Of A Calcium Matter-Wave Interferometer, Christopher Joseph Erickson

Theses and Dissertations

I describe the construction of a calcium matter-wave interferometer. The interferometer is based on a Ramsey-Borde scheme, and uses a thermal beam of atoms excited by an optical-frequency transition in calcium. In our experiment four pi/2 pulses of light are delivered to the atoms, which split and recombine the wave functions of the atoms. Our experimental design minimizes first-order Doppler shifts, and allows for the cancellation of systematic errors including phase shifts due to rotation and acceleration. I describe the individual components of the interferometer and its assembly. The requirements for the electronics used in the experiment as well as …

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Modeling T Tauri Winds From He I Λ10830 Profiles, John Kwan, Suzan Edwards, William Fischer Nov 2007

Modeling T Tauri Winds From He I Λ10830 Profiles, John Kwan, Suzan Edwards, William Fischer

Astronomy: Faculty Publications

The high opacity of He I λ10830 makes it an exceptionally sensitive probe of the inner wind geometry of accreting T Tauri stars. In this line, blueshifted absorption below the continuum results from simple scattering of stellar photons, a situation that is readily modeled without definite knowledge of the physical conditions and recourse to multilevel radiative transfer. We present theoretical line profiles for scattering in two possible wind geometries, a disk wind and a wind emerging radially from the star, and compare them to observed He I λ10830 profiles from a survey of classical T Tauri stars. The comparison indicates …

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Five Intermediate-Period Planets From The N2k Sample, Debra A. Fischer, Steve Vogt, Geoffrey W. Marcy, R. Paul Butler, Bun'ei Sato, Gregory W. Henry, Sarah E. Robinson, Gregory Laughlin, Shigeru Ida, Eri Toyota, Masashi Omiya, Peter Driscoll, Genya Takeda, Jason T. Wright, John A. Johnson Nov 2007

Five Intermediate-Period Planets From The N2k Sample, Debra A. Fischer, Steve Vogt, Geoffrey W. Marcy, R. Paul Butler, Bun'ei Sato, Gregory W. Henry, Sarah E. Robinson, Gregory Laughlin, Shigeru Ida, Eri Toyota, Masashi Omiya, Peter Driscoll, Genya Takeda, Jason T. Wright, John A. Johnson

Information Systems and Engineering Management Research Publications

We report the detection of five Jovian-mass planets orbiting high-metallicity stars. Four of these stars were first observed as part of the N2K program, and exhibited low rms velocity scatter after three consecutive observations. However, follow-up observations over the last 3 years now reveal the presence of longer period planets with orbital periods ranging from 21 days to a few years. HD 11506 is a G0 V star with a planet of M sin i = 4.74 MJup in a 3.85 yr orbit. HD 17156 is a G0 V star with a 3.12 MJup planet in a 21.2 day orbit. …

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The Orbits Of The Quadruple Star System 88 Tauri A From Phases Differential Astrometry And Radial Velocity, Benjamin F. Lane, Matthew W. Muterspaugh, Francis C. Fekel, Michael H. Williamson, Stanley Browne, Maciej Konacki, Bernard F. Burke, Mark M. Colavita, Shrinivas R. Kulkarni, Michael Shao Nov 2007

The Orbits Of The Quadruple Star System 88 Tauri A From Phases Differential Astrometry And Radial Velocity, Benjamin F. Lane, Matthew W. Muterspaugh, Francis C. Fekel, Michael H. Williamson, Stanley Browne, Maciej Konacki, Bernard F. Burke, Mark M. Colavita, Shrinivas R. Kulkarni, Michael Shao

Information Systems and Engineering Management Research Publications

We have used high-precision differential astrometry from the Palomar High-precision Astrometric Search for Exoplanet Systems (PHASES) project and radial velocity measurements covering a time span of 20 years to determine the orbital parameters of the 88 Tau A system. 88 Tau is a complex hierarchical multiple system comprising a total of six stars; we have studied the brightest four, consisting of two short-period pairs orbiting each other with an ~18 yr period. We present the first orbital solution for one of the short-period pairs, and determine the masses of the components and distance to the system to the level of …

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Improved Photometric Calibrations For Red Stars Observed With The Sdss Photometric Telescope, James R. A. Davenport, John J. Bochanski, Kevin R. Covey, Suzanne L. Hawley, Andrew A. West, Doanld P. Schneider Nov 2007

Improved Photometric Calibrations For Red Stars Observed With The Sdss Photometric Telescope, James R. A. Davenport, John J. Bochanski, Kevin R. Covey, Suzanne L. Hawley, Andrew A. West, Doanld P. Schneider

Physics & Astronomy

We present a new set of photometric transformations for red stars observed with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) 0.5 m Photometric Telescope (PT) and the SDSS 2.5 m telescope at the Apache Point Observatory in New Mexico. Nightly PT observations of US Naval Observatory standards are used to determine extinction corrections and calibration terms for SDSS 2.5 m photometry. Systematic differences between the PT and native SDSS 2.5 m ugriz photometry require conversions between the two systems which have previously been undefined for the reddest stars. By matching ~43,000 stars observed with both the PT and SDSS 2.5 m, …

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