Astrophysics and Astronomy Commons^™

Observing Mesospheric Gravity Waves With Nasa’S Awe Mission And Correlating To Gnss Tec Maps, Jaime Aguilar Guerrero, Björn Bergsson, Sehin Mesfin, Pavel Inchin, Matthew Zettergren, Ludger Scherliess, Yucheng Zhao, Dominique Pautet

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

The Atmosphere Waves Experiment (AWE) is a NASA mission launched on November 9, 2023, and installed on the International Space Station (ISS). Its primary goal is to detect and characterize atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) by measuring Earth’s mesospheric hydroxyl (OH) airglow with its key instrument, the Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper (AMTM). Since its deployment, AWE has been quantifying the seasonal and regional variability of AGWs, investigating their occurrence and potential sources, and enabling the assessment of their broader impact on the atmosphere by comparing measurements at different altitudes by other instruments. AWE has collected extensive imagery and temperature data capturing …

Extrasolar Planet Detection Through Analysis Of K-Giant Radial Velocity Data, Floyd D. Linayao

Physics

Extrasolar planet detection is an ongoing and growing field of scientific research. To date, there are over 400 planet candidates discovered by various means of detection. Currently, astronomers taking observations at Lick Observatory are searching for potential extrasolar planets around K-giant stars. The project was originally developed to monitor stars to be used in the astrometric grid for NASA’s Space Interferometry Mission (SIM). While using the radial velocity method to test if the astrometric centers of K-giants were stable, astronomers came to the realization that the same process could be used for extrasolar planet detection. Of the 373 K-giants being …

Cluster Solver For Dynamical Mean-Field Theory With Linear Scaling In Inverse Temperature, Ehsan Khatami, C. Lee, Z. Bai, R. Scalettar, M. Jarrell

Faculty Publications

Dynamical mean-field theory and its cluster extensions provide a very useful approach for examining phase transitions in model Hamiltonians and, in combination with electronic structure theory, constitute powerful methods to treat strongly correlated materials. The key advantage to the technique is that, unlike competing real-space methods, the sign problem is well controlled in the Hirsch-Fye (HF) quantum Monte Carlo used as an exact cluster solver. However, an important computational bottleneck remains; the HF method scales as the cube of the inverse temperature, β. This often makes simulations at low temperatures extremely challenging. We present here a method based on determinant …

Pulsational Mapping Of Calcium Across The Surface Of A White Dwarf, Susan E. Thompson, Ted Von Hippel, Et Al.

Publications

We constrain the distribution of calcium across the surface of the white dwarf star G29-38 by combining time-series spectroscopy from Gemini-North with global time-series photometry from the Whole Earth Telescope. G29-38 is actively accreting metals from a known debris disk. Since the metals sink significantly faster than they mix across the surface, any inhomogeneity in the accretion process will appear as an inhomogeneity of the metals on the surface of the star. We measure the flux amplitudes and the calcium equivalent width amplitudes for two large pulsations excited on G29-38 in 2008. The ratio of these amplitudes best fits a …

The Discovery Of Gamma-Ray Emission From The Blazar Rgb J0710+591, P. T. Reynolds, Et Al

Physical Sciences Publications

The high-frequency-peaked BL Lacertae object RGB J0710+591 was observed in the very high-energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) wave band by the VERITAS array of atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. The observations, taken between 2008 December and 2009 March and totaling 22.1 hr, yield the discovery of VHE gamma rays from the source. RGB J0710+591 is detected at a statistical significance of 5.5 standard deviations (5.5σ) above the background, corresponding to an integral flux of (3.9 ± 0.8) × 10–12 cm–2 s–1 (3% of the Crab Nebula's flux) above 300 GeV. The observed spectrum can be fit by a power law from 0.31 …

The Lick-Carnegie Exoplanet Survey: A Saturn-Mass Planet In The Habitable Zone Of The Nearby M4v Star Hip 57050, Nader Haghighipour, Steve Vogt, R. Paul Butler, Eugenio J. Rivera, Gregory Laughlin, Stefano Meschiari, Gregory W. Henry

Information Systems and Engineering Management Research Publications

Precision radial velocities (RV) from Keck/HIRES reveal a Saturn-mass planet orbiting the nearby M4V star HIP 57050. The planet has a minimum mass of Msin i ∼ 0.3 MJ, an orbital period of 41.4 days, and an orbital eccentricity of 0.31. V-band photometry reveals a clear stellar rotation signature of the host star with a period of 98 days, well separated from the period of the RV variations and reinforcing a Keplerian origin for the observed velocity variations. The orbital period of this planet corresponds to an orbit in the habitable zone of HIP 57050, with an expected planetary temperature …

Spitzer Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy Of Compact Symmetric Objects: What Powers Radio-Loud Active Galactic Nuclei?, Kyle W. Willett, John T. Stocke, Jeremy K. Darling, Eric S. Perlman

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

We present low- and high-resolution mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectra and photometry for eight compact symmetric objects (CSOs) taken with the Infrared Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space Telescope. The hosts of these young, powerful radio galaxies show significant diversity in their mid-IR spectra. This includes multiple atomic fine-structure lines, H2 gas, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission, warm dust from T = 50 to150 K, and silicate features in both emission and absorption. There is no evidence in the mid-IR of a single template for CSO hosts, but 5/8 galaxies show similar moderate levels of star formation (<10 M ⊙ yr-1 from PAH emission) and silicate dust in a clumpy torus. The total amount of extinction ranges from AV ∼ 10 to 30, and the high-ionization [Ne V] 14.3 and 24.3 μm transitions are not detected for any galaxy in the sample. Almost all CSOs show contributions both from star formation and active galactic nuclei (AGNs), suggesting that they occupy a continuum between pure starbursts and AGNs. This is consistent with the hypothesis that radio galaxies are created following a galactic merger; the timing of the radio activity onset means that contributions to the IR luminosity from both merger-induced star formation and the central AGN are likely. Bondi accretion is capable of powering the radio jets for almost all CSOs in the sample; the lack of [Ne V] emission suggests an advection-dominated accretion flow mode as a possible candidate. Merging black holes (BHs) with M BH > 108 M ⊙ likely exist …

Hubble Space Telescope Near-Infrared Snapshot Survey Of 3cr Radio Source Counterparts. Iii. Radio Galaxies And Quasars In Context, David J.E. Floyd, David Axon, Stefi Baum, Alessandro Capetti, Marco Chiaberge, Juan P. Madrid, Christopher P. O'Dea, Eric S. Perlman, William B. Sparks

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

We compare the near-infrared (NIR) H-band photometric and morphological properties of low-z (z < 0.3) 3CR radio galaxies with samples of BL Lac objects and quasar host galaxies, merger remnants, quiescent elliptical galaxies, and brightest cluster galaxies drawn from the literature. In general, the 3CR host galaxies are consistent with luminous (~Lsstarf) elliptical galaxies. The vast majority of FR II's (~80%) occupy the most massive ellipticals and form a homogeneous population that is comparable to the population of radio-loud quasar (RLQ) host galaxies in the literature. However, a significant minority (~20%) of the 3CR FR II's appears under-luminous with respect to quasar host galaxies. All FR II objects in this faint tail are either unusually red, or appear to be the brightest objects within a group. We discuss the apparent differences between the radio galaxy and RLQ host galaxy populations. RLQs appear to require gsim1011 M☉ host galaxies (and ~109 M☉ black holes), whereas radio galaxies and radio-quiet quasars can exist in galaxies down to ~3 × 1010 M☉. This may be due to biases in the measured quasar host galaxy luminosities or populations studied, or due to a genuine difference in host galaxy. If due to a genuine difference, it would support the idea that radio and optical active galactic nuclei are two separate populations with a significant overlap.

Section Abstracts: Astronomy, Mathematics, And Physics & Materials Science

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstracts of papers of the Astronomy, Mathematics, and Physics (Including Materials Science) Section for the 88th Annual Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science, May 20-21, 2010, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.

Lorentz Violation And Gravity, Quentin G. Bailey

Publications

In the last decade, a variety of high-precision experiments have searched for miniscule violations of Lorentz symmetry. These searches are largely motivated by the possibility of uncovering experimental signatures from a fundamental unified theory. Experimental results are reported in the framework called the Standard-Model Extension (SME), which describes general Lorentz violation for each particle species in terms of its coefficients for Lorentz violation. Recently, the role of gravitational experiments in probing the SME has been explored in the literature. In this talk, I will summarize theoretical and experimental aspects of these works. I will also discuss recent lunar laser ranging …

Hard X-Ray Emission From The Massive Star-Forming Region On 2: Discovery With Xmm-Newton., L. Oskinova, R. Gruendl, Richard Ignace, Y.-H. Chu, W.-R. Hamann, A. Feldmeier

ETSU Faculty Works

We obtained X-ray XMM-Newton observations of the open cluster Berkeley 87 and the massive star-forming region (SFR) ON 2. In addition, archival infrared Spitzer Space Telescope observations were used to study the morphology of ON 2, to uncover young stellar objects, and to investigate their relationship with the X-ray sources. It is likely that the SFR ON 2 and Berkeley 87 are at the same distance, 1.23 kpc, and hence are associated. The XMM-Newton observations detected X-rays from massive stars in Berkeley 87 as well as diffuse emission from the SFR ON 2. The two patches of diffuse X-ray emission …

Dla-Lbg Cross-Correlation And Basic Properties Of Infrared Galaxies In Cosmological Simulations, Tae Song Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

PART I

We calculate the cross-correlation function (CCF) between damped Ly-alpha systems (DLAs) and Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) using cosmological hydrodynamic simulations at z = 3. We compute the CCF with two different methods. First, we assume that there is one DLA in each dark matter halo if its DLA cross section is non-zero. In our second approach we weight the pair-count by the DLA cross section of each halo, yielding a cross-section-weighted CCF. We also compute the angular CCF for direct comparison with observations. Finally, we calculate the auto-correlation functions of LBGs and DLAs, and their bias against the …

Globular Structure Of A Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Protease (1difa Dimer) In An Effective Solvent Medium By A Monte Carlo Simulation, Ras B. Pandey, Barry L. Farmer

Faculty Publications

A coarse-grained model is used to study the structure and dynamics of a human immunodeficiency virus-1 protease (1DIFA dimer) consisting of 198 residues in an effective solvent medium on a cubic lattice by Monte Carlo simulations for a range of interaction strengths. Energy and mobility profiles of residues are found to depend on the interaction strength and exhibit remarkable segmental symmetries in two monomers. Lowest energy residues such as Arg(41) and Arg(140) (most electrostatic and polar) are not the least mobile; despite the higher energy, the hydrophobic residues (Ile, Leu, and Val) are least mobile and form the core by …

Structure-Property Maps And Optimal Inversion In Configurational Thermodynamics, Gus L. W. Hart, Björn Arnold, Alejandro Díaz Ortiz, Helmut Dosch

Faculty Publications

Cluster expansions of first-principles density-functional databases in multicomponent systems are now used as a routine tool for the prediction of zero- and finite-temperature physical properties. The ability of producing large databases of various degrees of accuracy, i.e., high-throughput calculations, makes pertinent the analysis of error propagation during the inversion process. This is a very demanding task as both data and numerical noise have to be treated on equal footing. We have addressed this problem by using an analysis that combines the variational and evolutionary approaches to cluster expansions. Simulated databases were constructed ex professo to sample the configurational space in …

Jewels Of The Cosmic Deep: Messier's First Guide To The Night Sky, Shane L. Larson

Public Talks

No abstract provided.

New Precision Orbits Of Bright Double-Lined Spectroscopic Binaries. Iv. 66 Andromedae, Hr 6979, And Hr 9059, Francis C. Fekel, Jocelyn Tomkin, Michael H. Williamson

Information Systems and Engineering Management Research Publications

We have determined improved spectroscopic orbits for three double-lined binaries, 66 And (F4 V), HR 6979 (Am), and HR 9059 (F5 IV) using radial velocities from the 2.1 m telescope at McDonald Observatory, the coudé feed telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory, and 2 m telescope at Fairborn Observatory. The orbital periods range from 11.0 to 14.3 days, and all three systems have eccentric orbits. The new orbital dimensions (a1 sin i and a2 sin i) and minimum masses (m1 sin3 i and m2 sin3 i) have accuracies of 0.2% or better. All six components of the three binary systems …

Characterization Of Optical Constants For Uranium From 10 To 47 Nm, Nicole Brimhall, Nicholas Herrick, David D. Allred, R. Steven Turley, Michael Ware, Justin Peatross

Faculty Publications

We use a laser high-harmonics-based extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) polarimeter to determine the optical constants of elemental uranium in the wavelength range from 10 to 47 nm. The constants are extracted from the measure ratio of p-polarized to s-polarized reflectance from a thin uranium film deposited in situ. The film thickness is inferred from a spectroscopic ellipsometry measurement of the sample after complete oxidation in room air. Uranium has been used as a high-reflectance material in the EUV. However, difficulties with oxidation prevented its careful characterization previous to this study. We find that measured optical constants for uranium vary significantly from previous …

Hr 7355 - Another Rapidly Braking He-Strong Cp Star?, Zdeněk Mikulášek, Jiří Krtička, Gregory W. Henry, S. N. De Villiers, Ernst Paunzen, Miloslav Zejda

Information Systems and Engineering Management Research Publications

Context. Strong meridional mixing induced by rapid rotation is one reason why all hot main-sequence stars are not chemically peculiar. However, the finding that the He-strong CP star HR 7355 is a rapid rotator complicates this concept.
Aims. Our goal is to explain the observed behaviour of HR 7355 based on period analysis of all available photometry.
Methods. Over two years, we acquired 114 new BV observations of HR 7355 at observatories in Arizona, U.S.A and Cape Town, South Africa. We performed period analyses of the new observations along with new analyses of 732 archival measurements from the Hipparcos and …

The M•–Σ* Relation Derived From Sphere Of Influence Arguments, Daniel P. Batcheldor

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

The observed relation between supermassive black hole (SMBH) mass (M•) and bulge stellar velocity dispersion (σ*) is described by log M• = α + βlog(σ*/200 km s-1). As this relation has important implications for models of galaxy and SMBH formation and evolution, there continues to be great interest in adding to the M• catalog. The "sphere of influence" (ri) argument uses spatial resolution to exclude some M• estimates and pre-select additional galaxies for further SMBH studies. This Letter quantifies the effects of applying the ri argument to a population of galaxies and SMBHs that do not follow the M•–σ* relation. …

Development And Demonstration Of A Field-Deployable Fast Chromotomographic Imager, Daniel C. O'Dell

Theses and Dissertations

A field deployable hyperspectral imager utilizing chromotomography (CT), with a direct vision prism (DVP) as the dispersive element, has been constructed at AFIT. This research is focused on the development and demonstration of the CT imager. An overview of hyperspectral imaging, chromotomography, a synopsis of reconstruction algorithms, and other CT instruments are given. The importance of component alignment, instrument calibration, and exact prism angular position data are discussed. A simplistic \shift and add" reconstruction algorithm was utilized for this research. Although limited in its ability to reconstruct a spatially and spectrally diverse scene, the algorithm was adequate for the testing …

Evaluation Of Interplanetary Magnetic Field Tracing Models Using Impulsive Seps, Brian P. Elliott

Theses and Dissertations

Current Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) models are evaluated in this study to determine which model(s) perform an accurate representation of this magnetic structure. These IMF models include the Parker Spiral model, the Potential Field Source Surface (PFSS) model, the Wang-Sheeley-Arge (WSA) model and the ENLIL model. Impulsive Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) are used as tracers to determine the magnetic structure of the IMF and provide source locations for model comparisons. Each individual model is analyzed, compared to the identified solar source region and a longitude/latitude offset of these traces assigned. The model connection of the PFSS and Parker models is …

Studying The Small Scale Ism Structure With Supernovae, F. Patat, N. L. J. Cox, J. Parrent, D. Branch

Dartmouth Scholarship

In this work we explore the possibility of using the fast expansion of a Type Ia supernova photosphere to detect extra-galactic ISM column density variations on spatial scales of ∼100 AU on time scales of a few months. We constructed a simple model which describes the expansion of the photodisk and the effects of a patchy interstellar cloud on the observed equivalent width of Nai D lines. Using this model we derived the behavior of the equivalent width as a function of time, spatial scale and amplitude of the column density fluctuation

A Test Of Pre-Main-Sequence Lithium Depletion Models, Jennifer Chun Ming Yee , '07, Eric L.N. Jensen

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

Despite the extensive study of lithium depletion during pre-main-sequence (PMS) contraction, studies of individual stars show discrepancies between ages determined from the Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram and ages determined from lithium depletion, indicating open questions in the PMS evolutionary models. To further test these models, we present high-resolution spectra for members of the beta Pictoris Moving Group (BPMG), which is young and nearby. We measure equivalent widths of the 6707.8 angstrom Li I line in these stars and use them to determine lithium abundances. We combine the lithium abundance with the predictions of PMS evolutionary models in order to calculate a …

Central Compact Objects, Trevor Meek

Physics

Central compact objects (CCOs) are point-like sources found near the center of supernova remnants (SNRs). They emit X-rays, but show no radio or gamma ray counterpart. Typical CCO candidates have emission radii on the order of 0.2-3.0 km. This is much smaller than the typical radius of a neutron star, making CCOs a difficult astronomical phenomenon to identify.

Optical/Infrared Observations Of The X-Ray Burster Ks1731-260 In Quiescence, C. Zurita, E. Kuulkers, R. M. Bandyopadhyay, E. M. Cackett, P. J. Groot, J. A. Orosz, M. A. P. Torres, R. Wijnands

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Research Publications

Aims. We performed an optical/infrared study of the counterpart of the low-mass X-ray binary KS 1731–260 to test its identification and obtain information about the donor.

Methods. Optical and infrared images of the counterpart of KS 1731–260 were taken in two different epochs (2001 and 2007) after the source returned to quiescence in X-rays. We compared these observations with those obtained when KS 1731–260 was still active.

Results. We confirm the identification of KS 1731–260 with the previously proposed counterpart and improve its position to α = 17:34:13.46 and δ = -26:05:18.60. The H-band magnitude of this …

Radio Emission From Substellar Companions Of Evolved Cool Stars., Richard Ignace, Mark Giroux, Donald Luttermoser

ETSU Faculty Works

A number of substellar companions to evolved cool stars have now been reported. Cool giants are distinct from their progenitor main-sequence low-mass stars in a number of ways. First, the mass loss rates of cool giant stars are orders of magnitude greater than for the late-type main-sequence stars. Secondly, on the cool side of the Linsky–Haisch ‘dividing line’, K and M giant stars are not X-ray sources, although they do show evidence for chromospheres. As a result, cool star winds are largely neutral for those spectral types, suggesting that planetary or brown dwarf magnetospheres will not be effective in standing …

Solar Eclipse Monitoring For Solar Energy Applications Using The Solar And Moon Position Algorithms, Ibrahim Reda

Publications (E)

This report includes a procedure for implementing an algorithm (described by Jean Meeus [1]) to calculate the Moon’s zenith angle with uncertainty of ±0.001° and azimuth angle with uncertainty of ±0.003°. The step-by-step format presented here simplifies the complicated steps Meeus describes to calculate the Moon’s position, and focuses on the Moon instead of the planets and stars. It also introduces some changes to accommodate for solar radiation applications. These include changing the direction of measuring azimuth angles from north and eastward instead of from south and eastward, and the direction of measuring the observer’s geographical longitude to be measured …

The Equivalence Principle, Uniformly Accelerated Reference Frames, And The Uniform Gravitational Field, Gerardo Muñoz, Preston Jones

Publications

The relation between uniformly accelerated reference frames in flat spacetime and the uniform gravitational field is examined in a relativistic context. It is shown that contrary to previous statements, equivalence does not break down in this context. No restrictions to Newtonian approximations or small enclosures are necessary.

High-Energy Amplitudes In N= 4 Sym In The Next-To-Leading Order, Ian Balitsky, Giovanni A. Chirilli

Physics Faculty Publications

The high-energy behavior of the N = 4 SYM amplitudes in the Regge limit can be calculated order by order in perturbation theory using the high-energy operator expansion in Wilson lines. At large Nc , a typical four-point amplitude is determined by a single BFKL pomeron. The conformal structure of the four-point amplitude is fixed in terms of two functions: pomeron intercept and the coefficient function in front of the pomeron (the product of two residues). The pomeron intercept is universal while the coefficient function depends on the correlator in question. The intercept is known in the first two orders …

On The Anomalous Balmer Line Strengths In Globular Clusters, Violet Poole, Guy Worthey, Hyun Chul Lee, Jedidiah Serven

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Spectral feature index diagrams with integrated globular clusters and simple stellar population models often show that some clusters have weak Hβ, so weak that even the oldest models cannot match the observed feature depths. In this work, we rule out the possibility that abundance mixture effects are responsible for the weak indices unless such changes operate to cool the entire isochrone. We discuss this result in the context of other explanations, including horizontal branch morphology, blue straggler populations, and nebular or stellar emission fill-in, finding a preference for flaring in M giants as an explanation for the Hβ anomaly. © …