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Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

2006

Articles 1 - 18 of 18

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Iron In Hot Da White Dwarfs, Stéphane Vennes, Pierre Chayer, Jean François Dupuis, Thierry M. Lanz Dec 2006

Iron In Hot Da White Dwarfs, Stéphane Vennes, Pierre Chayer, Jean François Dupuis, Thierry M. Lanz

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

We present a study of the iron abundance pattern in hot, hydrogen-rich (DA) white dwarfs. The study is based on new and archival far-ultraviolet spectroscopy of a sample of white dwarfs in the temperature range 30,000 K ≲ Teff ≲ 64,000 K. The spectra obtained with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer, along with spectra obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph and the International Ultraviolet Explorer, sample Fe III-Fe VI absorption lines, enabling a detailed iron abundance analysis over a wider range of effective temperatures than previously afforded. The measurements reveal abundance variations in excess of 2 orders of …

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Further Evidence For Variable Synchrotron Emission In Xte J1118+480 In Outburst, Robert I. Hynes, Edward L. Robinson, Kevin J. Pearson, Dawn M. Gelino, Wei Cui, Yongquan Xue, Matt A. Wood, Todd K. Watson, Don Earl Winget, Isaac M. Silver Nov 2006

Further Evidence For Variable Synchrotron Emission In Xte J1118+480 In Outburst, Robert I. Hynes, Edward L. Robinson, Kevin J. Pearson, Dawn M. Gelino, Wei Cui, Yongquan Xue, Matt A. Wood, Todd K. Watson, Don Earl Winget, Isaac M. Silver

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

We present simultaneous multicolor infrared and optical photometry of the black hole X-ray transient XTE Jill 8+480 during its short 2005 January outburst, supported by simultaneous X-ray observations. The variability is dominated by short timescales, ∼10 s, although a weak superhump also appears to be present in the optical. The optical rapid variations, at least, are well correlated with those in X-rays. Infrared JHKS photometry, as in the previous outburst, exhibits especially large-amplitude variability. The spectral energy distribution (SED) of the variable infrared component can be fitted with a power law of slope α = -0.78 ± 0.07, where Fᵧ …

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Heavy-Ion Elemental Abundances In Large Solar Energetic Particle Events And Their Implications For The Seed Population, Mihir I. Desai, Glenn M. Mason, Robert E. Gold, Stamatios M. Krimigis, Christina M.S. Cohen, Richard A. Mewaldt, Joseph E. Mazur, Joseph R. Dwyer Sep 2006

Heavy-Ion Elemental Abundances In Large Solar Energetic Particle Events And Their Implications For The Seed Population, Mihir I. Desai, Glenn M. Mason, Robert E. Gold, Stamatios M. Krimigis, Christina M.S. Cohen, Richard A. Mewaldt, Joseph E. Mazur, Joseph R. Dwyer

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

We have surveyed the ∼0.1-10 MeV nucleonˉ¹ abundances of heavy ions from ³He through Fe in 64 large solar energetic particle (LSEP) events observed on board the Advanced Composition Explorer from 1997 November through 2005 January. Our main results are (1) the 0.5-2.0 MeV nucleonˉ¹ ³He/⁴He ratio is enhanced between factors of ∼2-150 over the solar wind value in 29 (∼46%) events. (2) The Fe/O ratio in most LSEP events decreases with increasing energy up to ∼60 MeV nucleonˉ¹. (3) The Fe/O ratio is independent of CME speed, flare longitude, event size, the ³He/⁴He ratio, the pre-event Fe/O ratio, and …

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The Role Of Interplanetary Scattering In Western Hemisphere Large Solar Energetic Particle Events, Glenn M. Mason, Mihir I. Desai, Christina M.S. Cohen, Richard A. Mewaldt, Edward C. Stone, Joseph R. Dwyer Aug 2006

The Role Of Interplanetary Scattering In Western Hemisphere Large Solar Energetic Particle Events, Glenn M. Mason, Mihir I. Desai, Christina M.S. Cohen, Richard A. Mewaldt, Edward C. Stone, Joseph R. Dwyer

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

Using high-sensitivity instruments on the ACE spacecraft, we have examined the intensities of O and Fe in 14 large solar energetic particleevents whose parent activity was in the solar western hemisphere. Sampling the intensities at low (∼273 keV nucleonˉ¹) and high (∼12 MeV nucleonˉ¹) energies, we find that at the same kinetic energy per nucleon, the Fe/O ratio decreases with time, as has been reported previously. This behavior is seen in more than 70% of the cases during the rise to maximum intensity and continues in most cases into the decay phase. We find that for most events if we …

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Whole Earth Telescope Observations Of The Pulsating Subdwarf B Star Pg 0014+067, Maja Vučković, Matt A. Wood, V. Wilkat Aug 2006

Whole Earth Telescope Observations Of The Pulsating Subdwarf B Star Pg 0014+067, Maja Vučković, Matt A. Wood, V. Wilkat

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

PG 0014+067 is one of the most promising pulsating subdwarf B stars for seismic analysis, as it has a rich pulsation spectrum. The richness of its pulsations, however, poses a fundamental challenge to understanding the pulsations of these stars, as the mode density is too complex to be explained only with radial and nonradial low-degree (l < 3) p-modes without rotational splittings. One proposed solution, suggested by Brassard et al. in 2001 for the case of PG 0014+067 in particular, assigns some modes with high degree (l - 3). On the other hand, theoretical models of sdB stars suggest that they may retain rapidly rotating cores, and so the high mode density may result from the presence of a few rotationally split triplet (l = 1) and quintuplet (l = 2) modes, along with radial (l = 0)p-modes. To examine alternative theoretical models for these stars, we need better frequency resolution and denser longitude coverage. Therefore, we observed this star with the Whole Earth Telescope for two weeks in 2004 October. In this paper we report the results of Whole Earth Telescope observations of the pulsating subdwarf B star PG 0014+067. We find that the frequencies seen in PG 0014+067 do not appear to fit any theoretical model currently available; however, we find a simple empirical relation that is able to match all of the well-determined frequencies in this star.

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Solar Cycle Variations In The Composition Of The Suprathermal Heavy-Ion Population Near 1 Au, Mihir I. Desai, Glenn M. Mason, Joseph E. Mazur, Joseph R. Dwyer Jul 2006

Solar Cycle Variations In The Composition Of The Suprathermal Heavy-Ion Population Near 1 Au, Mihir I. Desai, Glenn M. Mason, Joseph E. Mazur, Joseph R. Dwyer

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

We have measured the annual variation in the quiet-time composition of interplanetary suprathermal ions between 0.04 and 1 MeV nucleon-1 from 1994 November 20 through 2006 January 1. Our results show the following: (1) The C/O and Fe/O ratios are similar to the corresponding values measured in the solar wind and corotating interaction regions (CIRs) during solar minimum conditions of 1994-1997 and 2005. (2) During periods of increased solar activity between 1998 and 2002, the C/O ratio is similar to that measured in solar energetic particle (SEP) events, while the Fe/O ratio lies between the values measured in coronal mass …

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Lp 400-22, A Very Low Mass And High-Velocity White Dwarf, Adéla Kawka, Stéphane Vennes, Terry D. Oswalt, J. Allyn Smith, Nicole M. Silvestri Jun 2006

Lp 400-22, A Very Low Mass And High-Velocity White Dwarf, Adéla Kawka, Stéphane Vennes, Terry D. Oswalt, J. Allyn Smith, Nicole M. Silvestri

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

We report the identification of LP 400-22 (WD 2234+222) as a very low mass and high-velocity white dwarf. The ultraviolet GALEX and optical photometric colors and a spectral line analysis of LP 400-22 show this star to have an effective temperature of 11,080 ± 140 K and a surface gravity of log g = 6.32 ± 0.08. Therefore, this is a helium-core white dwarf with a mass of 0.17 M⊙. The tangential velocity of this white dwarf is 414 ± 43 km s-1, making it one of the fastest moving white dwarfs known. We discuss probable evolutionary scenarios for this …

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Spectroscopic Identification Of Cool White Dwarfs In The Solar Neighborhood, Adela Kawka, Stéphane Vennes May 2006

Spectroscopic Identification Of Cool White Dwarfs In The Solar Neighborhood, Adela Kawka, Stéphane Vennes

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

The New Luyten Two-Tenths catalog contains a large number of high proper motion white dwarf candidates that remain to be spectroscopically confirmed. We present new spectroscopic observations, as well as SDSS archival spectra of 49 white dwarf candidates selected from the revised NLTT catalog of Salim & Gould. Of these, 34 are cool DA white dwarfs with temperatures ranging from approximately 5000 up to 11,690 K, and 11 are DC white dwarfs with temperatures ranging from 4300 K (NLTT 18555) up to 11,000 K. Three of the DA white dwarfs also display abundances of heavy elements (NLTT 3915, NLTT 44986, …

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A Far-Ultraviolet Study Of The Hot White Dwarf In The Dwarf Nova Ww Ceti, Patrick Godon, Laura Seward, Edward M. Sion, Paula Szkody May 2006

A Far-Ultraviolet Study Of The Hot White Dwarf In The Dwarf Nova Ww Ceti, Patrick Godon, Laura Seward, Edward M. Sion, Paula Szkody

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

We present a synthetic spectral analysis of IUE archival and FUSE (Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer) far-UV spectra of the peculiar dwarf nova WW Cet. During the quiescence of WW Cet, a white dwarf with T wd ∼ 26,000 ± 1000 K can account for the far-UV flux and yields the proper distance. However, the best agreement with the observations is provided by a two-temperature white dwarf model with a cooler white dwarf at T wd = 25,000 K providing 75% of the far-UV flux and a hotter region (accretion belt or optically thick disk ring) with T = 40,000 K …

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Propagation Speed Of Runaway Electron Avalanches, Lee M. Coleman, Joseph R. Dwyer Jan 2006

Propagation Speed Of Runaway Electron Avalanches, Lee M. Coleman, Joseph R. Dwyer

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

Simulations of relativistic runaway breakdown (RRB) are performed as functions of both time and space, resulting in explicit calculations of e-folding lengths (λ) and times (τ). The ratio of λ to τ agrees well with the speed of the avalanche, which ranges from 2.61 × 108 m sˉ¹ to 2.72 × 108 m sˉ¹. Thus, using the speed of light, c, for the ratio of λ to τ can cause a 10% error when estimating λ from τ. A 10% error in λ will cause a factor of three error in the predicted number of runaway electrons for every ten …

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Correlation Between Energetic Ion Enhancements And Heliospheric Current Sheet Crossings In The Outer Heliosphere, John D. Richardson, Edward C. Stone, Ace C. Cummings, Justin C. Kasper, Ming Zhang, Leonard F. Burlaga, Nudel F. Ness, Ying Liu Jan 2006

Correlation Between Energetic Ion Enhancements And Heliospheric Current Sheet Crossings In The Outer Heliosphere, John D. Richardson, Edward C. Stone, Ace C. Cummings, Justin C. Kasper, Ming Zhang, Leonard F. Burlaga, Nudel F. Ness, Ying Liu

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

Voyagers 1 and 2 observed highly-variable beams of energetic ions in the foreshock region upstream of the termination shock (TS). At Voyager 2 (V2), the ion intensities are generally not related to the plasma properties. At Voyager 1 (V1), the beams are often coincident with crossings of the heliospheric current sheet (HCS). The V1 intensity peaks occur when the HCS is crossed from negative to positive magnetic polarities and V1 is within a few AU of the TS. Two mechanisms are considered: current sheet drift and streaming of ions from the TS along magnetic field lines which are parallel to …

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The Rapidly Pulsating Subdwarf B Star Pg 1325+101 I. Oscillation Modes From Multisite Observations, R Silvotti, T D. Oswalt, Mark J. Rudkin, Kyle B. Johnston Jan 2006

The Rapidly Pulsating Subdwarf B Star Pg 1325+101 I. Oscillation Modes From Multisite Observations, R Silvotti, T D. Oswalt, Mark J. Rudkin, Kyle B. Johnston

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

In this article we present the results of 215 h of time-series photometry on the rapidly pulsating subdwarf B star PG 1325+101 (Teff - 35 000 K, log g = 5.8, log N(Hs)/N(H) = -1.7), obtained during 25 days of observation in Spring 2003 from nine different sites. As in previous observations, the temporal spectrum is dominated by the main peak at 7255.55 μHz, with an amplitude of about 2.7% which, however, is dropped to about 1.7% in February 2005. No secondary peaks close to the dominant pulsation mode are clearly detected. In addition, at least fourteen more pulsation frequencies …

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The Rapidly Pulsating Subdwarf B Star Pg 1325+101 Ii. Structural Parameters From Asteroseismology, Stéphane Charpinet, T D. Oswalt, Mark J. Rudkin, Kyle B. Johnston Jan 2006

The Rapidly Pulsating Subdwarf B Star Pg 1325+101 Ii. Structural Parameters From Asteroseismology, Stéphane Charpinet, T D. Oswalt, Mark J. Rudkin, Kyle B. Johnston

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

We present a detailed analysis of the rapidly pulsating subdwarf B star (or EC14026 star) PG 1325+101. This analysis exploits the outcome of dedicated multisite observations using time-series photometry that revealed the presence of (at least) 15 periodicities in the luminosity modulation of this star (Silvotti et al. 2006, A&A, 459, 557, Paper I). Based on high-S/N, medium-resolution spectra obtained at the Steward Observatory's 2.3 m Telescope and at the 6.5 m MMT Telescope, new NLTE spectroscopic derivations of the atmospheric parameters of PG 1325+101 are presented. The mean values of T eff = 35 050 ± 220 K, log …

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The Solar Flare Of The 14th Of July 2000 (L3+C Detector Results), Pablo Achard, Gyöngyi Baksay, László A. Baksay, K Dehmelt, Marcus Hohlmann, D Rembeczki, Z Szillasi, I Vodopianov, The L3 Collaboration Jan 2006

The Solar Flare Of The 14th Of July 2000 (L3+C Detector Results), Pablo Achard, Gyöngyi Baksay, László A. Baksay, K Dehmelt, Marcus Hohlmann, D Rembeczki, Z Szillasi, I Vodopianov, The L3 Collaboration

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

Aims.Several experiments have reported observations on possible correlations between the flux of high energy muons and intense solar flares. If confirmed, these observations would have significant implications for acceleration processes in the heliosphere able to accelerate protons and other ions to energies of at least tens of GeV. Methods.The solar flare of the 14 of July 2000 offered a unique opportunity for the L3+C experiment to search for a correlated enhancement in the flux of muons using the L3 precision muon spectrometer. Its capabilities for observing a directional excess in the flux of muons above 15 GeV (corresponding to primary …

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A Multisite Photometric Campaign On The Pre-Main-Sequence Δ Scuti Pulsator Ip Persei, Vincenzo Ripepi, T D. Oswalt Jan 2006

A Multisite Photometric Campaign On The Pre-Main-Sequence Δ Scuti Pulsator Ip Persei, Vincenzo Ripepi, T D. Oswalt

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

We present the results of a photometric multisite campaign on the δ Scuti Pre-Main-Sequence star IP Per. Nine telescopes have been involved in the observations, with a total of about 190 h of observations over 38 nights. Present data confirms the multiperiodic nature of this star and leads to the identification of at least nine pulsational frequencies. Comparison with the predictions of linear non-adiabatic radial pulsation models allowed us to identify only five of the nine observed frequencies, and to constrain the position of IP Per in the HR diagram. The latter is in good agreement with the empirical determination …

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Whole Earth Telescope Observations Of The Zz Ceti Star Hl Tau 76, Noël Dolez, Matt A. Wood, Thomas J. Ahrens, Nicole Silvestri Jan 2006

Whole Earth Telescope Observations Of The Zz Ceti Star Hl Tau 76, Noël Dolez, Matt A. Wood, Thomas J. Ahrens, Nicole Silvestri

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

This paper analyses the Whole Earth Telescope observations of HL Tau 76, the first discovered pulsating DA white dwarf. The star was observed during two Whole Earth Telescope campaigns. It was a second priority target during the XCOV13 campaign in 1996 and the first priority one during the XCOV18 campaign in 1999. The 1999 campaign reached 66.5% duty cycle. With a total duration of 18 days, the frequency resolution achieved is 0.68 μHz. With such a frequency resolution, we were able to find as many as 78 significant frequencies in the power spectrum, of which 34 are independent frequencies after …

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Runaway Breakdown In The Jovian Atmospheres, Joseph R. Dwyer, Lee M. Coleman, Ramon E. Lopez, Ziad H. Saleh, D. Concha, Michael G. Brown, Hamid K. Rassoul Jan 2006

Runaway Breakdown In The Jovian Atmospheres, Joseph R. Dwyer, Lee M. Coleman, Ramon E. Lopez, Ziad H. Saleh, D. Concha, Michael G. Brown, Hamid K. Rassoul

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

Using detailed Monte Carlo calculations, the properties of runaway breakdown in the atmospheres of the four gas giant planets in our solar system are investigated, and the runaway avalanche lengths and average runaway electron kinetic energies are presented as a function of atmospheric electric field strengths. The runaway breakdown threshold field for the Jovian atmospheres is found to be 10 times smaller than the conventional breakdown field when hydrometeors are present, compared to 3 times smaller for Earth's atmosphere, indicating that runaway breakdown processes may be much more efficient in the gas giants than on Earth. In the Earth's atmosphere, …

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Origin Of Heavy Ions In Upstream Events Near The Earth's Bow Shock, Mihir I. Desai, Glenn M. Mason, Joseph E. Mazur, Joseph R. Dwyer Jan 2006

Origin Of Heavy Ions In Upstream Events Near The Earth's Bow Shock, Mihir I. Desai, Glenn M. Mason, Joseph E. Mazur, Joseph R. Dwyer

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

We have surveyed the ∼20-160 keV/nucleon heavy ion composition of 2102 upstream events observed by the Wind/STEP instrument near the Earth's bow shock over a complete solar cycle from day 325, 1994 through day 90, 2006. Our main results are: (1) During solar minimum conditions, both the C/O and Fe/O ratios are similar to the corresponding values measured in the solar wind and/or CIRs. (2) During solar maximum conditions, the C/O ratio is similar to that measured in SEP and CME-driven IP shock events, while the Fe/O ratio lies between the values measured in IP shock and SEP events. We …

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