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Astrophysics and Astronomy

1983

Articles 1 - 12 of 12

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Stimulated Emission And The Flat Balmer Decrements Of Cataclysmic Variable Stars, Moshe Elitzur, Gary J. Ferland, W. G. Mathews, G. A. Shields Sep 1983

Stimulated Emission And The Flat Balmer Decrements Of Cataclysmic Variable Stars, Moshe Elitzur, Gary J. Ferland, W. G. Mathews, G. A. Shields

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Balmer emission lines from cataclysmic variables often have nearly equal intensities rather than the rapid decrement predicted by simple nebular theory. Traditionally, this has been interpreted in terms of local thermodynamic equilibrium emission from a dense gas with small volume located just above the accretion disk. In this Letter we show that the intense radiation field within a close binary system can affect excited-state populations and optical emission in ways which allow a relatively low density gas to closely mimic the high-density situation. In at least one case, the old nova V603 Aql, the emitting gas has a low density …

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Development Of A Mass Spectrometer System For The Measurement Of Inert Gases In Meteorites, Russel L. Palma Sep 1983

Development Of A Mass Spectrometer System For The Measurement Of Inert Gases In Meteorites, Russel L. Palma

Physics and Astronomy Department Publications

No abstract provided.

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Unification Of Ernst-Equation Backlund Transformations Using A Modified Wahlquist-Estabrook Technique; Wahlquist-Estabrook, B. Kent Harrison Aug 1983

Unification Of Ernst-Equation Backlund Transformations Using A Modified Wahlquist-Estabrook Technique; Wahlquist-Estabrook, B. Kent Harrison

Faculty Publications

The three known Backlund transformations for the Ernst equation are derived using a modification of the Wahlquist-Estabrook prolongation procedure. The modification requires that the equation to be studied be cast into a set of differential forms and their exterior derivatives, such that all coefficients are constant (a "CC ideal''). Analysis of the resulting equations produces 16 solutions composed of the three basic transformations combined with identity and other essentially trivial transformations. The group structure of the transformations is discussed. A Backlund transformation (already known) for the Ernst-Maxwell equations can be found by the same method. Promising generalizations are mentioned.

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Photometric And Spectroscopic Observations Of An Optical Candidate For The X-Ray Source H 0544 - 665, M. Van Der Klis, J. Van Paradijs, P. A. Charles, J. R. Thorstensen Jun 1983

Photometric And Spectroscopic Observations Of An Optical Candidate For The X-Ray Source H 0544 - 665, M. Van Der Klis, J. Van Paradijs, P. A. Charles, J. R. Thorstensen

Dartmouth Scholarship

We present the results of spectroscopic and UBV observations of the brightest star in the error box of the X-ray source H 0544–665. This object is a B0–1 V star and a member of the LMC. It shows correlated variations in brightness and colour indices. We suggest that it is a Be-type star observed during a stage of low emission strength. Although a relation between this star and the X-ray source has still to be proven the present data add considerable support to the proposed identification.

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Colonial Astronomers In Search Of The Longitude Of New England, Richard F. Rothschild Apr 1983

Colonial Astronomers In Search Of The Longitude Of New England, Richard F. Rothschild

Maine History

This article deals with aspects of progress made between 1755 and 1785 to identify the longitude of New England and the reasons for the failure of the Harvard-American Academy of Arts and Sciences expedition to Penobscot to see the totality of the solar eclipse of October 27 1780.

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Extreme Variability In The Be-Type, Periodic Recurrent X-Ray Transient A0538 - 66: A Highly Eccentric Interacting Binary, P. A. Charles, L. Booth, R. H. Densham, G. T. Bath, J. R. Thorstensen Mar 1983

Extreme Variability In The Be-Type, Periodic Recurrent X-Ray Transient A0538 - 66: A Highly Eccentric Interacting Binary, P. A. Charles, L. Booth, R. H. Densham, G. T. Bath, J. R. Thorstensen

Dartmouth Scholarship

We present optical spectroscopy and photometry and IUE spectroscopy of the counterpart of the extremely powerful LMC recurrent X-ray transient A0538 – 66. During one 16.6 day outburst cycle at the end of 1980 December the optical spectra show steadily increasing Balmer and He I emission (indicative of an expanding envelope) superposed on a B2 III–IV spectrum. There is a substantial optical brightness increase of 2 mag at the peak, accompanied by the sudden turn-on of He IIλ 4686. These and other optical spectra show significant radial velocity changes but we can find no clear correlation with the 16.6 …

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Mm Herculis: An Eclipsing Binary Of The Rs Cvn Type, James R. Sowell, Douglas S. Hall, Gregory W. Henry, Edward W. Burke Jr., Eugene F. Milone Jan 1983

Mm Herculis: An Eclipsing Binary Of The Rs Cvn Type, James R. Sowell, Douglas S. Hall, Gregory W. Henry, Edward W. Burke Jr., Eugene F. Milone

Information Systems and Engineering Management Research Publications

Differential photoelectric photometry in V, B, and U has been obtained for the eclipsing binary MM Her, a member of the RS Canum Venaticorum class. The light outside eclipse was Fourier-analyzed to study the wave. The migration and amplitude of the wave and the mean light level of the system now have been monitored from 1976 through 1980. The phase of wave minimum has decreased from 0P.80 to 0P.25, the wave amplitude has varied between 0m.06 and 0m.12, and the mean light level has fluctuated between 0.94 and 0.99. Observations …

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Implicit Total Variation Diminishing (Tvd) Schemes For Steady-State Calculations, H. C. Yee, R. F Warming, A. Harten Jan 1983

Implicit Total Variation Diminishing (Tvd) Schemes For Steady-State Calculations, H. C. Yee, R. F Warming, A. Harten

United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Publications

We examine the application of a new implicit unconditionally-stable high-resolution TVD scheme to steady-state calculations. It is a member of a one-parameter family of explicit and implicit second-order accurate schemes developed by Harten for the computation of weak solutions of one-dimensional hyperbolic conservation laws. This scheme is guaranteed not to generate spurious oscillations for a nonlinear scalar equation and a constant coefficient system. Numerical experiments show that this scheme not only has a fairly rapid convergence rate, but also generates a highly-resolved approximation to the steady-state solution. A detailed implementation of the implicit scheme for the one- and two-dimensional compressible …

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Observations Of Two Peculiar Emission Objects In The Large Magellanic Cloud, Menas Kafatos, A. G. Michalitsianos, D. A. Allen, R. E. Stencel Jan 1983

Observations Of Two Peculiar Emission Objects In The Large Magellanic Cloud, Menas Kafatos, A. G. Michalitsianos, D. A. Allen, R. E. Stencel

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Ultraviolet and visual wavelength spectra were obtained of two peculiar emission objects, Henize S63 and Sanduleak.'s star in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Previously not observed in the near- or far-ultraviolet, both objects exhibit strong permitted and semiforbidden line emission. Estimates based on the absolute continuum flux of the hot companion star in Hen S63 indicate that it rivals the luminosity of the carbon star primary. The emission-line profile structure in both objects does not suggest Wolf-Rayet type emission. Carbon in Sanduleak.'s star (LMC anonymous) is conspicuously absent, while N v, N IV], and N III] dominate the UV emission-line spectrum. …

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Are There Any Shock-Heated Galaxies?, Gary J. Ferland, Hagai Netzer Jan 1983

Are There Any Shock-Heated Galaxies?, Gary J. Ferland, Hagai Netzer

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We study the spectroscopic characteristics of low ionization nuclear emission-line regions (Liners) in galaxies, and compare them with other active galactic nuclei. We show the results of new, extensive photoionization model calculations and use them to investigate line ratio diagrams, such as [O III] λ5007/Hβ versus [O II] λ3727/[O III] λ5007, and [O I] λ6300/[O III] λ5007 versus [O III] λ3727/[O III] λ5007. On the diagrams broad line objects, Seyfert 2 galaxies, and Liners form a continuous smooth sequence of decreasing ionization parameter. This suggests a common origin for line excitation in …

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High Spatial Resolution Vla Observations Of The R Aquarii Jet, Menas Kafatos, J. M. Hollis, A. G. Michalitsianos Jan 1983

High Spatial Resolution Vla Observations Of The R Aquarii Jet, Menas Kafatos, J. M. Hollis, A. G. Michalitsianos

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

High spatial resolution observations (~1") of the jet feature associated with the symbiotic variable R Aquarii were obtained with the Very Large Array (VLA). The peak radio intensity of the jet lies at a 29~3 P.A. with respect to the radio emission from R Aquarii itself. If the line defined by the jet and star is extended ~196", it intercepts a previously reported and heretofore unresolved radio source. In our high spatial resolution 6 cm map, this feature is resolved into a compact double radio source, whose peak intensity lies on an axis defined by the jet and star. The …

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The High-Energy Spectrum Of Hot Accretion Disks, J. A. Eilek, Menas Kafatos Jan 1983

The High-Energy Spectrum Of Hot Accretion Disks, J. A. Eilek, Menas Kafatos

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

A hot, two-temperature accretion disk can be a strong γ-ray and relativistic particle source. This occurs when the accretion rate is high enough -- M/ M ≥ 3 X 10^-9 α γr^-1 for a canonical Kerr black hole-due to the high ion temperature in the inner disk. We present detailed photon and particle spectra for specific disk models. The predicted γ-ray flux is as high as 10% of the bolometric luminosity in sub-Eddington models. Most of the γ-radiation is continuous, due to the π^0 decay, emitted around 100 MeV but degraded to a few MeV in optically thick models. Spectral …

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