Cosmic-ray exposure records and origins of meteorites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reedy, R.C.

1985-01-01

The cosmic-ray records of meteorites are used to infer much about their origins and recent histories. The methods used to interpret meteorites cosmic-ray records, especially identifying simple or complex exposure histories, often are inadequate. Spallogenic radionuclides, stable nuclides, and measurements of products that have location-sensitive production rates, such as the tracks of heavy cosmic-ray nuclei or neutron-capture nuclides, are very useful in accurately determining a meteorite's history. Samples from different, known locations of a meteorite help in studying the cosmic-ray record. Such extensive sets of meteorite measuremetns, plus theoretical modeling of complex histories, improves the ability to predict the production of cosmogenic nuclides in meteorites, to distinguish simple and complex exposure histories, and to better determine exposure ages

The Probe of Inflation and Cosmic Origins

Science.gov (United States)

Hanany, Shaul; Inflation Probe Mission Study Team

2018-01-01

The Probe of Inflation and Cosmic Origins will map the polarization of the cosmic microwave background over the entire sky with unprecedented sensitivity. It will search for gravity wave signals from the inflationary epoch, thus probing quantum gravity and constraining the energy scale of inflation; it will test the standard model of particle physics by measuring the number of light particles in the Universe and the mass of the neutrino; it will elucidate the nature of dark matter and search for new forms of matter in the early Universe; it will constrain star formation history over cosmic time; and it will determine the mechanisms of structure formation from galaxy cluster to stellar scales. I will review the status of design of this probe-scale mission.

Synthesis of ideas on cosmic ray origin and propagation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolfendale, A.W.

1986-01-01

An attempt is made, based largely on ideas reported at this Advanced Studies Institute, to synthesise ideas which have been put forward on cosmic ray origin and propagation. The conclusions drawn are as follows. The bulk of cosmic rays detected at earth appear to be of Galactic origin, many probably having come from supernova remnants, at least at the lowest energies. Only above 10/sup 19/ eV does an extragalactic origin appear likely and here the VIRGO cluster at the centre of our Supercluster is a likely source. Although extragalactic cosmic rays are not present to a large extent their energy density could well be significant and the case is made for its being about 10/sup -4/ eV cm/sup -3/. Concerning the controversy about continuous or ''quick'' particle acceleration, it appears necessary to separate origin and acceleration. The interesting model put forward by Schlickeiser involving what might be called pseudo-continuous acceleration appears to require that the bulk of the particle acceleration occurs in a very large Galactic halo, the secondaries being produced only in the gas disk. Problems are likely, however, with the expected fluxes of X-rays and radio synchrotron radiation

Cosmic-ray exposure records and origins of meteorites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reedy, R.C.

1985-01-01

The cosmic-ray records of meteorites can be used to infer much about their origins and recent histories. Some meteorites had simple cosmic-ray exposure histories, while others had complex exposure histories with their cosmogenic products made both before and after a collision in space. The methods used to interpret meteorites' cosmic-ray records, especially identifying simple or complex exposure histories, often are inadequate. Besides spallogenic radionuclides and stable nuclides, measurements of products that have location-sensitive production rates, such as the tracks of heavy cosmic-ray nuclei or neutron-capture nuclides, are very useful in accurately determining a meteorite's history. Samples from different, known locations of a meteorite help in studying the cosmic-ray record. Such extensive sets of meteorite measurements, plus theoretical modeling of complex histories, will improve our ability to predict the production of cosmogenic nuclides in meteorites, to distinguish simple and complex exposure histories, and to better determine exposure ages

ORIGIN: Metal Creation and Evolution from the Cosmic Dawn

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Herder, J. W. den; Piro, L.; Ohashi, T.

2011-01-01

, and beyond. The mission will answer questions such as: When were the first metals created? How does the cosmic metal content evolve? Where do most of the metals reside in the Universe? What is the role of metals in structure formation and evolution? To reach out to the early Universe ORIGIN will use Gamma......ORIGIN is a proposal for the M3 mission call of ESA aimed at the study of metal creation from the epoch of cosmic dawn. Using high-spectral resolution in the soft X-ray band, ORIGIN will be able to identify the physical conditions of all abundant elements between C and Ni to red-shifts of z=10...

The Keck Cosmic Web Imager (KCWI): A Powerful New Integral Field Spectrograph for the Keck Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Morrissey, Patrick; KCWI Team

2013-01-01

The Keck Cosmic Web Imager (KCWI) is a new facility instrument being developed for the W. M. Keck Observatory and funded for construction by the Telescope System Instrumentation Program (TSIP) of the National Science Foundation (NSF). KCWI is a bench-mounted spectrograph for the Keck II right Nasmyth focal station, providing integral field spectroscopy over a seeing-limited field up to 20"x33" in extent. Selectable Volume Phase Holographic (VPH) gratings provide high efficiency and spectral resolution in the range of 1000 to 20000. The dual-beam design of KCWI passed a Preliminary Design Review in summer 2011. The detailed design of the KCWI blue channel (350 to 700 nm) is now nearly complete, with the red channel (530 to 1050 nm) planned for a phased implementation contingent upon additional funding. KCWI builds on the experience of the Caltech team in implementing the Cosmic Web Imager (CWI), in operation since 2009 at Palomar Observatory. KCWI adds considerable flexibility to the CWI design, and will take full advantage of the excellent seeing and dark sky above Mauna Kea with a selectable nod-and-shuffle observing mode. The KCWI team is lead by Caltech (project management, design and implementation) in partnership with the University of California at Santa Cruz (camera optical and mechanical design) and the W. M. Keck Observatory (program oversight and observatory interfaces).

The origin of large scale cosmic structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, B.J.T.; Palmer, P.L.

1985-01-01

The paper concerns the origin of large scale cosmic structure. The evolution of density perturbations, the nonlinear regime (Zel'dovich's solution and others), the Gott and Rees clustering hierarchy, the spectrum of condensations, and biassed galaxy formation, are all discussed. (UK)

THE MULTI-OBJECT, FIBER-FED SPECTROGRAPHS FOR THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY AND THE BARYON OSCILLATION SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smee, Stephen A.; Barkhouser, Robert H.; Gunn, James E.; Carr, Michael A.; Lupton, Robert H.; Loomis, Craig; Uomoto, Alan; Roe, Natalie; Schlegel, David; Rockosi, Constance M.; Leger, French; Owen, Russell; Anderson, Lauren; Dawson, Kyle S.; Olmstead, Matthew D.; Brinkmann, Jon; Long, Dan; Honscheid, Klaus; Harding, Paul; Annis, James

2013-01-01

We present the design and performance of the multi-object fiber spectrographs for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and their upgrade for the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). Originally commissioned in Fall 1999 on the 2.5 m aperture Sloan Telescope at Apache Point Observatory, the spectrographs produced more than 1.5 million spectra for the SDSS and SDSS-II surveys, enabling a wide variety of Galactic and extra-galactic science including the first observation of baryon acoustic oscillations in 2005. The spectrographs were upgraded in 2009 and are currently in use for BOSS, the flagship survey of the third-generation SDSS-III project. BOSS will measure redshifts of 1.35 million massive galaxies to redshift 0.7 and Lyα absorption of 160,000 high redshift quasars over 10,000 deg 2 of sky, making percent level measurements of the absolute cosmic distance scale of the universe and placing tight constraints on the equation of state of dark energy. The twin multi-object fiber spectrographs utilize a simple optical layout with reflective collimators, gratings, all-refractive cameras, and state-of-the-art CCD detectors to produce hundreds of spectra simultaneously in two channels over a bandpass covering the near-ultraviolet to the near-infrared, with a resolving power R = λ/FWHM ∼ 2000. Building on proven heritage, the spectrographs were upgraded for BOSS with volume-phase holographic gratings and modern CCD detectors, improving the peak throughput by nearly a factor of two, extending the bandpass to cover 360 nm < λ < 1000 nm, and increasing the number of fibers from 640 to 1000 per exposure. In this paper we describe the original SDSS spectrograph design and the upgrades implemented for BOSS, and document the predicted and measured performances

THE MULTI-OBJECT, FIBER-FED SPECTROGRAPHS FOR THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY AND THE BARYON OSCILLATION SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smee, Stephen A.; Barkhouser, Robert H. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Gunn, James E.; Carr, Michael A.; Lupton, Robert H.; Loomis, Craig [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Uomoto, Alan [Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); Roe, Natalie; Schlegel, David [Physics Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Rockosi, Constance M. [UC Observatories and Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz, 375 Interdisciplinary Sciences Building (ISB) Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Leger, French; Owen, Russell; Anderson, Lauren [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 09195 (United States); Dawson, Kyle S.; Olmstead, Matthew D. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Brinkmann, Jon; Long, Dan [Apache Point Observatory, Sunspot, NM 88349 (United States); Honscheid, Klaus [Department of Physics and Center for Cosmology and Astro-Particle Physics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Harding, Paul [Department of Astronomy, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Annis, James, E-mail: smee@pha.jhu.edu [Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, P.O. Box 500, Batavia, IL 60510 (United States); and others

2013-08-01

We present the design and performance of the multi-object fiber spectrographs for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and their upgrade for the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). Originally commissioned in Fall 1999 on the 2.5 m aperture Sloan Telescope at Apache Point Observatory, the spectrographs produced more than 1.5 million spectra for the SDSS and SDSS-II surveys, enabling a wide variety of Galactic and extra-galactic science including the first observation of baryon acoustic oscillations in 2005. The spectrographs were upgraded in 2009 and are currently in use for BOSS, the flagship survey of the third-generation SDSS-III project. BOSS will measure redshifts of 1.35 million massive galaxies to redshift 0.7 and Ly{alpha} absorption of 160,000 high redshift quasars over 10,000 deg{sup 2} of sky, making percent level measurements of the absolute cosmic distance scale of the universe and placing tight constraints on the equation of state of dark energy. The twin multi-object fiber spectrographs utilize a simple optical layout with reflective collimators, gratings, all-refractive cameras, and state-of-the-art CCD detectors to produce hundreds of spectra simultaneously in two channels over a bandpass covering the near-ultraviolet to the near-infrared, with a resolving power R = {lambda}/FWHM {approx} 2000. Building on proven heritage, the spectrographs were upgraded for BOSS with volume-phase holographic gratings and modern CCD detectors, improving the peak throughput by nearly a factor of two, extending the bandpass to cover 360 nm < {lambda} < 1000 nm, and increasing the number of fibers from 640 to 1000 per exposure. In this paper we describe the original SDSS spectrograph design and the upgrades implemented for BOSS, and document the predicted and measured performances.

THE MULTI-OBJECT, FIBER-FED SPECTROGRAPHS FOR THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY AND THE BARYON OSCILLATION SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smee, Stephen A.; Gunn, James E.; Uomoto, Alan; Roe, Natalie; Schlegel, David; Rockosi, Constance M.; Carr, Michael A.; Leger, French; Dawson, Kyle S.; Olmstead, Matthew D.; Brinkmann, Jon; Owen, Russell; Barkhouser, Robert H.; Honscheid, Klaus; Harding, Paul; Long, Dan; Lupton, Robert H.; Loomis, Craig; Anderson, Lauren; Annis, James; Bernardi, Mariangela; Bhardwaj, Vaishali; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Bolton, Adam S.; Brewington, Howard; Briggs, John W.; Burles, Scott; Burns, James G.; Castander, Francisco Javier; Connolly, Andrew; Davenport, James R. A.; Ebelke, Garrett; Epps, Harland; Feldman, Paul D.; Friedman, Scott D.; Frieman, Joshua; Heckman, Timothy; Hull, Charles L.; Knapp, Gillian R.; Lawrence, David M.; Loveday, Jon; Mannery, Edward J.; Malanushenko, Elena; Malanushenko, Viktor; Merrelli, Aronne James; Muna, Demitri; Newman, Peter R.; Nichol, Robert C.; Oravetz, Daniel; Pan, Kaike; Pope, Adrian C.; Ricketts, Paul G.; Shelden, Alaina; Sandford, Dale; Siegmund, Walter; Simmons, Audrey; Smith, D. Shane; Snedden, Stephanie; Schneider, Donald P.; SubbaRao, Mark; Tremonti, Christy; Waddell, Patrick; York, Donald G.

2013-07-12

We present the design and performance of the multi-object fiber spectrographs for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and their upgrade for the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). Originally commissioned in Fall 1999 on the 2.5-m aperture Sloan Telescope at Apache Point Observatory, the spectrographs produced more than 1.5 million spectra for the SDSS and SDSS-II surveys, enabling a wide variety of Galactic and extra-galactic science including the first observation of baryon acoustic oscillations in 2005. The spectrographs were upgraded in 2009 and are currently in use for BOSS, the flagship survey of the third-generation SDSS-III project. BOSS will measure redshifts of 1.35 million massive galaxies to redshift 0.7 and Lyman-alpha absorption of 160,000 high redshift quasars over 10,000 square degrees of sky, making percent level measurements of the absolute cosmic distance scale of the Universe and placing tight constraints on the equation of state of dark energy. The twin multi-object fiber spectrographs utilize a simple optical layout with reflective collimators, gratings, all-refractive cameras, and state-of-the-art CCD detectors to produce hundreds of spectra simultaneously in two channels over a bandpass covering the near ultraviolet to the near infrared, with a resolving power R = \\lambda/FWHM ~ 2000. Building on proven heritage, the spectrographs were upgraded for BOSS with volume-phase holographic gratings and modern CCD detectors, improving the peak throughput by nearly a factor of two, extending the bandpass to cover 360 < \\lambda < 1000 nm, and increasing the number of fibers from 640 to 1000 per exposure. In this paper we describe the original SDSS spectrograph design and the upgrades implemented for BOSS, and document the predicted and measured performances.

Gamma ray astronomy and the origin of galactic cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gabici, Stefano

2011-01-01

Diffusive shock acceleration operating at expanding supernova remnant shells is by far the most popular model for the origin of galactic cosmic rays. Despite the general consensus received by the model, an unambiguous and conclusive proof of the supernova remnant hypothesis is still missing. In this context, the recent developments in gamma ray astronomy provide us with precious insights into the problem of the origin of galactic cosmic rays, since production of gamma rays is expected both during the acceleration of cosmic rays at supernova remnant shocks and during their subsequent propagation in the interstellar medium. In particular, the recent detection of a number of supernova remnants at TeV energies nicely fits with the model, but it still does not constitute a conclusive proof of it, mainly due to the difficulty of disentangling the hadronic and leptonic contributions to the observed gamma ray emission. The main goal of my research is to search for an unambiguous and conclusive observational test for proving (or disproving) the idea that supernova remnants are the sources of galactic cosmic rays with energies up to (at least) the cosmic ray knee. Our present comprehension of the mechanisms of particle acceleration at shocks and of the propagation of cosmic rays in turbulent magnetic fields encourages beliefs that such a conclusive test might come from future observations of supernova remnants and of the Galaxy in the almost unexplored domain of multi-TeV gamma rays. (author)

ORIGIN: metal creation and evolution from the cosmic dawn

NARCIS (Netherlands)

den Herder, J.W.; Piro, L.; Ohashi, T.; Kouveliotou, C.; Hartmann, D.H.; Kaastra, J.S.; Amati, L.; Andersen, M.I.; Arnaud, M.; Atteia, J.-L.; Bandler, S.; Barbera, M.; Barcons, X.; Barthelmy, S.; Basa, S.; Basso, S.; de Boer, M.; Branchini, E.; Branduardi-Raymont, G.; Borgani, S.; Boyarsky, A.; Brunetti, G.; Budtz-Jorgensen, C.; Burrows, D.; Butler, N.; Campana, S.; Caroli, E.; Ceballos, M.; Christensen, F.; Churazov, E.; Comastri, A.; Colasanti, L.; Cole, R.; Content, R.; Corsi, A.; Costantini, E.; Conconi, P.; Cusumano, G.; de Plaa, J.; De Rosa, A.; Del Santo, M.; Di Cosimo, S.; De Pasquale, M.; Doriese, R.; Ettori, S.; Evans, P.; Ezoe, Y.; Ferrari, L.; Finger, H.; Figueroa-Feliciano, T.; Friedrich, P.; Fujimoto, R.; Furuzawa, A.; Fynbo, J.; Gatti, F.; Galeazzi, M.; Gehrels, N.; Gendre, B.; Ghirlanda, G.; Ghisellini, G.; Gilfanov, M.; Giommi, P.; Girardi, M.; Grindlay, J.; Cocchi, M.; Godet, O.; Guedel, M.; Haardt, F.; Hartog, R.; Hepburn, I.; Hermsen, W.; Hjorth, J.; Hoekstra, H.; Holland, A.; Hornstrup, A.; van der Horst, A.; Hoshino, A.; in 't Zand, J.; Irwin, K.; Ishisaki, Y.; Jonker, P.; Kitayama, T.; Kawahara, H.; Kawai, N.; Kelley, R.; Kilbourne, C.; de Korte, P.; Kusenko, A.; Kuvvetli, I.; Labanti, M.; Macculi, C.; Maiolino, R.; Mas Hesse, M.; Matsushita, K.; Mazzotta, P.; McCammon, D.; Méndez, M.; Mignani, R.; Mineo, T.; Mitsuda, K.; Mushotzky, R.; Molendi, S.; Moscardini, L.; Natalucci, L.; Nicastro, F.; O'Brien, P.; Osborne, J.; Paerels, F.; Page, M.; Paltani, S.; Pedersen, K.; Perinati, E.; Ponman, T.; Pointecouteau, E.; Predehl, P.; Porter, S.; Rasmussen, A.; Rauw, G.; Röttgering, H.; Roncarelli, M.; Rosati, P.; Quadrini, E.; Ruchayskiy, O.; Salvaterra, R.; Sasaki, S.; Sato, K.; Savaglio, S.; Schaye, J.; Sciortino, S.; Shaposhnikov, M.; Sharples, R.; Shinozaki, K.; Spiga, D.; Sunyaev, R.; Suto, Y.; Takei, Y.; Tanvir, N.; Tashiro, M.; Tamura, T.; Tawara, Y.; Troja, E.; Tsujimoto, M.; Tsuru, T.; Ubertini, P.; Ullom, J.; Ursino, E.; Verbunt, F.; van de Voort, F.; Viel, M.; Wachter, S.; Watson, D.; Weisskopf, M.; Werner, N.; White, N.; Willingale, R.; Wijers, R.; Yamasaki, N.; Yoshikawa, K.; Zane, S.

2012-01-01

ORIGIN is a proposal for the M3 mission call of ESA aimed at the study of metal creation from the epoch of cosmic dawn. Using high-spectral resolution in the soft X-ray band, ORIGIN will be able to identify the physical conditions of all abundant elements between C and Ni to red-shifts of z = 10,

ORIGIN : Metal creation and evolution from the cosmic dawn

NARCIS (Netherlands)

den Herder, Jan-Willem; Piro, Luigi; Ohashi, Takaya; Kouveliotou, Chryssa; Hartmann, Dieter H.; Kaastra, Jelle S.; Amati, L.; Andersen, M. I.; Arnaud, M.; Attéia, J.-L.; Bandler, S.; Barbera, M.; Barcons, X.; Barthelmy, S.; Basa, S.; Basso, S.; Boer, M.; Branchini, E.; Branduardi-Raymont, G.; Borgani, S.; Boyarsky, A.; Brunetti, G.; Budtz-Jorgensen, C.; Burrows, D.; Butler, N.; Campana, S.; Caroli, E.; Ceballos, M.; Christensen, F.; Churazov, E.; Comastri, A.; Colasanti, L.; Cole, R.; Content, R.; Corsi, A.; Costantini, E.; Conconi, P.; Cusumano, G.; de Plaa, J.; De Rosa, A.; Del Santo, M.; Di Cosimo, S.; De Pasquale, M.; Doriese, R.; Ettori, S.; Evans, P.; Ezoe, Y.; Ferrari, L.; Finger, H.; Figueroa-Feliciano, T.; Friedrich, P.; Fujimoto, R.; Furuzawa, A.; Fynbo, J.; Gatti, F.; Galeazzi, M.; Gehrels, N.; Gendre, B.; Ghirlanda, G.; Ghisellini, G.; Gilfanov, M.; Giommi, P.; Girardi, M.; Grindlay, J.; Cocchi, M.; Godet, O.; Guedel, M.; Haardt, F.; den Hartog, R.; Hepburn, I.; Hermsen, W.; Hjorth, J.; Hoekstra, H.; Holland, A.; Hornstrup, A.; van der Horst, A.; Hoshino, A.; in't Zand, J.; Irwin, K.; Ishisaki, Y.; Jonker, P.; Kitayama, T.; Kawahara, H.; Kawai, N.; Kelley, R.; Kilbourne, C.; de Korte, P.; Kusenko, A.; Kuvvetli, I.; Labanti, M.; Macculi, C.; Maiolino, R.; Hesse, M. Mas; Matsushita, K.; Mazzotta, P.; McCammon, D.; Méndez, M.; Mignani, R.; Mineo, T.; Mitsuda, K.; Mushotzky, R.; Molendi, S.; Moscardini, L.; Natalucci, L.; Nicastro, F.; O'Brien, P.; Osborne, J.; Paerels, F.; Page, M.; Paltani, S.; Pedersen, K.; Perinati, E.; Ponman, T.; Pointecouteau, E.; Predehl, P.; Porter, S.; Rasmussen, A.; Rauw, G.; Röttgering, H.; Roncarelli, M.; Rosati, P.; Quadrini, E.; Ruchayskiy, O.; Salvaterra, R.; Sasaki, S.; Sato, K.; Savaglio, S.; Schaye, J.; Sciortino, S.; Shaposhnikov, M.; Sharples, R.; Shinozaki, K.; Spiga, D.; Sunyaev, R.; Suto, Y.; Takei, Y.; Tanvir, N.; Tashiro, M.; Tamura, T.; Tawara, Y.; Troja, E.; Tsujimoto, M.; Tsuru, T.; Ubertini, P.; Ullom, J.; Ursino, E.; Verbunt, F.; van de Voort, F.; Viel, M.; Wachter, S.; Watson, D.; Weisskopf, M.; Werner, N.; White, N.; Willingale, R.; Wijers, R.; Yamasaki, N.; Yoshikawa, K.; Zane, S.

2012-01-01

ORIGIN is a proposal for the M3 mission call of ESA aimed at the study of metal creation from the epoch of cosmic dawn. Using high-spectral resolution in the soft X-ray band, ORIGIN will be able to identify the physical conditions of all abundant elements between C and Ni to red-shifts of z = 10,

Cosmic Ray Origin: Lessons from Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays and the Galactic/Extragalactic Transition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parizot, Etienne

2014-11-15

We examine the question of the origin of the Galactic cosmic-rays (GCRs) in the light of the data available at the highest energy end of the spectrum. We argue that the data of the Pierre Auger Observatory and of the KASCADE-Grande experiment suggest that the transition between the Galactic and the extragalactic components takes place at the energy of the ankle in the all-particle cosmic-ray spectrum, and at an energy of the order of 10{sup 17} eV for protons. Such a high energy for Galactic protons appears difficult to reconcile with the general view that GCRs are accelerated by the standard diffusive shock acceleration process at the forward shock of individual supernova remnants (SNRs). We also review various difficulties of the standard SNR-GCR connection, related to the evolution of the light element abundances and to significant isotopic anomalies. We point out that most of the power injected by the supernovæ in the Galaxy is actually released inside superbubbles, which may thus play an important role in the origin of cosmic-rays, and could solve some persistent problems of the standard SNR-GCR scenario in a rather natural way.

Program Annual Technology Report: Cosmic Origins Program Office

Science.gov (United States)

Pham, Thai; Neff, Susan

2017-01-01

What is the Cosmic Origins (COR) Program? From ancient times, humans have looked up at the night sky and wondered: Are we alone? How did the universe come to be? How does the universe work? COR focuses on the second question. Scientists investigating this broad theme seek to understand the origin and evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to the present day, determining how the expanding universe grew into a grand cosmic web of dark matter enmeshed with galaxies and pristine gas, forming, merging, and evolving over time. COR also seeks to understand how stars and planets form from clouds in these galaxies to create the heavy elements that are essential to life, starting with the first generation of stars to seed the universe, and continuing through the birth and eventual death of all subsequent generations of stars. The COR Programs purview includes the majority of the field known as astronomy.

THE ORIGIN OF COSMIC RAYS: WHAT CAN GLAST SAY?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bloom, Elliott

2000-10-10

Gamma rays in the band from 30 MeV to 300 GeV, used in combination with direct measurements and with data from radio and X-ray bands, provide a powerful tool for studying the origin of Galactic cosmic rays. Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) with its fine 10-20 arcmin angular resolution will be able to map the sites of acceleration of cosmic rays and their interactions with interstellar matter. It will provide information that is necessary to study the acceleration of energetic particles in supernova shocks, their transport in the interstellar medium and penetration into molecular clouds.

ORIGIN: Metal Creation and Evolution from the Cosmic Dawn

CERN Document Server

Herder, Jan-Willem den; Ohashi, Takaya; Kouveliotou, Chryssa; Hartmann, Dieter H.; Kaastra, Jelle S.; Amati, L.; Andersen, M.I.; Arnaud, M.; Attéia, J.-L.; Bandler, S.; Barbera, M.; Barcons, X.; Barthelmy, S.; Basa, S.; Basso, S.; Boer, M.; Branchini, E.; Branduardi-Raymont, G.; Borgani, S.; Boyarsky, A.; Brunetti, G.; Budtz-Jorgensen, C.; Burrows, D.; Butler, N.; Campana, S.; Caroli, E.; Ceballos, M.; Christensen, F.; Churazov, E.; Comastri, A.; Colasanti, L.; Cole, R.; Content, R.; Corsi, A.; Costantini, E.; Conconi, P.; Cusumano, G.; de Plaa, J.; De Rosa, A.; Del Santo, M.; Di Cosimo, S.; De Pasquale, M.; Doriese, R.; Ettori, S.; Evans, P.; Ezoe, Y.; Ferrari, L.; Finger, H.; Figueroa-Feliciano, T.; Friedrich, P.; Fujimoto, R.; Furuzawa, A.; Fynbo, J.; Gatti, F.; Galeazzi, M.; Gehrels, N.; Gendre, B.; Ghirlanda, G.; Ghisellini, G.; Gilfanov, M.; Giommi, P.; Girardi, M.; Grindlay, J.; Cocchi, M.; Godet, O.; Guedel, M.; Haardt, F.; den Hartog, R.; Hepburn, I.; Hermsen, W.; Hjorth, J.; Hoekstra, H.; Holland, A.; Hornstrup, A.; van der Horst, A.; Hoshino, A.; in 't Zand, J.; Irwin, K.; Ishisaki, Y.; Jonker, P.; Kitayama, T.; Kawahara, H.; Kawai, N.; Kelley, R.; Kilbourne, C.; de Korte, P.; Kusenko, A.; Kuvvetli, I.; Labanti, M.; Macculi, C.; Maiolino, R.; Hesse, M. Mas; Matsushita, K.; Mazzotta, P.; McCammon, D.; Méndez, M.; Mignani, R.; Mineo, T.; Mitsuda, K.; Mushotzky, R.; Molendi, S.; Moscardini, L.; Natalucci, L.; Nicastro, F.; O'Brien, P.; Osborne, J.; Paerels, F.; Page, M.; Paltani, S.; Pedersen, K.; Perinati, E.; Ponman, T.; Pointecouteau, E.; Predehl, P.; Porter, S.; Rasmussen, A.; Rauw, G.; Röttgering, H.; Roncarelli, M.; Rosati, P.; Quadrini, E.; Ruchayskiy, O.; Salvaterra, R.; Sasaki, S.; Sato, K.; Savaglio, S.; Schaye, J.; Sciortino, S.; Shaposhnikov, M.; Sharples, R.; Shinozaki, K.; Spiga, D.; Sunyaev, R.; Suto, Y.; Takei, Y.; Tanvir, N.; Tashiro, M.; Tamura, T.; Tawara, Y.; Troja, E.; Tsujimoto, M.; Tsuru, T.; Ubertini, P.; Ullom, J.; Ursino, E.; Verbunt, F.; van de Voort, F.; Viel, M.; Wachter, S.; Watson, D.; Weisskopf, M.; Werner, N.; White, N.; Willingale, R.; Wijers, R.; Yamasaki, N.; Yoshikawa, K.; Zane, S.

2011-01-01

ORIGIN is a proposal for the M3 mission call of ESA aimed at the study of metal creation from the epoch of cosmic dawn. Using high-spectral resolution in the soft X-ray band, ORIGIN will be able to identify the physical conditions of all abundant elements between C and Ni to red-shifts of z=10, and beyond. The mission will answer questions such as: When were the first metals created? How does the cosmic metal content evolve? Where do most of the metals reside in the Universe? What is the role of metals in structure formation and evolution? To reach out to the early Universe ORIGIN will use Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) to study their local environments in their host galaxies. This requires the capability to slew the satellite in less than a minute to the GRB location. By studying the chemical composition and properties of clusters of galaxies we can extend the range of exploration to lower redshifts (z ~ 0.2). For this task we need a high-resolution spectral imaging instrument with a large field of view. Using the ...

Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Inflation

Science.gov (United States)

Finelli, F.; Bucher, M.; Achúcarro, A.; Ballardini, M.; Bartolo, N.; Baumann, D.; Clesse, S.; Errard, J.; Handley, W.; Hindmarsh, M.; Kiiveri, K.; Kunz, M.; Lasenby, A.; Liguori, M.; Paoletti, D.; Ringeval, C.; Väliviita, J.; van Tent, B.; Vennin, V.; Ade, P.; Allison, R.; Arroja, F.; Ashdown, M.; Banday, A. J.; Banerji, R.; Bartlett, J. G.; Basak, S.; de Bernardis, P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bonaldi, A.; Borril, J.; Bouchet, F. R.; Boulanger, F.; Brinckmann, T.; Burigana, C.; Buzzelli, A.; Cai, Z.-Y.; Calvo, M.; Carvalho, C. S.; Castellano, G.; Challinor, A.; Chluba, J.; Colantoni, I.; Coppolecchia, A.; Crook, M.; D'Alessandro, G.; D'Amico, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Desjacques, V.; De Zotti, G.; Diego, J. M.; Di Valentino, E.; Feeney, S.; Fergusson, J. R.; Fernandez-Cobos, R.; Ferraro, S.; Forastieri, F.; Galli, S.; García-Bellido, J.; de Gasperis, G.; Génova-Santos, R. T.; Gerbino, M.; González-Nuevo, J.; Grandis, S.; Greenslade, J.; Hagstotz, S.; Hanany, S.; Hazra, D. K.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Hervias-Caimapo, C.; Hills, M.; Hivon, E.; Hu, B.; Kisner, T.; Kitching, T.; Kovetz, E. D.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lamagna, L.; Lattanzi, M.; Lesgourgues, J.; Lewis, A.; Lindholm, V.; Lizarraga, J.; López-Caniego, M.; Luzzi, G.; Maffei, B.; Mandolesi, N.; Martínez-González, E.; Martins, C. J. A. P.; Masi, S.; McCarthy, D.; Matarrese, S.; Melchiorri, A.; Melin, J.-B.; Molinari, D.; Monfardini, A.; Natoli, P.; Negrello, M.; Notari, A.; Oppizzi, F.; Paiella, A.; Pajer, E.; Patanchon, G.; Patil, S. P.; Piat, M.; Pisano, G.; Polastri, L.; Polenta, G.; Pollo, A.; Poulin, V.; Quartin, M.; Ravenni, A.; Remazeilles, M.; Renzi, A.; Roest, D.; Roman, M.; Rubiño-Martin, J. A.; Salvati, L.; Starobinsky, A. A.; Tartari, A.; Tasinato, G.; Tomasi, M.; Torrado, J.; Trappe, N.; Trombetti, T.; Tucci, M.; Tucker, C.; Urrestilla, J.; van de Weygaert, R.; Vielva, P.; Vittorio, N.; Young, K.; Zannoni, M.

2018-04-01

We forecast the scientific capabilities to improve our understanding of cosmic inflation of CORE, a proposed CMB space satellite submitted in response to the ESA fifth call for a medium-size mission opportunity. The CORE satellite will map the CMB anisotropies in temperature and polarization in 19 frequency channels spanning the range 60–600 GHz. CORE will have an aggregate noise sensitivity of 1.7 μKṡ arcmin and an angular resolution of 5' at 200 GHz. We explore the impact of telescope size and noise sensitivity on the inflation science return by making forecasts for several instrumental configurations. This study assumes that the lower and higher frequency channels suffice to remove foreground contaminations and complements other related studies of component separation and systematic effects, which will be reported in other papers of the series "Exploring Cosmic Origins with CORE." We forecast the capability to determine key inflationary parameters, to lower the detection limit for the tensor-to-scalar ratio down to the 10‑3 level, to chart the landscape of single field slow-roll inflationary models, to constrain the epoch of reheating, thus connecting inflation to the standard radiation-matter dominated Big Bang era, to reconstruct the primordial power spectrum, to constrain the contribution from isocurvature perturbations to the 10‑3 level, to improve constraints on the cosmic string tension to a level below the presumptive GUT scale, and to improve the current measurements of primordial non-Gaussianities down to the fNLlocal inflation. Its capabilities will be further enhanced by combining with complementary future cosmological observations.

Second generation spectrograph for the Hubble Space Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Woodgate, B. E.; Boggess, A.; Gull, T. R.; Heap, S. R.; Krueger, V. L.; Maran, S. P.; Melcher, R. W.; Rebar, F. J.; Vitagliano, H. D.; Green, R. F.; Wolff, S. C.; Hutchings, J. B.; Jenkins, E. B.; Linsky, J. L.; Moos, H. W.; Roesler, F.; Shine, R. A.; Timothy, J. G.; Weistrop, D. E.; Bottema, M.; Meyer, W.

1986-01-01

The preliminary design for the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), which has been selected by NASA for definition study for future flight as a second-generation instrument on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), is presented. STIS is a two-dimensional spectrograph that will operate from 1050 A to 11,000 A at the limiting HST resolution of 0.05 arcsec FWHM, with spectral resolutions of 100, 1200, 20,000, and 100,000 and a maximum field-of-view of 50 x 50 arcsec. Its basic operating modes include echelle model, long slit mode, slitless spectrograph mode, coronographic spectroscopy, photon time-tagging, and direct imaging. Research objectives are active galactic nuclei, the intergalactic medium, global properties of galaxies, the origin of stellar systems, stelalr spectral variability, and spectrographic mapping of solar system processes.

Detection Of Alterations In Audio Files Using Spectrograph Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anandha Krishnan G

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The corresponding study was carried out to detect changes in audio file using spectrograph. An audio file format is a file format for storing digital audio data on a computer system. A sound spectrograph is a laboratory instrument that displays a graphical representation of the strengths of the various component frequencies of a sound as time passes. The objectives of the study were to find the changes in spectrograph of audio after altering them to compare altering changes with spectrograph of original files and to check for similarity and difference in mp3 and wav. Five different alterations were carried out on each audio file to analyze the differences between the original and the altered file. For altering the audio file MP3 or WAV by cutcopy the file was opened in Audacity. A different audio was then pasted to the audio file. This new file was analyzed to view the differences. By adjusting the necessary parameters the noise was reduced. The differences between the new file and the original file were analyzed. By adjusting the parameters from the dialog box the necessary changes were made. The edited audio file was opened in the software named spek where after analyzing a graph is obtained of that particular file which is saved for further analysis. The original audio graph received was combined with the edited audio file graph to see the alterations.

Improved Emission Spectrographic Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goergen, C.R.; Lethco, A.J.; Hosken, G.B.; Geckeler, D.R.

1980-10-01

The Savannah River Plant's original Emission Spectrographic Laboratory for radioactive samples had been in operation for 25 years. Due to the deteriorated condition and the fire hazard posed by the wooden glove box trains, a project to update the facility was funded. The new laboratory improved efficiency of operation and incorporated numerous safety and contamination control features

Origins fourteen billion years of cosmic evolution

CERN Document Server

Tyson, Neil deGrasse

2004-01-01

Origins explores cosmic science's stunning new insights into the formation and evolution of our universe--of the cosmos, of galaxies and galaxy clusters, of stars within galaxies, of planets that orbit those stars, and of different forms of life that take us back to the first three seconds and forward through three billion years of life on Earth to today's search for life on other planets. Drawing on the current cross-pollination of geology, biology and astrophysics, Origins explains the thrilling daily breakthroughs in our knowledge of the universe from dark energy to life on Mars to the mysteries of space and time. Distilling complex science in clear and lively prose, co-authors Neil deGrasse Tyson and Donald Goldsmith conduct a galvanising tour of the cosmos revealing what the universe has been up to while turning part of itself into us.

The Behavior of Warm Molecules in Planet-forming Disks and CHESS: a Pathfinder UV Spectrograph for the LUVOIR Surveyor

Science.gov (United States)

Hoadley, Keri; France, Kevin

2017-01-01

Understanding the evolution of gas over the lifetime of protoplanetary disks provides us with important clues about how planet formation mechanisms drive the diversity of exoplanetary systems observed to date. In the first part of my talk, I will discuss how we use emission line observations of molecular hydrogen (H2) in the far-ultraviolet (far-UV) with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) on the Hubble Space Telescope to study the warm molecular regions (a CHESS), built as a demonstration of one component of the LUVOIR spectrograph and new technological improvements to UV optical components for the next generation of near- to far-UV astrophysical observatories. CHESS is a far-UV sounding rocket experiment designed to probe the warm and cool atoms and molecules near sites of recent star formation in the local interstellar medium. I will talk about the science goals, design, research and development (R&D) components, and calibration of the CHESS instrument. I will end by presenting the initial data reduction and results of the flight observations taken during the second launch of CHESS.

A common origin of all the species of high energy cosmic rays?

CERN Document Server

Dar, Arnon; Antoniou, Nikos; Dar, Arnon; Antoniou, Nikos

2000-01-01

The cosmic ray nuclei with energy above a few GeV, the cosmic ray electrons of energy above a few MeV and the diffuse gamma-ray background above a few MeV, could all predominantly originate from our galaxy {\\it and its halo}. The mechanism accelerating hadrons and electrons is the same, the electron spectrum is modulated by inverse Compton scattering on the microwave background radiation, and the $\\gamma$-rays are the resulting recoiling photons. The spectra calculated on this basis agree with observations.

Search for Cosmic-Ray Antiproton Origins and for Cosmological Antimatter with BESS

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, A.; Mitchell, J. W.; Yoshimura, K.; Abe, K.; Fuke, H.; Haino, S.; Hams, T.; Hasegawa, M.; Horikoshi, A.; Itazaki, A.;

Track-etched detectors for the dosimetry of the radiation of cosmic origin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spurny, F.; Turek, K.

2004-01-01

Cosmic rays contribute to the exposure on the Earth's surface as well as in its surroundings. At the surface and/or at aviation altitudes, there are mostly secondary particles created through the cosmic rays interaction in the atmosphere, which contribute to this type of exposure. Onboard a spacecraft, the exposure comes mostly from primary cosmic rays. Track-etched detectors (TED) are able to characterise both these types of exposure. The contribution of neutrons, of cosmic origin, on the Earth's surface was studied at altitudes from few hundreds to 3000 m using TED in a moderator sphere. The results obtained are compared with other data on this type of natural radiation background. The results of studies performed onboard aircraft and/or spacecraft are presented afterwards. We used TED-based neutron dosemeter, as well as a spectrometer of linear energy transfer based on a chemically etched TED. The results of studies performed onboard aircraft, as well as spacecraft, are presented and discussed, including an attempt to estimate a neutron component onboard the spacecraft. It was found that they correlate with the results of other independent investigations. (authors)

Shocked molecular gas and the origin of cosmic rays

Science.gov (United States)

Reach, William; Gusdorf, Antoine; Richter, Matthew

2018-06-01

When massive stars reach the end of their ability to remain stable with core nuclear fusion, they explode in supernovae that drive powerful shocks into their surroundings. Because massive stars form in and remain close to molecular clouds they often drive shocks into dense gas, which is now believed to be the origin of a significant fraction of galactic cosmic rays. The nature of the supernova-molecular cloud interaction is not well understood, though observations are gradually elucidating their nature. The range of interstellar densities, and the inclusion of circumstellar matter from the late-phase mass-loss of the stars before their explosions, leads to a wide range of possible appearances and outcomes. In particular, it is not even clear what speed or physical type of shocks are present: are they dense, magnetically-mediated shocks where H2 is not dissociated, or are they faster shocks that dissociate molecules and destroy some of the grains? SOFIA is observing some of the most significant (in terms of cosmic ray production potential and infrared energy output) supernova-molecular cloud interactions for measurement of the line widths of key molecular shocks tracers: H2, [OI], and CO. The presence of gas at speeds 100 km/s or greater would indicate dissociative shocks, while speeds 30 km/s and slower retain most molecules. The shock velocity is a key ingredient in modeling the interaction between supernovae and molecular clouds including the potential for formation of cosmic rays.

The LUVOIR Ultraviolet Multi-Object Spectrograph (LUMOS): instrument definition and design

Science.gov (United States)

France, Kevin; Fleming, Brian; West, Garrett; McCandliss, Stephan R.; Bolcar, Matthew R.; Harris, Walter; Moustakas, Leonidas; O'Meara, John M.; Pascucci, Ilaria; Rigby, Jane; Schiminovich, David; Tumlinson, Jason

2017-08-01

The Large Ultraviolet/Optical/Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR) is one of four large mission concepts currently undergoing community study for consideration by the 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey. LUVOIR is being designed to pursue an ambitious program of exoplanetary discovery and characterization, cosmic origins astrophysics, and planetary science. The LUVOIR study team is investigating two large telescope apertures (9- and 15-meter primary mirror diameters) and a host of science instruments to carry out the primary mission goals. Many of the exoplanet, cosmic origins, and planetary science goals of LUVOIR require high-throughput, imaging spectroscopy at ultraviolet (100 - 400 nm) wavelengths. The LUVOIR Ultraviolet Multi-Object Spectrograph, LUMOS, is being designed to support all of the UV science requirements of LUVOIR, from exoplanet host star characterization to tomography of circumgalactic halos to water plumes on outer solar system satellites. LUMOS offers point source and multi-object spectroscopy across the UV bandpass, with multiple resolution modes to support different science goals. The instrument will provide low (R = 8,000 - 18,000) and medium (R = 30,000 - 65,000) resolution modes across the far-ultraviolet (FUV: 100 - 200 nm) and nearultraviolet (NUV: 200 - 400 nm) windows, and a very low resolution mode (R = 500) for spectroscopic investigations of extremely faint objects in the FUV. Imaging spectroscopy will be accomplished over a 3 × 1.6 arcminute field-of-view by employing holographically-ruled diffraction gratings to control optical aberrations, microshutter arrays (MSA) built on the heritage of the Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), advanced optical coatings for high-throughput in the FUV, and next generation large-format photon-counting detectors. The spectroscopic capabilities of LUMOS are augmented by an FUV imaging channel (100 - 200nm, 13 milliarcsecond angular resolution, 2 × 2

Spectrographic analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinn, C.A.

1983-01-01

The article deals with spectrographic analysis and the analytical methods based on it. The theory of spectrographic analysis is discussed as well as the layout of a spectrometer system. The infrared absorption spectrum of a compound is probably its most unique property. The absorption of infrared radiation depends on increasing the energy of vibration and rotation associated with a covalent bond. The infrared region is intrinsically low in energy thus the design of infrared spectrometers is always directed toward maximising energy throughput. The article also considers atomic absorption - flame atomizers, non-flame atomizers and the source of radiation. Under the section an emission spectroscopy non-electrical energy sources, electrical energy sources and electrical flames are discussed. Digital computers form a part of the development on spectrographic instrumentation

On the origin of cosmic magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Kulsrud, Russell M.; Zweibel, Ellen G.

2008-04-01

We review the extensive and controversial literature concerning how the cosmic magnetic fields pervading nearly all galaxies and clusters of galaxies actually got started. Some observational evidence supports a hypothesis that the field is already moderately strong at the beginning of the life of a galaxy and its disc. One argument involves the chemical abundance of the light elements Be and B, while a second one is based on the detection of strong magnetic fields in very young high red shift galaxies. Since this problem of initial amplification of cosmic magnetic fields involves important plasma problems it is obvious that one must know the plasma in which the amplification occurs. Most of this review is devoted to this basic problem and for this it is necessary to devote ourselves to reviewing studies that take place in environments in which the plasma properties are most clearly understood. For this reason the authors have chosen to restrict themselves almost completely to studies of dynamos in our Galaxy. It is true that one can get a much better idea of the grand scope of galactic fields in extragalactic systems. However, most mature galaxies share the same dilemma as ours of overcoming important plasma problems. Since the authors are both trained in plasma physics we may be biased in pursuing this approach, but we feel it is justified by the above argument. In addition we feel we can produce a better review by staying close to that which we know best. In addition we have chosen not to consider the saturation problem of the galactic magnetic field since if the original dynamo amplification fails the saturation question does not arise. It is generally accepted that seed fields, whose strength is of order 10-20 G, easily spring up in the era preceding galaxy formation. Several mechanisms have been proposed to amplify these seed magnetic fields to a coherent structure with the microgauss strengths of the currently observed galactic magnetic fields. The standard

On the origin of cosmic magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kulsrud, Russell M; Zweibel, Ellen G

2008-01-01

We review the extensive and controversial literature concerning how the cosmic magnetic fields pervading nearly all galaxies and clusters of galaxies actually got started. Some observational evidence supports a hypothesis that the field is already moderately strong at the beginning of the life of a galaxy and its disc. One argument involves the chemical abundance of the light elements Be and B, while a second one is based on the detection of strong magnetic fields in very young high red shift galaxies. Since this problem of initial amplification of cosmic magnetic fields involves important plasma problems it is obvious that one must know the plasma in which the amplification occurs. Most of this review is devoted to this basic problem and for this it is necessary to devote ourselves to reviewing studies that take place in environments in which the plasma properties are most clearly understood. For this reason the authors have chosen to restrict themselves almost completely to studies of dynamos in our Galaxy. It is true that one can get a much better idea of the grand scope of galactic fields in extragalactic systems. However, most mature galaxies share the same dilemma as ours of overcoming important plasma problems. Since the authors are both trained in plasma physics we may be biased in pursuing this approach, but we feel it is justified by the above argument. In addition we feel we can produce a better review by staying close to that which we know best. In addition we have chosen not to consider the saturation problem of the galactic magnetic field since if the original dynamo amplification fails the saturation question does not arise. It is generally accepted that seed fields, whose strength is of order 10 -20 G, easily spring up in the era preceding galaxy formation. Several mechanisms have been proposed to amplify these seed magnetic fields to a coherent structure with the microgauss strengths of the currently observed galactic magnetic fields. The standard

ORIGIN: Metal Creation and Evolution from the Cosmic Dawn

Science.gov (United States)

Kouveliotou, C.; vanderHorst, A.; Weisskopf, M.; White, N.; denHerder, J. W.; Costantini, E.; denHartog, R.; Hermsen, W.; in'tZhand, J.; Kaastra, J.;

Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Effects of observer peculiar motion

Science.gov (United States)

Burigana, C.; Carvalho, C. S.; Trombetti, T.; Notari, A.; Quartin, M.; Gasperis, G. D.; Buzzelli, A.; Vittorio, N.; De Zotti, G.; de Bernardis, P.; Chluba, J.; Bilicki, M.; Danese, L.; Delabrouille, J.; Toffolatti, L.; Lapi, A.; Negrello, M.; Mazzotta, P.; Scott, D.; Contreras, D.; Achúcarro, A.; Ade, P.; Allison, R.; Ashdown, M.; Ballardini, M.; Banday, A. J.; Banerji, R.; Bartlett, J.; Bartolo, N.; Basak, S.; Bersanelli, M.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonato, M.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F.; Boulanger, F.; Brinckmann, T.; Bucher, M.; Cabella, P.; Cai, Z.-Y.; Calvo, M.; Castellano, M. G.; Challinor, A.; Clesse, S.; Colantoni, I.; Coppolecchia, A.; Crook, M.; D'Alessandro, G.; Diego, J.-M.; Di Marco, A.; Di Valentino, E.; Errard, J.; Feeney, S.; Fernández-Cobos, R.; Ferraro, S.; Finelli, F.; Forastieri, F.; Galli, S.; Génova-Santos, R.; Gerbino, M.; González-Nuevo, J.; Grandis, S.; Greenslade, J.; Hagstotz, S.; Hanany, S.; Handley, W.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Hervias-Caimapo, C.; Hills, M.; Hivon, E.; Kiiveri, K.; Kisner, T.; Kitching, T.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lamagna, L.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Lesgourgues, J.; Liguori, M.; Lindholm, V.; Lopez-Caniego, M.; Luzzi, G.; Maffei, B.; Mandolesi, N.; Martinez-Gonzalez, E.; Martins, C. J. A. P.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; McCarthy, D.; Melchiorri, A.; Melin, J.-B.; Molinari, D.; Monfardini, A.; Natoli, P.; Paiella, A.; Paoletti, D.; Patanchon, G.; Piat, M.; Pisano, G.; Polastri, L.; Polenta, G.; Pollo, A.; Poulin, V.; Remazeilles, M.; Roman, M.; Rubiño-Martín, J.-A.; Salvati, L.; Tartari, A.; Tomasi, M.; Tramonte, D.; Trappe, N.; Tucker, C.; Väliviita, J.; Van de Weijgaert, R.; van Tent, B.; Vennin, V.; Vielva, P.; Young, K.; Zannoni, M.

2018-04-01

We discuss the effects on the cosmic microwave background (CMB), cosmic infrared background (CIB), and thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect due to the peculiar motion of an observer with respect to the CMB rest frame, which induces boosting effects. After a brief review of the current observational and theoretical status, we investigate the scientific perspectives opened by future CMB space missions, focussing on the Cosmic Origins Explorer (CORE) proposal. The improvements in sensitivity offered by a mission like CORE, together with its high resolution over a wide frequency range, will provide a more accurate estimate of the CMB dipole. The extension of boosting effects to polarization and cross-correlations will enable a more robust determination of purely velocity-driven effects that are not degenerate with the intrinsic CMB dipole, allowing us to achieve an overall signal-to-noise ratio of 13; this improves on the Planck detection and essentially equals that of an ideal cosmic-variance-limited experiment up to a multipole lsimeq2000. Precise inter-frequency calibration will offer the opportunity to constrain or even detect CMB spectral distortions, particularly from the cosmological reionization epoch, because of the frequency dependence of the dipole spectrum, without resorting to precise absolute calibration. The expected improvement with respect to COBE-FIRAS in the recovery of distortion parameters (which could in principle be a factor of several hundred for an ideal experiment with the CORE configuration) ranges from a factor of several up to about 50, depending on the quality of foreground removal and relative calibration. Even in the case of simeq1 % accuracy in both foreground removal and relative calibration at an angular scale of 1o, we find that dipole analyses for a mission like CORE will be able to improve the recovery of the CIB spectrum amplitude by a factor simeq 17 in comparison with current results based on COBE-FIRAS. In addition to the

Origins Space Telescope: Cosmology and Reionization

Science.gov (United States)

Vieira, Joaquin Daniel; Origins Space Telescope

2018-01-01

The Origins Space Telescope (OST) is the mission concept for the Far-Infrared Surveyor, a study in development by NASA in preparation for the 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey. Origins is planned to be a large aperture, actively-cooled telescope covering a wide span of the mid- to far-infrared spectrum. Its imagers and spectrographs will enable a variety of surveys of the sky that will discover and characterize the most distant galaxies, Milky-Way, exoplanets, and the outer reaches of our Solar system. Origins will enable flagship-quality general observing programs led by the astronomical community in the 2030s. The Science and Technology Definition Team (STDT) would like to hear your science needs and ideas for this mission. The team can be contacted at firsurveyor_info@lists.ipac.caltech.edu.A core science goal of the OST mission is to study the the cosmological history of star, galaxy, and structure formation into the epoch of reionization (EoR). OST will probe the birth of galaxies through warm molecular hydrogen emission during the cosmic dark ages. Utilizing the unique power of the infrared fine-structure emission lines, OST will trace the rise of metals from the first galaxies until today. It will quantify the dust enrichment history of the Universe, uncover its composition and physical conditions, reveal the first cosmic sources of dust, and probe the properties of the earliest star formation. OST will provide a detailed astrophysical probe into the condition of the intergalactic medium at z > 6 and the galaxies which dominate the epoch of reionization.

Spectrographic determination of impurities in uranium tetrafluoride matrices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reino, Luiz Carlos de Paula

1980-01-01

A direct spectrographic method for the determination of UF 4 impurities was developed. Investigations using spectrochemical carriers were carried out so to avoid uranium distillation, which as fluoride is much more volatile than the U 3 O 8 refractory matrix. The best results were obtained by using a mixture of MgO and NaCl carriers in the proportion of 20% and 10%, respectively, with respect to UF 4 matrix. An original spectrographic technique was introduced aiming to avoid the projection of sample particles outside the electrode during excitation. This new technique is based on the addition of a small quantity of a 0.5% gelatinous solution on the UF 4 tablet. The precision of the method was studied for each element analysed. The variation coefficients are within the range of 10 of 20%

Cosmic radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Capdevielle, J N

1984-01-01

First, the different instruments and techniques of cosmic particle detection are presented. Then the passage of the cosmic particles through the atmosphere is studied: electrons, photons, muons. The collective behavior of the different categories is also studied, the electromagnetic cascade is distinguished from the hadron cascade. Through the principal physical properties of the radiation and the medium, the ''mean'' aspects of the radiation are then successively dealt with out of the atmosphere, at different altitudes until the sea level, then at great depths. A chapter is devoted to cosmic radiation of more than 10,000 GeV, studied separately. Then solar radiation in universe is studied through their propagation in solar system and their origin. At last, the cosmic radiation effects are studied in environment (cosmic biophysics) and some applications of cosmic radiation are presented.

The Super-TIGER Instrument to Probe Galactic Cosmic Ray Origins

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, John W.; Binns, W. R.; Bose, R, G.; Braun, D. L.; Christian, E. R.; Daniels, W. M; DeNolfo, G. A.; Dowkontt, P. F.; Hahne, D. J.; Hams, T.;

The origin of the universe as revealed through the polarization of the cosmic microwave background

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dodelson, S.; et al., [Unknown; Meerburg, P.

2009-01-01

Modern cosmology has sharpened questions posed for millennia about the origin of our cosmic habitat. The age-old questions have been transformed into two pressing issues primed for attack in the coming decade: How did the Universe begin? and what physical laws govern the Universe at the highest

Spectrographic determination of impurities in uranium tetrafluoride matrices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reino, L.C.P.; Lordello, A.R.

1980-01-01

A direct spectrographic method for the determination of UF 4 impurities was developed. Investigations using spectrochemical carriers were carried out so to avoid uranium distillation, which as fluoride is much more volatile than the U 3 O 8 refractory matrix. The best results were obtained by using a mixture of MgO and NaCl carriers in the proportion of 20 and 10%, respectively, with respect to UF 4 matrix. An original spectrographic technique was introduced aiming to avoid the projection of sample particles outside the electrode during excitation. This new technique is based on the addition of a small quantity of a 0.5% gellatinous solution on the UF 4 tablet. The precision of the method was studied for each element analysed. The variation coefficients are within the range of 10 of 20%. (C.L.B.) [pt

Experimental techniques for the detection of the high energy gamma rays of cosmic origin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dumitrescu, Gh.; Angelescu, T.; Radu, A.A.

2002-01-01

The observation of high energy gamma rays of cosmic origin in the early 90 by Volcano Ranch experiment opened a new direction of study in astrophysics. The very high energy and the very low flux of these gamma rays, posed numerous detection problems which in turn were the object of a very intense research activity. The present article tries to review the detection techniques for the high energy gamma rays of cosmic origin. In the 'Introduction' we summarize the specific problems involved in the detection of this type of radiation. 'Chapter 1' presents the classic technique based on the use of scintillation detectors. 'Chapter 2' includes the imaging atmospheric Cherenkov technique (IACT) and the sampling wavefront technique. 'Chapter 3' is dedicated to the detection of the atmospheric nitrogen. 'Chapter 4' describes issues related to the calibration of the detectors, the cross checking of the experimental data, the use of the Monte Carlo simulations and the use of the density observed at a distance of 600 m S(600), in order to estimate the primary energy. The characteristics of some future developments of the above presented techniques are included in the last chapter. (authors)

Probing the origin of cosmic-rays with extremely high energy neutrinos using the IceCube Observatory

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aartsen, M.G.; Abbasi, R.; Ackermann, M.

2013-01-01

originate from cosmogenic neutrinos produced in the interactions of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays with ambient photons while propagating through intergalactic space. Exploiting IceCube’s large exposure for extremely high energy neutrinos and the lack of observed events above 100 PeV, we can rule out...

New component of cosmic rays of unknown origin at a few MeV per nucleon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gloecker, G.

1974-04-01

Recently discovered anomalies in the abundances and energy spectra of quiet time, extraterrestrial hydrogen, helium, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen require serious revisions of origin theories to account for this new component of cosmic radiation. Abnormally large O/C and N/C ratios, long term intensity variations with time, and radial gradient measurements indicate a nonsolar origin for these 2 to 30 MeV/nucleon particles. Ideas suggested to explain these measurements range from acceleration of galactic source material having an unusual composition to local acceleration of particles within the solar cavity. Observations are at present insufficient to choose between these alternate origin models. (U.S.)

Study of an integral field spectrograph for the SNAP satellite. Prototype, simulation and performances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aumeunier, Marie-Helene

2007-01-01

The SNAP (Supernovae/Acceleration Probe) project plans to measure very precisely the cosmological parameters and to determine the nature of dark energy by observations of type Ia supernovae and weak lensing. The SNAP instrument consists in a 2-meter telescope with a one square-degree imager and a spectrograph in the visible and infrared range. A dedicated optimized integral field spectrograph based on an imager slicer technology has been developed. To test and validate the performances, two approaches have been developed: a complete simulation of the complete instrument at the pixel level and the manufacturing and test of a spectrograph prototype operating at room temperature and in cryogenic environment. In this thesis we will test the optical and functional performances of the SNAP spectrograph: especially diffraction losses, stray-light and spectro-photometric calibration. We present an original approach for the spectro-photometric calibration adapted for the slicer and the optical performances resulting from the first measurement campaign in the visible range. (author) [fr

Origin of transient cosmic ray intensity variations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duggal, S.P.; Pomerantz, M.A.

1977-01-01

A new approach to determining the solar progenitor of transient cosmic ray intensity variations has revealed that in a statistical sense, solar flares, heretofore regarded as the predominant source of the modulation, actually do not precede the reduction in flux observed at earth. Superposed epoch analysis of the cosmic ray data with respect to the time of occurrence of all 379 solar flares of importance (Imp) < or =2 observed during solar cycle 20 (1964-1974 inclusive) shows that the onset of a decrease in the composite nucleonic intensity at polar stations occurs prior to the zero day (i.e., time of the flare) well before the arrival in the vicinity of earth of the associated solar plasma. The statistical significance of this result is confirmed by comparing the pooled variance determined from Chree analysis of an equal number of random epochs with that of the curve representing the flare epochs. Subdivision of the latter into three groups according to the heliographic longitude of the flares shows that whereas eastern flares might be associated with cosmic ray decreases, central (30degree to -30degree) and western flares cannot be thus related. A similar analysis of all flares of Imp< or =2 that occurred in a selected set of 24 extraordinary flare-rich active centers during 1964--1974 confirms these results and shows that the observed cosmic ray intensity decrease is, in fact, associated with the central meridian passage ( +- 1 day) of the active regions. Thus earlier conclusions concerning relationships between the heliolongitude of flares and their apparent effectiveness in producing Forbush decreases require reevaluation. The specific feature associated with solar active centers that is actually the principal source of transient modulations remanins to be identified

Origin of the cosmic network in ΛCDM: Nature vs nurture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shandarin, Sergei; Habib, Salman; Heitmann, Katrin

2010-01-01

The large-scale structure of the Universe, as traced by the distribution of galaxies, is now being revealed by large-volume cosmological surveys. The structure is characterized by galaxies distributed along filaments, the filaments connecting in turn to form a percolating network. Our objective here is to quantitatively specify the underlying mechanisms that drive the formation of the cosmic network: By combining percolation-based analyses with N-body simulations of gravitational structure formation, we elucidate how the network has its origin in the properties of the initial density field (nature) and how its contrast is then amplified by the nonlinear mapping induced by the gravitational instability (nurture).

Origin of the cosmic network in ΛCDM: Nature vs nurture

Science.gov (United States)

Shandarin, Sergei; Habib, Salman; Heitmann, Katrin

2010-05-01

The large-scale structure of the Universe, as traced by the distribution of galaxies, is now being revealed by large-volume cosmological surveys. The structure is characterized by galaxies distributed along filaments, the filaments connecting in turn to form a percolating network. Our objective here is to quantitatively specify the underlying mechanisms that drive the formation of the cosmic network: By combining percolation-based analyses with N-body simulations of gravitational structure formation, we elucidate how the network has its origin in the properties of the initial density field (nature) and how its contrast is then amplified by the nonlinear mapping induced by the gravitational instability (nurture).

Deepening Cosmic Education

Science.gov (United States)

Leonard, Gerard

2013-01-01

This article is a special blend of research, theory, and practice, with clear insight into the origins of Cosmic Education and cosmic task, while recalling memories of student explorations in botany, in particular, episodes from Mr. Leonard's teaching. Mr. Leonard speaks of a storytelling curriculum that eloquently puts perspective into dimensions…

Using commercial amateur astronomical spectrographs

CERN Document Server

Hopkins, Jeffrey L

2014-01-01

Amateur astronomers interested in learning more about astronomical spectroscopy now have the guide they need. It provides detailed information about how to get started inexpensively with low-resolution spectroscopy, and then how to move on to more advanced  high-resolution spectroscopy. Uniquely, the instructions concentrate very much on the practical aspects of using commercially-available spectroscopes, rather than simply explaining how spectroscopes work. The book includes a clear explanation of the laboratory theory behind astronomical spectrographs, and goes on to extensively cover the practical application of astronomical spectroscopy in detail. Four popular and reasonably-priced commercially available diffraction grating spectrographs are used as examples. The first is a low-resolution transmission diffraction grating, the Star Analyser spectrograph. The second is an inexpensive fiber optic coupled bench spectrograph that can be used to learn more about spectroscopy. The third is a newcomer, the ALPY ...

Cosmic Accelerators: An Introduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanbach, Gottfried

2005-01-01

High energy, relativistic, particles are an essential component of the Universe and play a major role in astrophysics. In a few years we will reach the centennial of the discovery of cosmic rays; all through this century the properties, origin, and effects of this radiation have intrigued researchers in astrophysics and elementary particles alike. We briefly review the history, current status, and future perspectives of cosmic ray research. Emphasis will be placed on the multitude of cosmic accelerators, direct observations of these objects, and the effects of cosmic rays in the Galaxy and beyond

Geneva University: Particle Acceleration in supernova remnants and its implications for the origin of galactic cosmic rays

CERN Multimedia

Université de Genève

2012-01-01

GENEVA UNIVERSITY École de physique Département de physique nucléaire et corspusculaire 24, quai Ernest-Ansermet 1211 Genève 4 Tél.: (022) 379 62 73 Fax: (022) 379 69 92 Wednesday 28 March 2012 SEMINAIRE DE PHYSIQUE CORPUSCULAIRE 11h15 - Science III, Auditoire 1S081 Particle Acceleration in supernova remnants and its implications for the origin of galactic cosmic rays Prof. Pasquale BLASI INAF, Arcetri Observatory, Firenze The process of cosmic ray energization in supernova remnant shocks is described by the theory of non linear diffusive shock acceleration (NLDSA). Such theory is able to describe the acceleration itself, the dynamical reaction of accelerated particles on the shock, and the crucial phenomenon of the magnetic field amplification, the very key to generate high energy cosmic rays. I will illustrate the basic aspects of this theoretical framework, as well as its successes and problems. I will then discuss the observations, in X-rays an...

MARS A Cosmic Stepping Stone Uncovering Humanity’s Cosmic Context

CERN Document Server

Nolan, Kevin

2008-01-01

The questions of our origin and cosmic abundance of life are among the most compelling facing humanity. We have determined much about the nature and origin of the Universe and our place in it, but with virtually all evidence of our origin long since gone from our world and an unimaginably vast Universe still to explore, defining answers are difficult to obtain. For all of the difficulties facing us however, the planet Mars may act as a ‘cosmic stepping stone’ in uncovering some of the answers. Although different today, the origin and early history of both Earth and Mars may have been similar enough to consider an origin to life on both. But because Mars’ planetary processes collapsed over three billion years ago – just as life was beginning to flourish on Earth – a significant and unique record of activity from that era perhaps relevant to the origin of life still resides there today. In recognition of this, both the US and Europe are currently engaged in one of the most ambitious programs of explor...

Tomographic extreme-ultraviolet spectrographs: TESS.

Science.gov (United States)

Cotton, D M; Stephan, A; Cook, T; Vickers, J; Taylor, V; Chakrabarti, S

2000-08-01

We describe the system of Tomographic Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) SpectrographS (TESS) that are the primary instruments for the Tomographic Experiment using Radiative Recombinative Ionospheric EUV and Radio Sources (TERRIERS) satellite. The spectrographs were designed to make high-sensitivity {80 counts/s)/Rayleigh [one Rayleigh is equivalent to 10(6) photons/(4pi str cm(2)s)}, line-of-sight measurements of the oi 135.6- and 91.1-nm emissions suitable for tomographic inversion. The system consists of five spectrographs, four identical nightglow instruments (for redundancy and added sensitivity), and one instrument with a smaller aperture to reduce sensitivity and increase spectral resolution for daytime operation. Each instrument has a bandpass of 80-140 nm with approximately 2- and 1-nm resolution for the night and day instruments, respectively. They utilize microchannel-plate-based two-dimensional imaging detectors with wedge-and-strip anode readouts. The instruments were designed, fabricated, and calibrated at Boston University, and the TERRIERS satellite was launched on 18 May 1999 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

Ultra high energy cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watson, A.A.

1986-01-01

Cosmic radiation was discovered 70 years ago but its origin remains an open question. The background to this problem is outlined and attempts to discover the origin of the most energetic and rarest group above 10 15 eV are described. Measurements of the energy spectrum and arrival direction pattern of the very highest energy particles, mean energy about 6 x 10 19 eV, are used to argue that these particles originate outside our galaxy. Recent evidence from the new field of ultra high energy γ-ray astronomy are discussed in the context of a galactic origin hypothesis for lower energy cosmic rays. (author)

Stellar origin of the 22Ne excess in cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casse, M.; Paul, J.A.

1982-01-01

The 22 Ne excess at the cosmic-ray source is discussed in terms of a 22 Ne-rich component injected and accelerated by carbon-rich Wolf-Rayet stars. The overabundance of 22 Ne relative to 20 Ne predicted at the surface of these stars is estimated to a factor approx.120 with respect to solar system abundances. In order to give rise to a 22 Ne excess of about 3 at the cosmic-ray sources as inferred from observations, the carbon-rich Wolf-Rayet contribution to the primary cosmic-ray flux is to be at maximum 1/60. This component would be energized by strong stellar winds producing quasi-standing shocks around the Wolf-Rayet stars

Sky Subtraction with Fiber-Fed Spectrograph

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Myriam

2017-09-01

"Historically, fiber-fed spectrographs had been deemed inadequate for the observation of faint targets, mainly because of the difficulty to achieve high accuracy on the sky subtraction. The impossibility to sample the sky in the immediate vicinity of the target in fiber instruments has led to a commonly held view that a multi-object fibre spectrograph cannot achieve an accurate sky subtraction under 1% contrary to their slit counterpart. The next generation of multi-objects spectrograph at the VLT (MOONS) and the planed MOS for the E-ELT (MOSAIC) are fiber-fed instruments, and are aimed to observed targets fainter than the sky continuum level. In this talk, I will present the state-of-art on sky subtraction strategies and data reduction algorithm specifically developed for fiber-fed spectrographs. I will also present the main results of an observational campaign to better characterise the sky spatial and temporal variations ( in particular the continuum and faint sky lines)."

Studying the high energy cosmic radiation: contributions to its detection and to the exploration of its origin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamanna, Giovanni

2009-01-01

The Astro-particle Physics is a discipline where scientists from both the astrophysics and the particle physics communities meets to investigate the Universe aiming to answer to fundamental questions in the field of physics, cosmology and astrophysics. The high energy astrophysics domain, which explores the extremes sources where the larger collective transfer of energy take place, studies the most energetic cosmic radiation as privileged messengers of the history of the Universe. My research path, summarized in this work, is made of personal contributions in the development of new detection technologies, in the data analysis, perspectives and phenomenological studies about the scientific purposes of large experiments: e.g. AMS, ANTARES, HESS, CTA, POLAR. My contributions are the results of research activities in coherence with two main scientific goals in the context of the astro-particle physics domain: - The implication of the high energy cosmic radiation measurement for the investigation on the nature and distribution of the dark matter; - The investigation of the origin of the galactic cosmic radiation for the understanding of the most energetic processes in the Universe. (author)

The deterministic optical alignment of the HERMES spectrograph

Science.gov (United States)

Gers, Luke; Staszak, Nicholas

2014-07-01

The High Efficiency and Resolution Multi Element Spectrograph (HERMES) is a four channel, VPH-grating spectrograph fed by two 400 fiber slit assemblies whose construction and commissioning has now been completed at the Anglo Australian Telescope (AAT). The size, weight, complexity, and scheduling constraints of the system necessitated that a fully integrated, deterministic, opto-mechanical alignment system be designed into the spectrograph before it was manufactured. This paper presents the principles about which the system was assembled and aligned, including the equipment and the metrology methods employed to complete the spectrograph integration.

NRES: The Network of Robotic Echelle Spectrographs

Science.gov (United States)

Siverd, Robert; Brown, Tim; Henderson, Todd; Hygelund, John; Barnes, Stuart; de Vera, Jon; Eastman, Jason; Kirby, Annie; Smith, Cary; Taylor, Brook; Tufts, Joseph; van Eyken, Julian

2018-01-01

Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) is building the Network of Robotic Echelle Spectrographs (NRES), which will consist of four (up to six in the future) identical, optical (390 - 860 nm) high-precision spectrographs, each fiber-fed simultaneously by up to two 1-meter telescopes and a Thorium-Argon calibration source. We plan to install one at up to 6 observatory sites in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, creating a single, globally-distributed, autonomous spectrograph facility using up to ten 1-m telescopes. Simulations suggest we will achieve long-term radial velocity precision of 3 m/s in less than an hour for stars brighter than V = 11 or 12 once the system reaches full capability. Acting in concert, these four spectrographs will provide a new, unique facility for stellar characterization and precise radial velocities.Following a few months of on-sky evaluation at our BPL test facility, the first spectrograph unit was shipped to CTIO in late 2016 and installed in March 2017. After several more months of additional testing and commissioning, regular science operations began with this node in September 2017. The second NRES spectrograph was installed at McDonald Observatory in September 2017 and released to the network after its own brief commissioning period, extending spectroscopic capability to the Northern hemisphere. The third NRES spectrograph was installed at SAAO in November 2017 and released to our science community just before year's end. The fourth NRES unit shipped in October and is currently en route to Wise Observatory in Israel with an expected release to the science community in early 2018.We will briefly overview the LCO telescope network, the NRES spectrograph design, the advantages it provides, and development challenges we encountered along the way. We will further discuss real-world performance from our first three units, initial science results, and the ongoing software development effort needed to automate such a facility for a wide array of

High-energy cosmic rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gaisser, Thomas K. [Bartol Research Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716 (United States)]. E-mail: gaisser@bartol.udel.edu; Stanev, Todor [Bartol Research Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716 (United States)

2006-10-17

After a brief review of galactic cosmic rays in the GeV to TeV energy range, we describe some current problems of interest for particles of very high energy. Particularly interesting are two features of the spectrum, the knee above 10{sup 15} eV and the ankle above 10{sup 18} eV. An important question is whether the highest-energy particles are of extra-galactic origin and, if so, at what energy the transition occurs. A theme common to all energy ranges is use of nuclear abundances as a tool for understanding the origin of the cosmic radiation.

Cosmic strings and galaxy formation

Science.gov (United States)

Bertschinger, Edmund

1989-01-01

The cosmogonical model proposed by Zel'dovich and Vilenkin (1981), in which superconducting cosmic strings act as seeds for the origin of structure in the universe, is discussed, summarizing the results of recent theoretical investigations. Consideration is given to the formation of cosmic strings, the microscopic structure of strings, gravitational effects, cosmic string evolution, and the formation of galaxies and large-scale structure. Simulation results are presented in graphs, and several outstanding issues are listed and briefly characterized.

The origins of cosmic rays and quantum effects on gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Tomozawa, Y.

1985-01-01

The energy spectrum of primary cosmic rays is explained by particles emitted during a thermal expansion of explosive objects inside and near the galaxy, remnants of which may be supernova and/or active talaxies, or even stars or galaxies that disappeared from our sight after the explosion. A power law energy spectrum for cosmic rays, E to the (-alpha -1, is obtained from an expansion rate T is proportional to R to the alpha. Using the solution of the Einstein equation, we obtain a spectrum which agrees very well with experimental data. The implication of an inflationary early universe on the cosmic ray spectrum is also discussed. It is also suggested that the conflict between this model and the singularity theorem in classical general relativity may be eliminated by quantum effects.

Origin and propagation of galactic cosmic rays

Science.gov (United States)

Cesarsky, Catherine J.; Ormes, Jonathan F.

1987-01-01

The study of systematic trends in elemental abundances is important for unfolding the nuclear and/or atomic effects that should govern the shaping of source abundances and in constraining the parameters of cosmic ray acceleration models. In principle, much can be learned about the large-scale distributions of cosmic rays in the galaxy from all-sky gamma ray surveys such as COS-B and SAS-2. Because of the uncertainties in the matter distribution which come from the inability to measure the abundance of molecular hydrogen, the results are somewhat controversial. The leaky-box model accounts for a surprising amount of the data on heavy nuclei. However, a growing body of data indicates that the simple picture may have to be abandoned in favor of more complex models which contain additional parameters. Future experiments on the Spacelab and space station will hopefully be made of the spectra of individual nuclei at high energy. Antiprotons must be studied in the background free environment above the atmosphere with much higher reliability and presion to obtain spectral information.

Cosmic gamma-ray background radiation. Current understandings and problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Yoshiyuki

2015-01-01

The cosmic gamma-ray background radiation is one of the most fundamental observables in the gamma-ray band. Although the origin of the cosmic gamma-ray background radiation has been a mystery for a long time, the Fermi gamma-ray space telescope has recently measured it at 0.1-820 GeV and revealed that the cosmic GeV gamma-ray background is composed of blazars, radio galaxies, and star-forming galaxies. However, Fermi still leaves the following questions. Those are dark matter contribution, origins of the cosmic MeV gamma-ray background, and the connection to the IceCube TeV-PeV neutrino events. In this proceeding, I will review the current understandings of the cosmic gamma-ray background and discuss future prospects of cosmic gamma-ray background radiation studies. (author)

On the Origin of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays II

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fowler, T K; Colgate, S; Li, H; Bulmer, R H; Pino, J

2011-03-08

We show that accretion disks around Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) could account for the enormous power in observed ultra high energy cosmic rays {approx}10{sup 20} eV (UHEs). In our model, cosmic rays are produced by quasi-steady acceleration of ions in magnetic structures previously proposed to explain jets around Active Galactic Nuclei with supermassive black holes. Steady acceleration requires that an AGN accretion disk act as a dynamo, which we show to follow from a modified Standard Model in which the magnetic torque of the dynamo replaces viscosity as the dominant mechanism accounting for angular momentum conservation during accretion. A black hole of mass M{sub BH} produces a steady dynamo voltage V {proportional_to} {radical}M{sub BH} giving V {approx} 10{sup 20} volts for M{sub BH} {approx} 10{sup 8} solar masses. The voltage V reappears as an inductive electric field at the advancing nose of a dynamo-driven jet, where plasma instability inherent in collisionless runaway acceleration allows ions to be steadily accelerated to energies {approx} V, finally ejected as cosmic rays. Transient events can produce much higher energies. The predicted disk radiation is similar to the Standard Model. Unique predictions concern the remarkable collimation of jets and emissions from the jet/radiolobe structure. Given MBH and the accretion rate, the model makes 7 predictions roughly consistent with data: (1) the jet length; (2) the jet radius; (3) the steady-state cosmic ray energy spectrum; (4) the maximum energy in this spectrum; (5) the UHE cosmic ray intensity on Earth; (6) electron synchrotron wavelengths; and (7) the power in synchrotron radiation. These qualitative successes motivate new computer simulations, experiments and data analysis to provide a quantitative verification of the model.

Cosmic ray investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zatsepin, Georgii T; Roganova, Tat'yana M

2009-01-01

The history of cosmic ray research at the Lebedev Institute beginning with the first work and continuing up to now is reviewed. The milestones and main avenues of research are outlined. Pioneering studies on the nuclear cascade process in extensive air showers, investigations of the Vavilov-Cherenkov radiation, and some work on the origin of cosmic rays are discussed. Recent data on ultrahigh-energy particle detection at the Pierre Auger Observatory and the High Resolution Fly's Eye (HiRes) experiments are presented. (conferences and symposia)

Magnetic spectrograph for the Holifield heavy ion research facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ford, J.L.C. Jr.; Enge, H.A.; Erskine, J.R.; Hendrie, D.L.; LeVine, M.J.

1977-01-01

The need for a new generation magnetic spectrograph for the Holifield Heavy Ion Research Facility is discussed. The advantages of a magnetic spectrograph for heavy ion research are discussed, as well as some of the types of experiments for which such an instrument is suited. The limitations which the quality of the incident beam, target and spectrograph itself impose on high resolution heavy ion measurements are discussed. Desired features of an ideal new spectrograph are: (1) intrinsic resolving power E/ΔE greater than or equal to 3000; (2) maximum solid angle greater than or equal to 20 msr; (3) dispersion approx. 4-8m; (4) maximum energy interval approx. 30%; and (5) mass-energy product greater than or equal to 200. Various existing and proposed spectrographs are compared with the specifications for a new heavy ion magnet design

Supernova remnants and the origin of cosmic rays

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vink, J.

2014-01-01

Supernova remnants have long been considered to be the dominant sources of Galactic cosmic rays. For a long time the prime evidence consisted of radio synchrotron radiation from supernova remnants, indicating the presence of electrons with energies of several GeV. However, in order to explain the

New look on the origin of cosmic rays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Istomin Ya.N.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available From the analysis of the flux of high energy particles, E > 3 · 1018 eV, it is shown that the distribution of the power density of extragalactic rays over energy is of the power law, q̅(E ∝ E−2.7, with the same index of 2.7 that has the distribution of Galactic cosmic rays before the so called ‘knee', E 3 · 1015 eV, from the Galaxy because of the dependence of the coefficient of diffusion of cosmic rays on energy, D∝E0.7. The obtained index of the density distribution of particles over energy, N(E∝E−2.7−0.7/2=E−3.05, for E > 3 · 1015 eV agrees well with the observed one, N(E∝E−3.1. The estimated time of the termination of the jet in the Galaxy is 4.2 · 104 years ago.

Curved VPH gratings for novel spectrographs

Science.gov (United States)

Clemens, J. Christopher; O'Donoghue, Darragh; Dunlap, Bart H.

2014-07-01

The introduction of volume phase holographic (VPH) gratings into astronomy over a decade ago opened new possibilities for instrument designers. In this paper we describe an extension of VPH grating technology that will have applications in astronomy and beyond: curved VPH gratings. These devices can disperse light while simultaneously correcting aberrations. We have designed and manufactured two different kinds of convex VPH grating prototypes for use in off-axis reflecting spectrographs. One type functions in transmission and the other in reflection, enabling Offnerstyle spectrographs with the high-efficiency and low-cost advantages of VPH gratings. We will discuss the design process and the tools required for modelling these gratings along with the recording layout and process steps required to fabricate them. We will present performance data for the first convex VPH grating produced for an astronomical spectrograph.

Interpreting the cosmic ray composition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O' C Drury, L.; Ellisson, D.C; Meyer, J.-P

2000-01-31

The detailed pattern of elemental abundances in the Galactic Cosmic Rays is well determined at energies of a few GeV per nucleon. After correction for propagation effects the inferred source composition shows significant deviations from the standard pattern of Galactic elemental abundances. These deviations, surprisingly overabundances of the heavy elements relative to Hydrogen, are clearly a significant clue to the origin of the cosmic rays, but one which has proven very difficult to interpret. We have recently shown that the 'standard' model for the origin of the bulk of the Galactic cosmic rays, namely acceleration by the diffusive shock acceleration process at the strong shocks associated with supernova remnants, can quantitatively explain all features of the source composition if the acceleration occurs from a dusty interstellar medium. This success must be regarded as one of the stronger pieces of evidence in favour of the standard model.

Interpreting the cosmic ray composition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'C Drury, L.; Ellisson, D.C; Meyer, J.-P.

2000-01-01

The detailed pattern of elemental abundances in the Galactic Cosmic Rays is well determined at energies of a few GeV per nucleon. After correction for propagation effects the inferred source composition shows significant deviations from the standard pattern of Galactic elemental abundances. These deviations, surprisingly overabundances of the heavy elements relative to Hydrogen, are clearly a significant clue to the origin of the cosmic rays, but one which has proven very difficult to interpret. We have recently shown that the 'standard' model for the origin of the bulk of the Galactic cosmic rays, namely acceleration by the diffusive shock acceleration process at the strong shocks associated with supernova remnants, can quantitatively explain all features of the source composition if the acceleration occurs from a dusty interstellar medium. This success must be regarded as one of the stronger pieces of evidence in favour of the standard model

Simulations of ultra-high energy cosmic rays in the local Universe and the origin of cosmic magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Hackstein, S.; Vazza, F.; Brüggen, M.; Sorce, J. G.; Gottlöber, S.

2018-04-01

We simulate the propagation of cosmic rays at ultra-high energies, ≳1018 eV, in models of extragalactic magnetic fields in constrained simulations of the local Universe. We use constrained initial conditions with the cosmological magnetohydrodynamics code ENZO. The resulting models of the distribution of magnetic fields in the local Universe are used in the CRPROPA code to simulate the propagation of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. We investigate the impact of six different magneto-genesis scenarios, both primordial and astrophysical, on the propagation of cosmic rays over cosmological distances. Moreover, we study the influence of different source distributions around the Milky Way. Our study shows that different scenarios of magneto-genesis do not have a large impact on the anisotropy measurements of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. However, at high energies above the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK)-limit, there is anisotropy caused by the distribution of nearby sources, independent of the magnetic field model. This provides a chance to identify cosmic ray sources with future full-sky measurements and high number statistics at the highest energies. Finally, we compare our results to the dipole signal measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory. All our source models and magnetic field models could reproduce the observed dipole amplitude with a pure iron injection composition. Our results indicate that the dipole is observed due to clustering of secondary nuclei in direction of nearby sources of heavy nuclei. A light injection composition is disfavoured, since the increase in dipole angular power from 4 to 8 EeV is too slow compared to observation by the Pierre Auger Observatory.

Cosmic Rays Astrophysics: The Discipline, Its Scope, and Its Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Barghouty, A. F.

2009-01-01

This slide presentation gives an overview of the discipline surrounding cosmic ray astrophysics. It includes information on recent assertions surrounding cosmic rays, exposure levels, and a short history with specific information on the origin, acceleration, transport, and modulation of cosmic rays.

Cosmic microwave background, where next?

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2009-01-01

Ground-based, balloon-borne and space-based experiments will observe the Cosmic Microwave Background in greater details to address open questions about the origin and the evolution of the Universe. In particular, detailed observations the polarization pattern of the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation have the potential to directly probe physics at the GUT scale and illuminate aspects of the physics of the very early Universe.

Cosmic vacuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chernin, Artur D

2001-01-01

Recent observational studies of distant supernovae have suggested the existence of cosmic vacuum whose energy density exceeds the total density of all the other energy components in the Universe. The vacuum produces the field of antigravity that causes the cosmological expansion to accelerate. It is this accelerated expansion that has been discovered in the observations. The discovery of cosmic vacuum radically changes our current understanding of the present state of the Universe. It also poses new challenges to both cosmology and fundamental physics. Why is the density of vacuum what it is? Why do the densities of the cosmic energy components differ in exact value but agree in order of magnitude? On the other hand, the discovery made at large cosmological distances of hundreds and thousands Mpc provides new insights into the dynamics of the nearby Universe, the motions of galaxies in the local volume of 10 - 20 Mpc where the cosmological expansion was originally discovered. (reviews of topical problems)

Cosmic vacuum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chernin, Artur D [P.K. Shternberg State Astronomical Institute at the M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2001-11-30

Recent observational studies of distant supernovae have suggested the existence of cosmic vacuum whose energy density exceeds the total density of all the other energy components in the Universe. The vacuum produces the field of antigravity that causes the cosmological expansion to accelerate. It is this accelerated expansion that has been discovered in the observations. The discovery of cosmic vacuum radically changes our current understanding of the present state of the Universe. It also poses new challenges to both cosmology and fundamental physics. Why is the density of vacuum what it is? Why do the densities of the cosmic energy components differ in exact value but agree in order of magnitude? On the other hand, the discovery made at large cosmological distances of hundreds and thousands Mpc provides new insights into the dynamics of the nearby Universe, the motions of galaxies in the local volume of 10 - 20 Mpc where the cosmological expansion was originally discovered. (reviews of topical problems)

Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays from nearby starburst galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Attallah, Reda; Bouchachi, Dallel

2018-04-01

Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays are the most energetic of any subatomic particles ever observed in nature. The quest for their mysterious origin is currently a major scientific challenge. Here we explore the possibility that these particles originate from nearby starburst galaxies, a scenario that matches the recent observation by the Telescope Array experiment of a cosmic-ray hotspot above 57 EeV not far from the direction of the starburst galaxy M82. Specifically, we study the stochastic propagation in space of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays through the state-of-the-art simulation framework CRPropa 3, taking into account all relevant particle interactions as well as deflections by the intervening magnetic fields. To ensure a comprehensive understanding of this model, we consider the energy spectrum, the cosmogenic neutrinos and gamma rays, and the distribution of arrival directions. The starburst galaxy scenario reproduces well observations from both the Telescope Array and Pierre Auger Observatories, making it very attractive for explaining the origin of cosmic rays at the highest energies.

Cosmic gamma radiation of ultra high energy of primordial origin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aquino Filho, F.G. de.

1984-01-01

The quantum mechanical effects near a collapsing black hole as shown by Stephen W.Hawking in 1974 to produce streaming particles through tunneling effect was explored in the context of cosmic gamma ray production. In this thesis, we show the possible production of gamma rays of high energies (ν approx 10 41 Hz) in the initial stages of the formation of the Universe by the explosion of primordial mini black holes. These mini black hole explosions happening at 10 -43 s to 10 -37 s after the start perhaps may account for the existing universal cosmic background radiation of 2.7 0 K. (Author) [pt

Rocket studies of solar corona and transition region. [X-Ray spectrometer/spectrograph telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Acton, L. W.; Bruner, E. C., Jr.; Brown, W. A.; Nobles, R. A.

1979-01-01

The XSST (X-Ray Spectrometer/Spectrograph Telescope) rocket payload launched by a Nike Boosted Black Brant was designed to provide high spectral resolution coronal soft X-ray line information on a spectrographic plate, as well as time resolved photo-electric records of pre-selected lines and spectral regions. This spectral data is obtained from a 1 x 10 arc second solar region defined by the paraboloidal telescope of the XSST. The transition region camera provided full disc images in selected spectral intervals originating in lower temperature zones than the emitting regions accessible to the XSST. A H-alpha camera system allowed referencing the measurements to the chromospheric temperatures and altitudes. Payload flight and recovery information is provided along with X-ray photoelectric and UV flight data, transition camera results and a summary of the anomalies encountered. Instrument mechanical stability and spectrometer pointing direction are also examined.

LRS2: A New Integral Field Spectrograph for the HET

Science.gov (United States)

Tuttle, Sarah E.; Hill, Gary J.; Chonis, Taylor S.; Tonnesen, Stephanie

2016-01-01

Here we present LRS2 (Low Resolution Spectrograph) and highlight early science opportunities with the newly upgraded Hobby Eberly telescope (HET). LRS2 is a four-channel optical wavelength (370nm - 1micron) spectrograph based on two VIRUS unit spectrographs. This fiber-fed integral field spectrograph covers a 12" x 6" field of view, switched between the two units (one blue, and one red) at R~2000. We highlight design elements, including the fundamental modification to grisms (from VPH gratings in VIRUS) to access the higher resolution. We discuss early science opportunities, including investigating nearby "blue-bulge" spiral galaxies and their anomalous star formation distribution.

Cosmic Rays: studies and measurements before 1912

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Angelis, Alessandro [INFN and Università di Udine, Via delle Scienze 206, I-33100 Udine (Italy); LIP/IST Lisboa (Portugal)

2013-06-15

The discovery of cosmic rays, a milestone in science, was based on the work by scientists in Europe and the New World and took place during a period characterised by nationalism and lack of communication. Many scientists that took part in this research a century ago were intrigued by the penetrating radiation and tried to understand the origin of it. Several important contributions to the discovery of the origin of cosmic rays have been forgotten; historical, political and personal facts might have contributed to their substantial disappearance from the history of science.

Cosmic Rays: studies and measurements before 1912

Science.gov (United States)

De Angelis, Alessandro

2013-06-01

The discovery of cosmic rays, a milestone in science, was based on the work by scientists in Europe and the New World and took place during a period characterised by nationalism and lack of communication. Many scientists that took part in this research a century ago were intrigued by the penetrating radiation and tried to understand the origin of it. Several important contributions to the discovery of the origin of cosmic rays have been forgotten; historical, political and personal facts might have contributed to their substantial disappearance from the history of science.

Cosmic Rays: studies and measurements before 1912

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Angelis, Alessandro

2013-01-01

The discovery of cosmic rays, a milestone in science, was based on the work by scientists in Europe and the New World and took place during a period characterised by nationalism and lack of communication. Many scientists that took part in this research a century ago were intrigued by the penetrating radiation and tried to understand the origin of it. Several important contributions to the discovery of the origin of cosmic rays have been forgotten; historical, political and personal facts might have contributed to their substantial disappearance from the history of science

The Hubble Space Telescope: UV, Visible, and Near-Infrared Pursuits

Science.gov (United States)

Wiseman, Jennifer

2010-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope continues to push the limits on world-class astrophysics. Cameras including the Advanced Camera for Surveys and the new panchromatic Wide Field Camera 3 which was installed nu last year's successful servicing mission S2N4,o{fer imaging from near-infrared through ultraviolet wavelengths. Spectroscopic studies of sources from black holes to exoplanet atmospheres are making great advances through the versatile use of STIS, the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. The new Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, also installed last year, is the most sensitive UV spectrograph to fly io space and is uniquely suited to address particular scientific questions on galaxy halos, the intergalactic medium, and the cosmic web. With these outstanding capabilities on HST come complex needs for laboratory astrophysics support including atomic and line identification data. I will provide an overview of Hubble's current capabilities and the scientific programs and goals that particularly benefit from the studies of laboratory astrophysics.

Quantitative imaging through a spectrograph. 1. Principles and theory.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tolboom, R.A.L.; Dam, N.J.; Meulen, J.J. ter; Mooij, J.M.; Maassen, J.D.M.

2004-01-01

Laser-based optical diagnostics, such as planar laser-induced fluorescence and, especially, Raman imaging, often require selective spectral filtering. We advocate the use of an imaging spectrograph with a broad entrance slit as a spectral filter for two-dimensional imaging. A spectrograph in this

Reconstruction of cosmic and beam-halo muons with the CMS detector

CERN Document Server

Liu, Chang; Amapane, Nicola; Fernandez Bedoya, Cristina; Bellan, Riccardo; Biallass, Philipp; Bolognesi, Sara; Cerminara, Gianluca; Fouz Iglesias, Mary-Cruz; Giunta, Marina; Guiducci, Luigi; Hoepfner, Kerstin; Lacaprara, Stefano; Masetti, Gianni; Meneguzzo, Anna; Paolucci, Pierluigi; Puerta Pelayo, Jesus; Travaglini, Riccardo; Zanetti, Marco; Villanueva, Carlos

2008-01-01

The powerful muon and tracker systems of the CMS detector together with dedicated reconstruction software allow precise and efficient measurement of muon tracks originating from proton-proton collisions. The standard muon reconstruction algorithms, however, are inadequate to deal with muons that do not originate from collisions. This note discusses the design, implementation, and performance results of a dedicated cosmic muon track reconstruction algorithm, which features pattern recognition optimized for muons that are not coming from the interaction point, i.e., cosmic muons and beam-halo muons. To evaluate the performance of the new algorithm, data taken during Cosmic Challenge phases I and II were studied and compared with simulated cosmic data. In addition, a variety of more general topologies of cosmic muons and beam-halo muons were studied using simulated data to demonstrate some key features of the new algorithm.

Recording {gamma} spectrometer with elimination of compton background; Spectrographe {gamma} enregistreur avec elimination du bruit de fond compton

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Julliot, C [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France).Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1960-07-01

This instrument, derived from the recording {gamma} spectrograph, gives better definition of photoelectric peaks by elimination of pulses caused by {gamma} photons incompletely absorbed in the scintillator (Compton effect). This system uses an original method devised by Peirson: the spectrum, devoid of photoelectric peak, supplied by a detector equipped with an anthracene scintillator, is cut off from the spectrum provided by a conventional detector equipped with a Nal (T1) scintillator. The regulation of the mechanical system, detector support and source allows the detection yields to be adjusted. The electronic system is identical in presentation with that of the recording spectrograph. (author) [French] Cet appareil derive du spectrographe {gamma} enregistreur permet d'obtenir une meilleure definition des pics photoelectriques, par elimination des impulsions provenant des photons {gamma} incompletement absorbes dans le scintillateur (effet Compton). Cet ensemble met en oeuvre une methode originale due a Peirson: le spectre, depourvu de pic photoelectrique, fourni par un detecteur, equipe avec un scintillateur d'anthracene, est retranche du spectre donne par un detecteur classique, equipe avec un scintillateur de NaI (T1). Le reglage de l'ensemble mecanique, support des detecteurs et de la source, permet d'ajuster les rendements de detection. L'ensemble electronique se presente sous un aspect identique a celui du spectrographe enregistreur. (auteur)

Origin of the Cosmic Network: Nature vs Nurture

OpenAIRE

Shandarin, Sergei; Habib, Salman; Heitmann, Katrin

2009-01-01

The large-scale structure of the Universe, as traced by the distribution of galaxies, is now being revealed by large-volume cosmological surveys. The structure is characterized by galaxies distributed along filaments, the filaments connecting in turn to form a percolating network. Our objective here is to quantitatively specify the underlying mechanisms that drive the formation of the cosmic network: By combining percolation-based analyses with N-body simulations of gravitational structure fo...

Cosmic Rays from the Knee to the Ankle

Science.gov (United States)

Haungs, Andreas

Investigations of the energy spectrum as well as the mass composition of cosmic rays in the energy range of PeV to EeV are important for understanding both, the origin of the galactic and the extragalactic cosmic rays. Recently, three modern experimental installations (KASCADE-Grande, IceTop, Tunka-133), dedicated to investigate this primary energy range, have published new results on the all-particle energy spectrum. In this short review these results are presented and the similarities and differences discussed. In addition, the effects of using different hadronic interaction models for interpreting the measured air-shower data will be examined. Finally, a brief discussion on the question if the present results are in agreement or in contradiction with astrophysical models for the transition from galactic to extragalactic origin of cosmic rays completes this paper.

Fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banday, A.J.; Wolfendale, A.W.

1990-01-01

In view of the importance to contemporary cosmology, and to our understanding of the Universe, of the precise nature of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) spectrum, we consider the effects on this spectrum of contamination by other radiation fields of both galactic and extragalactic origin. Particular attention is given to the significance of measurements of the fluctuations in the 'background' radiation detected at 10.46 GHz and we conclude that these fluctuations are of the same magnitude as those expected from galactic cosmic-ray effects. A more detailed study of the cosmic-ray induced fluctuations and measurements at higher frequencies will be needed before genuine CMB fluctuations can be claimed. (author)

Particle and astrophysics aspects of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sigl, G.

2001-01-01

The origin of cosmic rays is one of the major unresolved astrophysical questions. In particular, the highest energy cosmic rays observed possess macroscopic energies and their origin is likely to be associated with the most energetic processes in the Universe. Their existence triggered a flurry of theoretical explanations ranging from conventional shock acceleration to particle physics beyond the Standard Model and processes taking place at the earliest moments of our Universe. Furthermore, many new experimental activities promise a strong increase of statistics at the highest energies and a combination with γ-ray and neutrino astrophysics will put strong constraints on these theoretical models. Detailed Monte Carlo simulations indicate that charged ultra-high energy cosmic rays can also be used as probes of large scale magnetic fields whose origin may open another window into the very early Universe. We give an overview over this quickly evolving research field. (author)

Particle and astrophysics aspects of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sigl, G [Institut d' Astrophysique de Paris, Paris (France)

2001-11-15

The origin of cosmic rays is one of the major unresolved astrophysical questions. In particular, the highest energy cosmic rays observed possess macroscopic energies and their origin is likely to be associated with the most energetic processes in the Universe. Their existence triggered a flurry of theoretical explanations ranging from conventional shock acceleration to particle physics beyond the Standard Model and processes taking place at the earliest moments of our Universe. Furthermore, many new experimental activities promise a strong increase of statistics at the highest energies and a combination with {gamma}-ray and neutrino astrophysics will put strong constraints on these theoretical models. Detailed Monte Carlo simulations indicate that charged ultra-high energy cosmic rays can also be used as probes of large scale magnetic fields whose origin may open another window into the very early Universe. We give an overview over this quickly evolving research field. (author)

Traces of heavy and superheavy cosmic nuclei in olivins of extraterrestial origin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ignatova, R.; Taneva, T.

1982-01-01

The paths of traces of WH nuclei from cosmic rays have been measured in olivines from the meteorites Maryalakhti, Eagle Stein, Liposki khutor with radiation ages 175, 45 and 220 million years respectively. 3 cm 3 olivines of these meteorites have been examined and more than 500 traces of nuclei with Z(>=)90 have been found measured including 3 traces 1.5-1.8 times longer than the traces created by the uranium and thorium nuclei. These traces may be left by nuclei with Z(>=)110. The crystals were chosen from localizations situated at 2-7 cm, 8-9 cm and 10-12 cm from the outside atmospheric surface of the meteorite. The abundancy of the Z(>=)50 nuclei in gigantic cosmic rays, averaged for a period of ( =)110 in galactic cosmic rays. It is 1.4 x 10 -9 from that of the iron group nuclei. (authors)

Supernova Remnants as the Sources of Galactic Cosmic Rays

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vink, J.

2013-01-01

The origin of cosmic rays holds still manymysteries hundred years after they were first discovered. Supernova remnants have for long been the most likely sources of Galactic cosmic rays. I discuss here some recent evidence that suggests that supernova remnants can indeed efficiently accelerate

The Mitchell Spectrograph: Studying Nearby Galaxies with the VIRUS Prototype

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guillermo A. Blanc

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The Mitchell Spectrograph (a.k.a. VIRUS-P on the 2.7 m Harlan J. Smith telescope at McDonald Observatory is currently the largest field of view (FOV integral field unit (IFU spectrograph in the world (1.7′×1.7′. It was designed as a prototype for the highly replicable VIRUS spectrograph which consists of a mosaic of IFUs spread over a 16′ diameter FOV feeding 150 spectrographs similar to the Mitchell. VIRUS will be deployed on the 9.2 meter Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET and will be used to conduct the HET Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX. Since seeing first light in 2007 the Mitchell Spectrograph has been widely used, among other things, to study nearby galaxies in the local universe where their internal structure and the spatial distribution of different physical parameters can be studied in great detail. These observations have provided important insight into many aspects of the physics behind the formation and evolution of galaxies and have boosted the scientific impact of the 2.7 meter telescope enormously. Here I review the contributions of the Mitchell Spectrograph to the study of nearby galaxies, from the investigation the spatial distribution of dark matter and the properties of supermassive black holes, to the studies of the process of star formation and the chemical composition of stars and gas in the ISM, which provide important information regarding the formation and evolution of these systems. I highlight the fact that wide field integral field spectrographs on small and medium size telescopes can be powerful cost effective tools to study the astrophysics of galaxies. Finally I briefly discuss the potential of HETDEX for conducting studies on nearby galaxies. The survey parameters make it complimentary and competitive to ongoing and future surveys like SAMI and MANGA.

Cosmic ray antimatter and baryon symmetric cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

Stecker, F. W.; Protheroe, R. J.; Kazanas, D.

1982-01-01

The relative merits and difficulties of the primary and secondary origin hypotheses for the observed cosmic-ray antiprotons, including the new low-energy measurement of Buffington, et al. We conclude that the cosmic-ray antiproton data may be evidence for antimatter galaxies and baryon symmetric cosmology. The present bar P data are consistent with a primary extragalactic component having /p=/equiv 1+/- 3.2/0.7x10 = to the -4 independent of energy. We propose that the primary extragalactic cosmic ray antiprotons are most likely from active galaxies and that expected disintegration of bar alpha/alpha ban alpha/alpha. We further predict a value for ban alpha/alpha =/equiv 10 to the -5, within range of future cosmic ray detectors.

Cosmic radiation doses at flight level altitudes of airliners

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viragh, E.; Petr, I.

1985-01-01

Changes are discussed in flux density of cosmic radiation particles with time as are the origin of cosmic radiation, the level of cosmic radiation near the Earth's surface, and the determination of cosmic radiation doses in airliners. Doses and dose rates are given measured on different flight routes. In spite of the fact that the flight duration at an altitude of about 10 km makes for about 80% of the total flight time, the overall radiation burden of the crews at 1000 flight hours a year is roughly double that of the rest of the population. (J.C.)

Probing the Extragalactic Cosmic-Ray Origin with Gamma-Ray and Neutrino Backgrounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Globus, Noemie; Piran, Tsvi [Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University, 91904 Jerusalem (Israel); Allard, Denis; Parizot, Etienne [Laboratoire Astroparticule et Cosmologie, Université Paris Diderot/CNRS, 10 rue A. Domon et L. Duquet, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13 (France)

2017-04-20

GeV–TeV gamma-rays and PeV–EeV neutrino backgrounds provide a unique window on the nature of the ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). We discuss the implications of the recent Fermi -LAT data regarding the extragalactic gamma-ray background and related estimates of the contribution of point sources as well as IceCube neutrino data on the origin of the UHECRs. We calculate the diffuse flux of cosmogenic γ -rays and neutrinos produced by the UHECRs and derive constraints on the possible cosmological evolution of UHECR sources. In particular, we show that the mixed-composition scenario considered in Globus et al., which is in agreement with both (i) Auger measurements of the energy spectrum and composition up to the highest energies and (ii) the ankle-like feature in the light component detected by KASCADE-Grande, is compatible with both the Fermi -LAT measurements and with current IceCube limits. We also discuss the possibility for future experiments to detect associated cosmogenic neutrinos and further constrain the UHECR models, including possible subdominant UHECR proton sources.

Origin of the highest energy cosmic rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biermann, Peter L.; Ahn, Eun-Joo; Medina-Tanco, Gustavo; Stanev, Todor

2000-06-01

Introducing a simple Galactic wind model patterned after the solar wind we show that back-tracing the orbits of the highest energy cosmic events suggests that they may all come from the Virgo cluster, and so probably from the active radio galaxy M87. This confirms a long standing expectation. Those powerful radio galaxies that have their relativistic jets stuck in the interstellar medium of the host galaxy, such as 3C147, will then enable us to derive limits on the production of any new kind of particle, expected in some extensions of the standard model in particle physics. New data from HIRES will be crucial in testing the model proposed here.

Next generation redshift surveys and the origin of cosmic acceleration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acquaviva, Viviana; Hajian, Amir; Spergel, David N.; Das, Sudeep

2008-01-01

Cosmologists are exploring two possible sets of explanations for the remarkable observation of cosmic acceleration: dark energy fills space or general relativity fails on cosmological scales. We define a null test parameter ε(k,a)≡Ω m -γ dlnD/dlna-1, where a is the scale factor, D is the growth rate of structure, Ω m (a) is the matter density parameter, and γ is a simple function of redshift. We show that it can be expressed entirely in terms of the bias factor, b(a), measured from cross correlations with cosmic microwave background (CMB) lensing, and the amplitude of redshift-space distortions, β(k,a). Measurements of the CMB power spectrum determine Ω m0 H 0 2 . If dark energy within general relativity is the solution to the cosmic acceleration problem, then the logarithmic growth rate of structure dlnD/dlna=Ω m γ . Thus, ε(k,a)=0 on linear scales to better than 1%. We show that in the class of modified gravity models known as f(R), the growth rate has a different dependence on scale and redshift. By combining measurements of the amplitude of β and of the bias, b, redshift surveys will be able to determine the logarithmic growth rate as a function of scale and redshift. We estimate the predicted sensitivity of the proposed SDSS III (BOSS) survey and the proposed ADEPT mission and find that they will test structure growth in general relativity to the percent level.

Princeton Cyclotron QDDD spectrograph system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kouzes, R.T.

1985-01-01

A review of experiments involving the Princeton Quadrupole-Dipole-Dipole- Dipole (QDDD) spectrograph is given. The QDDD is a high resolution, large solid angle device which is combined with the azymuthally varying field (AVF) cyclotron. Some reactions involving 3 He beams are discussed

Spectrographic analysis of plutonium (1960)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artaud, J.; Chaput, M.; Robichet, J.

1960-01-01

Various possibilities for the spectrographic determination of impurities in plutonium are considered. The application of the 'copper spark' method, of sparking on graphite and of fractional distillation in the arc are described and discussed in some detail (apparatus, accessories, results obtained). (author) [fr

First light results from the Hermes spectrograph at the AAT

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sheinis, A.; Barden, S.; Birchall, M.; Carollo, D.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Brzeski, J.; Case, S.; Cannon, R.; Churilov, V.; Couch, W.; Dean, R.; De Silva, G.; D'Orazi, V.; Farrell, T.; Fiegert, K.; Freeman, K.; Frost, G.; Gers, L.; Goodwin, M.; Gray, D.; Heald, R.; Heijmans, J.A.C.; Jones, D.; Keller, S.; Klauser, U.; Kondrat, Y.; Lawrence, J.; Lee, S.; Mali, S.; Martell, S.; Mathews, D.; Mayfield, D.; Miziarski, S.; Muller, R.; Pai, N.; Patterson, R.; Penny, E.; Orr, D.; Shortridge, K.; Simpson, J.; Smedley, S.; Smith, G.; Stafford, D.; Staszak, N.; Vuong, M.; Waller, L.; Wylie de Boer, E.; Xavier, P.; Zheng, J.; Zhelem, R.; Zucker, D.

2014-01-01

The High Efficiency and Resolution Multi Element Spectrograph, HERMES is an facility-class optical spectrograph for the AAT. It is designed primarily for Galactic Archeology [21], the first major attempt to create a detailed understanding of galaxy formation and evolution by studying the history of

Regge in the sky: Origin of the cosmic rotation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muradian, R.

1994-06-01

Observed universal spin and mass relationship for a wide range of astronomical objects are described by two extended Regge trajectories: disc-trajectory for stars and planets, and ball-trajectory for galaxies and their clusters. The cosmic Chew-Frautschi plot is presented and two fundamental points are revealed on it: Eddington and Chandrasekhar points with coordinates expressed via combinations of the fundamental constants. (author). 17 refs, 3 figs

Cosmic ray electrons and protons, and their antiparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boezio, Mirko

2014-01-01

Cosmic rays are a sample of solar, galactic, and extragalactic matter. Their origin, acceleration mechanisms, and subsequent propagation toward Earth have intrigued scientists since their discovery. These issues can be studied via analysis of the energy spectra and composition of cosmic rays. Protons are the most abundant component of the cosmic radiation, and many experiments have been dedicated to the accurate measurement of their spectra. Complementary information is provided by electrons, which comprise about 1% of the cosmic radiation. Because of their low mass, electrons experience severe energy losses through synchrotron emission in the galactic magnetic field and inverse Compton scattering of radiation fields. Electrons therefore provide information on the local galactic environment that is not accessible from the study of the cosmic ray nuclei. Antiparticles, namely antiprotons and positrons, are produced in the interaction between cosmic ray nuclei and the interstellar matter. They are therefore intimately linked to the propagation mechanisms of the parent nuclei. Novel sources of primary cosmic ray antiparticles of either astrophysical (e.g., positrons from pulsars) or exotic origin (e.g., annihilation of dark matter particles) may exist. The nature of dark matter is one of the most prominent open questions in science today. An observation of positrons from pulsars would open a new observation window on these sources. Several experiments equipped with state-of-the art detector systems have recently presented results on the energy spectra of electrons, protons, and their antiparticles with a significant improvement in statistics and better control of systematics The status of the field will be reviewed, with a focus on these recent scientific results. (author)

Progress in high-energy cosmic ray physics

Science.gov (United States)

Mollerach, S.; Roulet, E.

2018-01-01

We review some of the recent progress in our knowledge about high-energy cosmic rays, with an emphasis on the interpretation of the different observational results. We discuss the effects that are relevant to shape the cosmic ray spectrum and the explanations proposed to account for its features and for the observed changes in composition. The physics of air-showers is summarized and we also present the results obtained on the proton-air cross section and on the muon content of the showers. We discuss the cosmic ray propagation through magnetic fields, the effects of diffusion and of magnetic lensing, the cosmic ray interactions with background radiation fields and the production of secondary neutrinos and photons. We also consider the cosmic ray anisotropies, both at large and small angular scales, presenting the results obtained from the TeV up to the highest energies and discuss the models proposed to explain their origin.

Cosmic rays and tests of fundamental principles

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez-Mestres, Luis

2011-03-01

It is now widely acknowledged that cosmic rays experiments can test possible new physics directly generated at the Planck scale or at some other fundamental scale. By studying particle properties at energies far beyond the reach of any man-made accelerator, they can yield unique checks of basic principles. A well-known example is provided by possible tests of special relativity at the highest cosmic-ray energies. But other essential ingredients of standard theories can in principle be tested: quantum mechanics, uncertainty principle, energy and momentum conservation, effective space-time dimensions, hamiltonian and lagrangian formalisms, postulates of cosmology, vacuum dynamics and particle propagation, quark and gluon confinement, elementariness of particles…Standard particle physics or string-like patterns may have a composite origin able to manifest itself through specific cosmic-ray signatures. Ultra-high energy cosmic rays, but also cosmic rays at lower energies, are probes of both "conventional" and new Physics. Status, prospects, new ideas, and open questions in the field are discussed.

Cosmic rays and tests of fundamental principles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez-Mestres, Luis

2011-01-01

It is now widely acknowledged that cosmic rays experiments can test possible new physics directly generated at the Planck scale or at some other fundamental scale. By studying particle properties at energies far beyond the reach of any man-made accelerator, they can yield unique checks of basic principles. A well-known example is provided by possible tests of special relativity at the highest cosmic-ray energies. But other essential ingredients of standard theories can in principle be tested: quantum mechanics, uncertainty principle, energy and momentum conservation, effective space-time dimensions, hamiltonian and lagrangian formalisms, postulates of cosmology, vacuum dynamics and particle propagation, quark and gluon confinement, elementariness of particles... Standard particle physics or string-like patterns may have a composite origin able to manifest itself through specific cosmic-ray signatures. Ultra-high energy cosmic rays, but also cosmic rays at lower energies, are probes of both 'conventional' and new Physics. Status, prospects, new ideas, and open questions in the field are discussed.

Atmospheric ions and pollution. Ions of the cosmic radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cachon, A.

1977-01-01

The principal historical steps before the so-called 'cosmic radiation' was known as an extra-terrestrial radiation are described. The origin, nature and energy of the radiation are discussed together with its evolution all along its path through atmosphere, in view of the interaction that occurs between the radiation and the atmosphere. The mechanism of the ionization induced by cosmic radiation is analyzed, the corresponding energy balance is established and the possible singularities in air ionization induced by cosmic rays are discussed [fr

Design of a simple magnetic spectrograph for the Karlsruhe isochronous cyclotron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gils, H.J.

1980-12-01

The ion-optical design of a simple magnetic spectrograph for studies of nuclear reactions on the Karlsruhe cyclotron is described. The spectrograph allows to determine the nuclear charge, the mass number, the reaction angle and the impulse (energy) of charged particles, which are emitted from the target. The spectrographs possibilities cover an appropriate range of likely nuclear reactions which are induced by light and heavy particles up to mass number A=20 and energies of 26 MeV per nucleon [de

Ultrahigh-energy particles from cosmic strings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharjee, P.

1991-02-01

The idea of production of ultrahigh-energy particles in the present universe due to annihilation or collapse of topological defects is discussed. Topological defects, formed in symmetry-breaking phase transitions in the early universe, can survive till today owing to their topological stability. However, under certain circumstances, topological defects may be physically destroyed. When topological defects are destroyed, the energy contained in the defects can be released in the form of massive gauge- and Higgs bosons of the underlying spontaneously broken gauge theory. Subsequent decay of these massive particles can give rise to energetic particles ranging up to an energy on the order of the mass of the original particles released from the defects. This may give us a ''natural'' mechanism of production of extremely energetic cosmic ray particles in the universe today, without the need for any acceleration mechanism. To illustrate this idea, I describe in detail the calculation of the expected ultrahigh-energy proton spectrum due to a specific process which involves collapse or multiple self-intersections of a class of closed cosmic string loops formed in a phase transition at a grand unification energy scale. I discuss the possibility that some of the highest-energy cosmic ray particles are of this origin. By comparing with the observational results on the ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays, we derive an upper limit to the average fraction of the total energy in all ''primary'' cosmic string loops that may be released in the form of particles due to collapse or multiple self-intersections of these loops. No nuclei such as α's or Fe's are in the spectrum. 43 refs., 3 figs

Atmospheric ionization and cosmic rays: studies and measurements before 1912

OpenAIRE

De Angelis, Alessandro

2012-01-01

The discovery of cosmic rays, a milestone in science, was based on the work by scientists in Europe and the New World and took place during a period characterised by nationalism and lack of communication. Many scientists that took part in this research a century ago were intrigued by the penetrating radiation and tried to understand the origin of it. Several important contributions to the discovery of the origin of cosmic rays have been forgotten; historical, political and personal facts migh...

Z-burst scenario for the highest energy cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fodor, Z.

2002-10-01

The origin of highest energy cosmic rays is yet unknown. An appealing possibility is the so-called Z-burst scenario, in which a large fraction of these cosmic rays are decay products of Z bosons produced in the scattering of ultrahigh energy neutrinos on cosmological relic neutrinos. The comparison between the observed and predicted spectra constrains the mass of the heaviest neutrino. The required neutrino mass is fairly robust against variations of the presently unknown quantities, such as the amount of relic neutrino clustering, the universal photon radio background and the extragalactic magnetic field. Considering different possibilities for the ordinary cosmic rays the required neutrino masses are determined. In the most plausible case that the ordinary cosmic rays are of extragalactic origin and the universal radio background is strong enough to suppress high energy photons, the required neutrino mass is 0.08 eV ≤ m ν ≤ 0.40 eV. The required ultrahigh energy neutrino flux should be detected in the near future by experiments such as AMANDA, RICE or the Pierre Auger Observatory. (orig.)

First cosmic-ray images of bone and soft tissue

Science.gov (United States)

Mrdja, Dusan; Bikit, Istvan; Bikit, Kristina; Slivka, Jaroslav; Hansman, Jan; Oláh, László; Varga, Dezső

2016-11-01

More than 120 years after Roentgen's first X-ray image, the first cosmic-ray muon images of bone and soft tissue are created. The pictures, shown in the present paper, represent the first radiographies of structures of organic origin ever recorded by cosmic rays. This result is achieved by a uniquely designed, simple and versatile cosmic-ray muon-imaging system, which consists of four plastic scintillation detectors and a muon tracker. This system does not use scattering or absorption of muons in order to deduct image information, but takes advantage of the production rate of secondaries in the target materials, detected in coincidence with muons. The 2D image slices of cow femur bone are obtained at several depths along the bone axis, together with the corresponding 3D image. Real organic soft tissue, polymethyl methacrylate and water, never seen before by any other muon imaging techniques, are also registered in the images. Thus, similar imaging systems, placed around structures of organic or inorganic origin, can be used for tomographic imaging using only the omnipresent cosmic radiation.

Cosmic ray propagation with CRPropa 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batista, R Alves; Evoli, C; Sigl, G; Van Vliet, A; Erdmann, M; Kuempel, D; Mueller, G; Walz, D; Kampert, K-H; Winchen, T

2015-01-01

Solving the question of the origin of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) requires the development of detailed simulation tools in order to interpret the experimental data and draw conclusions on the UHECR universe. CRPropa is a public Monte Carlo code for the galactic and extragalactic propagation of cosmic ray nuclei above ∼ 10 17 eV, as well as their photon and neutrino secondaries. In this contribution the new algorithms and features of CRPropa 3, the next major release, are presented. CRPropa 3 introduces time-dependent scenarios to include cosmic evolution in the presence of cosmic ray deflections in magnetic fields. The usage of high resolution magnetic fields is facilitated by shared memory parallelism, modulated fields and fields with heterogeneous resolution. Galactic propagation is enabled through the implementation of galactic magnetic field models, as well as an efficient forward propagation technique through transformation matrices. To make use of the large Python ecosystem in astrophysics CRPropa 3 can be steered and extended in Python. (paper)

Cosmic rays at ultra high energies (Neutrinos.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahlers, M.; Ringwald, A.; Tu, H.

2005-06-01

Resonant photopion production with the cosmic microwave background predicts a suppression of extragalactic protons above the famous Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin cutoff at about E GZK ∼ 5 x 10 10 GeV. Current cosmic ray data measured by the AGASA and HiRes Collaborations do not unambiguously confirm the GZK cutoff and leave a window for speculations about the origin and chemical composition of the highest energy cosmic rays. In this work we analyze the possibility of strongly interacting neutrino primaries and derive model-independent quantitative requirements on the neutrino-nucleon inelastic cross section for a viable explanation of the cosmic ray data. Search results on weakly interacting cosmic particles from the AGASA and RICE experiments are taken into account simultaneously. Using a flexible parameterization of the inelastic neutrino-nucleon cross section we find that a combined fit of the data does not favor the Standard Model neutrino-nucleon inelastic cross section, but requires, at 90% confidence level, a steep increase within one energy decade around E GZK by four orders of magnitude. We illustrate such an enhancement within some extensions of the Standard Model. The impact of new cosmic ray data or cosmic neutrino search results on this scenario, notably from the Pierre Auger Observatory soon, can be immediately evaluated within our approach. (orig.)

The ALTA cosmic ray experiment electronics system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brouwer, W.; Burris, W.J.; Caron, B.; Hewlett, J.; Holm, L.; Hamilton, A.; McDonald, W.J.; Pinfold, J.L.; Price, P.; Schaapman, J.R.; Sibley, L.; Soluk, R.A.; Wampler, L.J.

2005-01-01

Understanding the origin and propagation of high-energy cosmic rays is a fundamental area of astroparticle physics with major unanswered questions. The study of cosmic rays with energy more than 10 14 eV, probed only by ground-based experiments, has been restricted by the low particle flux. The Alberta Large-area Time-coincidence Array (ALTA) uses a sparse array of cosmic ray detection stations located in high schools across a large geographical area to search for non-random high-energy cosmic ray phenomena. Custom-built ALTA electronics is based on a modular board design. Its function is to control the detectors at each ALTA site allowing precise measurements of event timing and energy in the local detectors as well as time synchronization of all of the sites in the array using the global positioning system

Origin of Spectral Band Patterns in the Cosmic Unidentified Infrared Emission

Science.gov (United States)

Álvaro Galué, Héctor; Díaz Leines, Grisell

2017-10-01

The cosmic unidentified infrared emission (UIE) band phenomenon is generally considered as indicative of free-flying polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon molecules in space. However, a coherent explanation of emission spectral band patterns depending on astrophysical source is yet to be resolved under this attribution. Meanwhile astronomers have restored the alternative origin as due to amorphous carbon particles, but assigning spectral patterns to specific structural elements of particles is equally challenging. Here we report a physical principle in which inclusion of nonplanar structural defects in aromatic core molecular structures (π domains) induces spectral patterns typical of the phenomenon. We show that defects in model π domains modulate the electronic-vibration coupling that activates the delocalized π -electron contribution to aromatic vibrational modes. The modulation naturally disperses C =C stretch modes in band patterns that readily resemble the UIE bands in the elusive 6 - 9 μ m range. The electron-vibration interaction mechanics governing the defect-induced band patterns underscores the importance of π delocalization in the emergence of UIE bands. We discuss the global UIE band regularity of this range as compatible with an emission from the delocalized s p2 phase, as π domains, confined in disordered carbon mixed-phase aggregates.

Auroral spectrograph data annals of the international geophysical year, v.25

CERN Document Server

Carrigan, Anne; Norman, S J

1964-01-01

Annals of the International Geophysical Year, Volume 25: Auroral Spectrograph Data is a five-chapter text that contains tabulations of auroral spectrograph data. The patrol spectrograph built by the Perkin-Elmer Corporation for the Aurora and Airglow Program of the IGY is a high-speed, low-dispersion, automatic instrument designed to photograph spectra of aurora occurring along a given magnetic meridian of the sky. Data from each spectral frame were recorded on an IBM punched card. The data recorded on the cards are printed onto the tabulations in this volume. These tabulations are available

Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Cosmological parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Di Valentino, E.; Brinckmann, T.; Gerbino, M.; Poulin, V.; Bouchet, F. R.; Lesgourgues, J.; Melchiorri, A.; Chluba, J.; Clesse, S.; Delabrouille, J.; Dvorkin, C.; Forastieri, F.; Galli, S.; Hooper, D. C.; Lattanzi, M.; Martins, C. J. A. P.; Salvati, L.; Cabass, G.; Caputo, A.; Giusarma, E.; Hivon, E.; Natoli, P.; Pagano, L.; Paradiso, S.; Rubiño-Martin, J. A.; Achúcarro, A.; Ade, P.; Allison, R.; Arroja, F.; Ashdown, M.; Ballardini, M.; Banday, A. J.; Banerji, R.; Bartolo, N.; Bartlett, J. G.; Basak, S.; Baumann, D.; de Bernardis, P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonato, M.; Borrill, J.; Boulanger, F.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Buzzelli, A.; Cai, Z.-Y.; Calvo, M.; Carvalho, C. S.; Castellano, G.; Challinor, A.; Charles, I.; Colantoni, I.; Coppolecchia, A.; Crook, M.; D'Alessandro, G.; De Petris, M.; De Zotti, G.; Diego, J. M.; Errard, J.; Feeney, S.; Fernandez-Cobos, R.; Ferraro, S.; Finelli, F.; de Gasperis, G.; Génova-Santos, R. T.; González-Nuevo, J.; Grandis, S.; Greenslade, J.; Hagstotz, S.; Hanany, S.; Handley, W.; Hazra, D. K.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Hervias-Caimapo, C.; Hills, M.; Kiiveri, K.; Kisner, T.; Kitching, T.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lamagna, L.; Lasenby, A.; Lewis, A.; Liguori, M.; Lindholm, V.; Lopez-Caniego, M.; Luzzi, G.; Maffei, B.; Martin, S.; Martinez-Gonzalez, E.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; McCarthy, D.; Melin, J.-B.; Mohr, J. J.; Molinari, D.; Monfardini, A.; Negrello, M.; Notari, A.; Paiella, A.; Paoletti, D.; Patanchon, G.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pisano, G.; Polastri, L.; Polenta, G.; Pollo, A.; Quartin, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Roman, M.; Ringeval, C.; Tartari, A.; Tomasi, M.; Tramonte, D.; Trappe, N.; Trombetti, T.; Tucker, C.; Väliviita, J.; van de Weygaert, R.; Van Tent, B.; Vennin, V.; Vermeulen, G.; Vielva, P.; Vittorio, N.; Young, K.; Zannoni, M.

2018-04-01

We forecast the main cosmological parameter constraints achievable with the CORE space mission which is dedicated to mapping the polarisation of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). CORE was recently submitted in response to ESA's fifth call for medium-sized mission proposals (M5). Here we report the results from our pre-submission study of the impact of various instrumental options, in particular the telescope size and sensitivity level, and review the great, transformative potential of the mission as proposed. Specifically, we assess the impact on a broad range of fundamental parameters of our Universe as a function of the expected CMB characteristics, with other papers in the series focusing on controlling astrophysical and instrumental residual systematics. In this paper, we assume that only a few central CORE frequency channels are usable for our purpose, all others being devoted to the cleaning of astrophysical contaminants. On the theoretical side, we assume ΛCDM as our general framework and quantify the improvement provided by CORE over the current constraints from the Planck 2015 release. We also study the joint sensitivity of CORE and of future Baryon Acoustic Oscillation and Large Scale Structure experiments like DESI and Euclid. Specific constraints on the physics of inflation are presented in another paper of the series. In addition to the six parameters of the base ΛCDM, which describe the matter content of a spatially flat universe with adiabatic and scalar primordial fluctuations from inflation, we derive the precision achievable on parameters like those describing curvature, neutrino physics, extra light relics, primordial helium abundance, dark matter annihilation, recombination physics, variation of fundamental constants, dark energy, modified gravity, reionization and cosmic birefringence. In addition to assessing the improvement on the precision of individual parameters, we also forecast the post-CORE overall reduction of the allowed

Particle spectra and mass composition in the ultra-high energy region in the framework of the Galactic origin of cosmic rays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lagutin A.A.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The possibility for a self-consistent description of all the basic features of the observed cosmic ray spectra and primary composition variations in the energy range of 1015 ÷ 1020 eV within the Galactic origin scenario is examined. We assume the existence of Galactic sources that accelerate particles up to ∼ 3 · 1018Z eV and take into account a highly inhomogeneous (fractal-like distribution of matter and magnetic fields in the Galaxy that leads to extremely large free paths of particles (“Lévy flights”, along with an overwhelming contribution to the cosmic ray fluxes observed above ∼1018 eV from particles reaching the Solar System without scattering. Our scenario was refined on the basis of recent experimental results on primary mass composition. Model predictions, which could be verified with the improved high-precision measurements in the nearest future are discussed.

Cosmic strings and cosmic structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albrecht, A.; Brandenberger, R.; Turok, N.

1987-01-01

The paper concerns the application of the theory of cosmic strings to explain the structure of the Universe. The formation of cosmic strings in the early Universe is outlined, along with the Big Bang theory, Grand Unified theories, and the first three minutes after the Big Bang. A description is given of the shaping of the Universe by cosmic strings, including the evolution of the string. The possibility for direct observation of cosmic strings is discussed. (U.K.)

The origin of very high cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colgate, S.A.

1975-01-01

There are now two arguments that indicate that the whole cosmic ray spectrum is created in every galaxy, primarily Sc galaxies, and furthermore, that the source(s) should be occuring randomly such as supernova approximately = 1 per 50 years. The canonical source must produce a flatter spectrum by E +1 for E > 10 15 eV so that galactic leakage approximately E**-1 gives the observed slope, E 18 eV. For E > 3 x 10 18 eV all galaxies contribute to the extragalactic flux which equals approximately the galactic flux. Anisotropy occurs because of the statistical probability that several sources (supernovae) occur in this galaxy in the time and position such as to give rise to a flux greater than the extragalactic flux. (orig./BJ) [de

Spectrographic Determination of Trace Constituents in Rare Earths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capdevila, C.; Alvarez, F.

1962-01-01

A spectrographic method was developed for the determination of 18 trace elements in lanthanum, cerium, praseodimium, neodimium and samarium compounds. The concentrations of the impurities cover the range of 0,5 to 500 ppm. Most of these impurities are determined by the carrier distillation method. Several more refractory elements have been determined by total burning of the sample with a direct current arc or by the conduction briquet excitation technique with a high voltage condensed spark. The work has been carried out with a Hilger Automatic Large Quartz Spectrograph. (Author) 5 refs

Cosmic ray antimatter: Is it primary or secondary?

Science.gov (United States)

Stecker, F. W.; Protheroe, R. J.; Kazanas, D.

1981-01-01

The relative merits and difficulties of the primary and secondary origin hypotheses for the observed cosmic ray antiprotons, including the low energy measurement of Buffington, were examined. It is concluded that the cosmic ray antiproton data may be strong evidence for antimatter galaxies and baryon symmetric cosmology. The present antiproton data are consistent with a primary extragalactic component having antiproton/proton approximately equal to .0032 + or - 0.7.

The propagation of galactic cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, A.N.

1981-01-01

Large scale (approximately 15 pc) turbulence in the interstellar medium (ISM) causes the firehose and mirror instabilities to occur. These produce small scale (approximately 10 -7 pc) magnetic irregularities, which scatter cosmic rays. We use pulsar scintillation data, and a model of the origin of these scintillations, to construct a slab model of the turbulent ISM. Then we find the amplitudes and wavelengths of the magnetic irregularities that arise, and we calculate the coefficients for the diffusion of cosmic rays along the interstellar magnetic fields. We incorporate this diffusion into our model of the turbulent ISM, and show that it can account naturally for both the lifetime of low energy cosmic rays, and the variation of their mean pathlength with energy. Our model has no galactic halo, and contains no scattering by Alfven waves. (author)

The problem of scattering in fibre-fed VPH spectrographs and possible solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, S. C.; Saunders, Will; Betters, Chris; Croom, Scott

2014-07-01

All spectrographs unavoidably scatter light. Scattering in the spectral direction is problematic for sky subtraction, since atmospheric spectral lines are blurred. Scattering in the spatial direction is problematic for fibre fed spectrographs, since it limits how closely fibres can be packed together. We investigate the nature of this scattering and show that the scattering wings have both a Lorentzian component, and a shallower (1/r) component. We investigate the causes of this from a theoretical perspective, and argue that for the spectral PSF the Lorentzian wings are in part due to the profile of the illumination of the pupil of the spectrograph onto the diffraction grating, whereas the shallower component is from bulk scattering. We then investigate ways to mitigate the diffractive scattering by apodising the pupil. In the ideal case of a Gaussian apodised pupil, the scattering can be significantly improved. Finally we look at realistic models of the spectrograph pupils of fibre fed spectrographs with a centrally obstructed telescope, and show that it is possible to apodise the pupil through non-telecentric injection into the fibre.

Atmospheric ionization and cosmic rays: studies and measurements before 1912

Science.gov (United States)

de Angelis, Alessandro

2014-01-01

The discovery of cosmic rays, a milestone in science, was based on the work by scientists in Europe and the New World and took place during a period characterized by nationalism and lack of communication. Many scientists that took part in this research a century ago were intrigued by the penetrating radiation and tried to understand the origin of it. Several important contributions to the discovery of the origin of cosmic rays have been forgotten; historical, political and personal facts might have contributed to their substantial disappearance from the history of science.

Ultra-high energy cosmic rays and prompt TeV gamma rays from ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

physics pp. 789-792. Ultra-high energy cosmic rays and prompt. TeV gamma rays from gamma ray bursts ... The origin of the observed ultra-high energy cosmic ray (UHECR) events with ... are proton and electron rest mass, respectively.

SPRAT: Spectrograph for the Rapid Acquisition of Transients

Science.gov (United States)

Piascik, A. S.; Steele, Iain A.; Bates, Stuart D.; Mottram, Christopher J.; Smith, R. J.; Barnsley, R. M.; Bolton, B.

2014-07-01

We describe the development of a low cost, low resolution (R ~ 350), high throughput, long slit spectrograph covering visible (4000-8000) wavelengths. The spectrograph has been developed for fully robotic operation with the Liverpool Telescope (La Palma). The primary aim is to provide rapid spectral classification of faint (V ˜ 20) transient objects detected by projects such as Gaia, iPTF (intermediate Palomar Transient Factory), LOFAR, and a variety of high energy satellites. The design employs a volume phase holographic (VPH) transmission grating as the dispersive element combined with a prism pair (grism) in a linear optical path. One of two peak spectral sensitivities are selectable by rotating the grism. The VPH and prism combination and entrance slit are deployable, and when removed from the beam allow the collimator/camera pair to re-image the target field onto the detector. This mode of operation provides automatic acquisition of the target onto the slit prior to spectrographic observation through World Coordinate System fitting. The selection and characterisation of optical components to maximise photon throughput is described together with performance predictions.

Workshop for cascade project, physics using large acceptance spectrograph and its technical considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-03-01

The Workshop for Cascade, subtitled 'Physics Using Large Acceptance Spectrograph and Its Technical Considerations', was held on July 13, 1988 by the Nuclear Physics Research Center, Osaka University. The present proceedings carry a total of 18 reports, which are entitled 'RCNP Large Acceptance Spectrograph (plan)', 'Correlation Experiments with a System Consisting of a Small Number of Nucleons', 'Measurement of (d,d) and (d, 2 He) Reactions with Large Solid Angle Spectrograph', 'The (p,2p) and (p,pn) Reactions', 'Correlation Experiments with Large Acceptance Spectrograph', 'Efforts at Determination of Various Correlations in Alpha Particles', 'Two-Nucleon Correlation in Nucleus', 'A Study on Particle Migration Reaction with Broad-Band Spectrograph', 'Measurement of Response in Highly Excited State during Nucleon Migration Reaction', 'A Study on Δ-Excitation within Nucleus', 'A Few Problems Related with Response in Highly Excited State', 'Spin-Isospin Modes in Continuum', '(p,π) and (p,xπ) Reactions', 'Formation of π - in (p,2p) Reaction', 'Formation of π-Mesonic Atom with Consistent Momentum', 'Measurement of Excitation Functions by Means of 'Inconsistent' Dispersion in Magnetic Spectrograph', 'Deeply Bound π - States by 'π - Transfer' (n,p) Reactions', and 'On High Resolution (n,p) Facilities'. (N.K.)

Cosmic ray riddle solved?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1995-01-01

Full text: Physicists from Japan and the United States have discovered a possible answer to the puzzle of the origin of high energy cosmic rays that bombard Earth from all directions in space. Using data from the Japanese/US X-ray astronomical satellite ASCA, physicists have found strong evidence for the production of cosmic particles in the shock wave of a supernova remnant, the expanding fireball produced by the explosion of a star. Primary cosmic rays, mostly electrons and protons, travel near the speed of light. Each second, approximately 4 such particles cross one square centimetre of space just outside the Earth's atmosphere. Subsequently, collisions of these primary particles with atoms in the upper atmosphere produce slower secondary particles. Ever since the discovery of cosmic rays early this century, scientists have debated the origin of these particles and how they can be accelerated to such high speeds. Supernova remnants have long been thought to provide the high energy component, but the evidence has been lacking until now. The international team of investigators used the satellite to determine that cosmic rays are generated profusely in the remains of the supernova of 1006 AD - which appeared to medieval viewers to be as bright as the Moon - and that they are accelerated to high velocities by an iterative process first suggested by Enrico Fermi in 1949. Using solid-state X-ray cameras, the ASCA satellite records simultaneous images and spectra of X-rays from celestial sources, allowing astronomers to distinguish different types of X-ray emission. The tell-tale clue to the discovery was the detection of two diametrically opposite regions in the rapidly expanding supernova remnant, the debris from the stellar explosion. The two regions glow intensely from the synchrotron radiation produced when fast-moving electrons are bent by a magnetic field. The remainder of the supernova remnant, in contrast, emits ordinary ''thermal'' X

X-ray spectrometer spectrograph telescope system. [for solar corona study

Science.gov (United States)

Bruner, E. C., Jr.; Acton, L. W.; Brown, W. A.; Salat, S. W.; Franks, A.; Schmidtke, G.; Schweizer, W.; Speer, R. J.

1979-01-01

A new sounding rocket payload that has been developed for X-ray spectroscopic studies of the solar corona is described. The instrument incorporates a grazing incidence Rowland mounted grating spectrograph and an extreme off-axis paraboloic sector feed system to isolate regions of the sun of order 1 x 10 arc seconds in size. The focal surface of the spectrograph is shared by photographic and photoelectric detection systems, with the latter serving as a part of the rocket pointing system control loop. Fabrication and alignment of the optical system is based on high precision machining and mechanical metrology techniques. The spectrograph has a resolution of 16 milliangstroms and modifications planned for future flights will improve the resolution to 5 milliangstroms, permitting line widths to be measured.

Cosmology with cosmic shear observations: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilbinger, Martin

2015-07-01

Cosmic shear is the distortion of images of distant galaxies due to weak gravitational lensing by the large-scale structure in the Universe. Such images are coherently deformed by the tidal field of matter inhomogeneities along the line of sight. By measuring galaxy shape correlations, we can study the properties and evolution of structure on large scales as well as the geometry of the Universe. Thus, cosmic shear has become a powerful probe into the nature of dark matter and the origin of the current accelerated expansion of the Universe. Over the last years, cosmic shear has evolved into a reliable and robust cosmological probe, providing measurements of the expansion history of the Universe and the growth of its structure. We review here the principles of weak gravitational lensing and show how cosmic shear is interpreted in a cosmological context. Then we give an overview of weak-lensing measurements, and present the main observational cosmic-shear results since it was discovered 15 years ago, as well as the implications for cosmology. We then conclude with an outlook on the various future surveys and missions, for which cosmic shear is one of the main science drivers, and discuss promising new weak cosmological lensing techniques for future observations.

The Astrobiological Case for Our Cosmic Ancestry

Science.gov (United States)

Wickramasinghe, Chandra

With steadily mounting evidence that points to a cosmic origin of terrestrial life, a cultural barrier prevails against admitting that such a connection exists. Astronomy continues to reveal the presence of organic molecules and organic dust on a huge cosmic scale, amounting to a third of interstellar carbon tied up in this form. Just as the overwhelming bulk of organics on Earth stored over geological timescales are derived from the degradation of living cells, so it seems most likely that interstellar organics in large measure also derive from biology. As we enter a new decade -- the year 2010 -- a clear pronouncement of our likely alien ancestry and of the existence of extraterrestrial life on a cosmic scale would seem to be overdue.

SPECTROGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF BERYLLIUM IN OILFIELD WATERS USING A PLASMA ARC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Collins, A. G.; Pearson, C. A.

1963-10-15

Geochemical studies of the distribution of the trace, minor, and major constituents of oilfield waters aid in the exploration for petroleum and other minerals, determination of the origin and distribution of oilfield waters and petroleum, and location of casing leaks and of water pollution sources. The determination of the beryllium and related data should be useful in these studies. An emission spectrographic method utilizing a plasma arc assembly for determining beryllium in oilfield waters, with a sensitivity permitting detection of less than 1 ppb, was developed. Beryllium was extracted from synthetic and natural oilfield waters with chloroform and acetylacetone. The extracts were aspirated directly into the plasma arc, and the beryllium emission intensity was recorded on photographic plates. (auth)

Correlation between ionospheric potential and the intensity of cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyerott, R.E.; Reagan, J.B.; Evans, J.E.

1983-01-01

Ionospheric potential variations with a period of about 10 yr have been observed in the data that have been acquired to date. Previous studies have shown that these variations appear to be correlated inversely with sunspot number and with solar wind velocity, and directly with cosmic ray intensity. Since the cosmic ray intensity is inversely correlated with sunspot number and solar wind velocity, these correlations all suggest that the long period variations are of solar origin. In this report it is shown that, over the limited period for which ionospheric potential measurements exist, the long period variations are better correlated with the aerosol burden injected into the stratosphere by large volcanic eruptions than with the intensity of cosmic rays. This result indicates that the long period variations in ionospheric potential are of terrestrial rather than solar origin. 20 references

Latest AMS Results on elementary particles in cosmic rays

Science.gov (United States)

Kounine, Andrei; AMS Collaboration

2017-01-01

AMS-02 is a particle physics detector collecting data on the International Space Station since May 2011. Precision measurements of all elementary charged cosmic ray particles have been performed by AMS using a data sample of 85 billion cosmic ray events collected during the first five years of operations on the Station. The latest AMS results on the fluxes and flux ratios of the elementary cosmic ray particles are presented. They show unique features that require accurate theoretical interpretation as to their origin, be it from dark matter collisions or new astrophysical sources. On behalf of the AMS Collaboration.

Cosmic Evolution: The History of an Idea

Science.gov (United States)

Dick, S. J.

2004-12-01

Cosmic evolution has become the conceptual framework within which modern astronomy is undertaken, and is the guiding principle of major NASA programs such as Origins and Astrobiology. While there are 19th- and early 20th century antecedents, as in the work of Robert Chambers, Herbert Spencer and Lawrence Henderson, it was only at mid-20th century that full-blown cosmic evolution began to be articulated and accepted as a research paradigm extending from the Big Bang to life, intelligence and the evolution of culture. Harlow Shapley was particularly important in spreading the idea to the public in the 1950s, and NASA embraced the idea in the 1970s as part of its SETI program and later its exobiology and astrobiology programs. Eric Chaisson, Carl Sagan and others were early proponents of cosmic evolution, and it continues to be elaborated in ever more subtle form as a research program and a philosophy. It has even been termed "Genesis for the 21st century." This paper documents the origin and development of the idea and offers a glimpse of where it could lead if cultural evolution is taken seriously, possibly leading to the concept of a postbiological universe.

Use of an ultra-high resolution magnetic spectrograph for materials research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boerma, DO; Arnoldbik, WM; Wolfswinkel, W; Balogh, AG; Walter, G

1997-01-01

A brief description is given of a magnetic spectrograph for RBS and ERD analysis with MeV beams, delivered by a Tandem accelerator. With a number of examples of thin layer analysis it is shown that the spectrograph is uniquely suited for the measurement of concentration depth profiles up to a depth

Reconstructing matter profiles of spherically compensated cosmic regions in ΛCDM cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

de Fromont, Paul; Alimi, Jean-Michel

2018-02-01

The absence of a physically motivated model for large-scale profiles of cosmic voids limits our ability to extract valuable cosmological information from their study. In this paper, we address this problem by introducing the spherically compensated cosmic regions, named CoSpheres. Such cosmic regions are identified around local extrema in the density field and admit a unique compensation radius R1 where the internal spherical mass is exactly compensated. Their origin is studied by extending the standard peak model and implementing the compensation condition. Since the compensation radius evolves as the Universe itself, R1(t) ∝ a(t), CoSpheres behave as bubble Universes with fixed comoving volume. Using the spherical collapse model, we reconstruct their profiles with a very high accuracy until z = 0 in N-body simulations. CoSpheres are symmetrically defined and reconstructed for both central maximum (seeding haloes and galaxies) and minimum (identified with cosmic voids). We show that the full non-linear dynamics can be solved analytically around this particular compensation radius, providing useful predictions for cosmology. This formalism highlights original correlations between local extremum and their large-scale cosmic environment. The statistical properties of these spherically compensated cosmic regions and the possibilities to constrain efficiently both cosmology and gravity will be investigated in companion papers.

Design and realization of the real-time spectrograph controller for LAMOST based on FPGA

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jianing; Wu, Liyan; Zeng, Yizhong; Dai, Songxin; Hu, Zhongwen; Zhu, Yongtian; Wang, Lei; Wu, Zhen; Chen, Yi

2008-08-01

A large Schmitt reflector telescope, Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope(LAMOST), is being built in China, which has effective aperture of 4 meters and can observe the spectra of as many as 4000 objects simultaneously. To fit such a large amount of observational objects, the dispersion part is composed of a set of 16 multipurpose fiber-fed double-beam Schmidt spectrographs, of which each has about ten of moveable components realtimely accommodated and manipulated by a controller. An industrial Ethernet network connects those 16 spectrograph controllers. The light from stars is fed to the entrance slits of the spectrographs with optical fibers. In this paper, we mainly introduce the design and realization of our real-time controller for the spectrograph, our design using the technique of System On Programmable Chip (SOPC) based on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and then realizing the control of the spectrographs through NIOSII Soft Core Embedded Processor. We seal the stepper motor controller as intellectual property (IP) cores and reuse it, greatly simplifying the design process and then shortening the development time. Under the embedded operating system μC/OS-II, a multi-tasks control program has been well written to realize the real-time control of the moveable parts of the spectrographs. At present, a number of such controllers have been applied in the spectrograph of LAMOST.

Standard Cosmic Ray Energetics and Light Element Production

CERN Document Server

Fields, B D; Cassé, M; Vangioni-Flam, E; Fields, Brian D.; Olive, Keith A.; Casse, Michel; Vangioni-Flam, Elisabeth

2001-01-01

The recent observations of Be and B in metal poor stars has led to a reassessment of the origin of the light elements in the early Galaxy. At low it is metallicity ([O/H] < -1.75), it is necessary to introduce a production mechanism which is independent of the interstellar metallicity (primary). At higher metallicities, existing data might indicate that secondary production is dominant. In this paper, we focus on the secondary process, related to the standard Galactic cosmic rays, and we examine the cosmic ray energy requirements for both present and past epochs. We find the power input to maintain the present-day Galactic cosmic ray flux is about 1.5e41 erg/s = 5e50 erg/century. This implies that, if supernovae are the sites of cosmic ray acceleration, the fraction of explosion energy going to accelerated particles is about 30%, a value which we obtain consistently both from considering the present cosmic ray flux and confinement and from the present 9Be and 6Li abundances. Using the abundances of 9Be (an...

A Multi-Variate Fit to the Chemical Composition of the Cosmic-Ray Spectrum

Science.gov (United States)

Eisch, Jonathan

Since the discovery of cosmic rays over a century ago, evidence of their origins has remained elusive. Deflected by galactic magnetic fields, the only direct evidence of their origin and propagation remain encoded in their energy distribution and chemical composition. Current models of galactic cosmic rays predict variations of the energy distribution of individual elements in an energy region around 3x1015 eV known as the knee. This work presents a method to measure the energy distribution of individual elemental groups in the knee region and its application to a year of data from the IceCube detector. The method uses cosmic rays detected by both IceTop, the surface-array component, and the deep-ice component of IceCube during the 2009-2010 operation of the IC-59 detector. IceTop is used to measure the energy and the relative likelihood of the mass composition using the signal from the cosmic-ray induced extensive air shower reaching the surface. IceCube, 1.5 km below the surface, measures the energy of the high-energy bundle of muons created in the very first interactions after the cosmic ray enters the atmosphere. These event distributions are fit by a constrained model derived from detailed simulations of cosmic rays representing five chemical elements. The results of this analysis are evaluated in terms of the theoretical uncertainties in cosmic-ray interactions and seasonal variations in the atmosphere. The improvements in high-energy cosmic ray hadronic-interaction models informed by this analysis, combined with increased data from subsequent operation of the IceCube detector, could provide crucial limits on the origin of cosmic rays and their propagation through the galaxy. In the course of developing this method, a number of analysis and statistical techniques were developed to deal with the difficulties inherent in this type of measurement. These include a composition-sensitive air shower reconstruction technique, a method to model simulated event

Ashra Neutrino Telescope Array (NTA): Combined Imaging Observation of Astroparticles — For Clear Identification of Cosmic Accelerators and Fundamental Physics Using Cosmic Beams —

Science.gov (United States)

Sasaki, Makoto; Kifune, Tadashi

In VHEPA (very high energy particle astronomy) 2014 workshop, focused on the next generation explorers for the origin of cosmic rays, held in Kashiwa, Japan, reviewing and discussions were presented on the status of the observation of GeV-TeV photons, TeV-PeV neutrinos, EeV-ZeV hadrons, test of interaction models with Large Hadron Collider (LHC), and theoretical aspects of astrophysics. The acceleration sites of hadrons, i.e., sources of PeV-EeV cosmic rays, should exist in the universe within the GZK-horizon even in the remotest case. We also affirmed that the hadron acceleration mechanism correlates with cosmic ray composition so that it is important to investigate the acceleration mechanism in relevance to the composition survey at PeV-EeV energy. We regard that LHC and astrophysics theories are ready to be used to probe into hadron acceleration mechanism in the universe. Recently, IceCube has reported detection of three events of neutrinos with energies around 1 PeV and additional events at lower energies, which significantly deviate from the expected level of background events. It is necessary to observe GeV-TeV photon, EeV-ZeV hadron and TeV-PeV neutrino all together, in order to understand hadronic interactions of cosmic rays in the PeV-EeV energy region. It is required to make a step further toward exploring the PeV-EeV universe with high accuracy and high statistics observations for both neutrinos and gamma rays simultaneously, by using the instrument such as Ashra Neutrino Telescope Array (NTA). Wide and fine survey of gamma-rays and neutrinos with simultaneously detecting Cherenkov and fluorescence light with NTA will guide us to a new intriguing stage of recognizing astronomical objects and non-thermal phenomena in ultra-high energy region, in addition, new aspect about the fundamental concepts of physics beyond our presently limited understanding; the longstanding problem of cosmic ray origin, the radiation mechanism of gamma-rays, neutrino and

Optical design and performance of a dual-grating, direct-reading spectrograph for spectrochemical analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steinhaus, D.W.; Kline, J.V.; Bieniewski, T.M.; Dow, G.S.; Apel, C.T.

1979-01-01

An all-mirror optical system is used to direct the light from a variety of spectroscopic sources to two 2-m spectrographs that are placed on either side of a sturdy vertical mounting plate. The gratings were chosen so that the first spectrograph covers the ultraviolet spectral region, and the second spectrograph covers the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared regions. With the over 2.5 m of focal curves, each ultraviolet line is available at more than one place. Thus, problems with close lines can be overcome. The signals from a possible maximum of 256 photoelectric detectors go to a small computer for reading and calculation of the element abundances. To our knowledge, no other direct-reading spectrograph has more than about 100 fixed detectors. With an inductively-coupled-plasma source, our calibration curves, and detection limits, are similar to those of other workers using a direct-reading spectrograph

Optical Design And Performance Of A Dual-Grating, Direct-Reading Spectrograph For Spectrochemical Analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Steinhaus, David W.; Kline, John V.; Bieniewski, Thomas M.; Dow, Grove S.; Apel, Charles T.

1980-11-01

An all-mirror optical system is used to direct the light from a variety of spectroscopic sources to two 2-m spectrographs that are placed on either side of a sturdy vertical mounting plate. The gratings were chosen so that the first spectrograph covers the ultraviolet spectral region, and the second spectrograph covers the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared regions. With the over 2.5 m of focal curves, each ultraviolet line is available at more than one place. Thus, problems with close lines can be overcome. The signals from a possible maximum of 256 photoelectric detectors go to a small computer for reading and calculation of the element abundances. To our knowledge, no other direct-reading spectrograph has more than about 100 fixed detectors. With an inductively-coupled-plasma source, our calibration curves, and detection limits, are similar to those of other workers using a direct-reading spectrograph.

Optical design of a versatile FIRST high-resolution near-IR spectrograph

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Bo; Ge, Jian

2012-09-01

We report the update optical design of a versatile FIRST high resolution near IR spectrograph, which is called Florida IR Silicon immersion grating spectromeTer (FIRST). This spectrograph uses cross-dispersed echelle design with white pupils and also takes advantage of the image slicing to increase the spectra resolution, while maintaining the instrument throughput. It is an extremely high dispersion R1.4 (blazed angle of 54.74°) silicon immersion grating with a 49 mm diameter pupil is used as the main disperser at 1.4μm -1.8μm to produce R=72,000 while an R4 echelle with the same pupil diameter produces R=60,000 at 0.8μm -1.35μm. Two cryogenic Volume Phase Holographic (VPH) gratings are used as cross-dispersers to allow simultaneous wavelength coverage of 0.8μm -1.8μm. The butterfly mirrors and dichroic beamsplitters make a compact folding system to record these two wavelength bands with a 2kx2k H2RG array in a single exposure. By inserting a mirror before the grating disperser (the SIG and the echelle), this spectrograph becomes a very efficient integral field 3-D imaging spectrograph with R=2,000-4,000 at 0.8μm-1.8μm by coupling a 10x10 telescope fiber bundle with the spectrograph. Details about the optical design and performance are reported.

New measurements and analysis of high-energy muons in cosmic ray extensive air showers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarkar, S.K.; Ghose, B.; Murkherjee, N.; Sanyal, S.; Chaudhuri, N.; Chhetri, R.; Basak, D.K.

1991-01-01

Cosmic ray air shower structure measurements and measurement of density and energy of air shower muons of a wide energy range simultaneously in individual air showers by two magnet spectrographs are presented. The measured muon densities have been used to compare with some of the previous measurements on muon densities in air showers of nearly the same size. The measured muon densities have also been applied for distinguishing between various interaction models and between light and heavier air shower primaries. In the air shower size range 10 4 -10 6 particles the present measurements do not provide evidence for iron primaries and the different interaction models seem not to be distinguishable by air shower observations. (Author)

Pulsars as the sources of high energy cosmic ray positrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hooper, Dan; Blasi, Pasquale; Serpico, Pasquale Dario

2009-01-01

Recent results from the PAMELA satellite indicate the presence of a large flux of positrons (relative to electrons) in the cosmic ray spectrum between approximately 10 and 100 GeV. As annihilating dark matter particles in many models are predicted to contribute to the cosmic ray positron spectrum in this energy range, a great deal of interest has resulted from this observation. Here, we consider pulsars (rapidly spinning, magnetized neutron stars) as an alternative source of this signal. After calculating the contribution to the cosmic ray positron and electron spectra from pulsars, we find that the spectrum observed by PAMELA could plausibly originate from such sources. In particular, a significant contribution is expected from the sum of all mature pulsars throughout the Milky Way, as well as from the most nearby mature pulsars (such as Geminga and B0656+14). The signal from nearby pulsars is expected to generate a small but significant dipole anisotropy in the cosmic ray electron spectrum, potentially providing a method by which the Fermi gamma-ray space telescope would be capable of discriminating between the pulsar and dark matter origins of the observed high energy positrons

Spectra of Th/Ar and U/Ne hollow cathode lamps for spectrograph calibration

Science.gov (United States)

Nave, Gillian; Shlosberg, Ariel; Kerber, Florian; Den Hartog, Elizabeth; Neureiter, Bianca

2018-01-01

Low-current Th/Ar hollow cathode lamps have long been used for calibration of astronomical spectrographs on ground-based telescopes. Thorium is an attractive element for calibration as it has a single isotope, has narrow spectral lines, and has a dense spectrum covering the whole of the visible region. However, the high density of the spectrum that makes it attractive for calibrating high-resolution spectrographs is a detriment for lower resolution spectrographs and this is not obvious by examination of existing linelists. In addition, recent changes in regulations regarding the handling of thorium have led to a degradation in the quality of Th/Ar calibration lamps, with contamination by molecular ThO lines that are strong enough to obscure the calibration lines of interest.We are pursuing two approaches to these problems. First, we have expanded and improved the NIST Standard Reference Database 161, "Spectrum of Th-Ar Hollow Cathode Lamps" to cover the region 272 nm to 5500 nm. Spectra of hollow cathode lamps at up to 3 different currents can now be displayed simultaneously. Interactive zooming and the ability to convolve any of the spectra with a Gaussian or uploaded instrument profile enable the user to see immediately what the spectrum would look like at the particular resolution of their spectrograph. Second, we have measured the spectrum of a recent, contaminated Th/Ar hollow cathode lamp using a high-resolution Echelle spectrograph (Madison Wisconsin) at a resolving power (R~ 250,000). This significantly exceeds the resolving power of most astronomical spectrographs and resolves many of the molecular lines of ThO. With these spectra we are measuring and calibrating the positions of these molecular lines in order to make them suitable for spectrograph calibration.In the near infrared region, U/Ne hollow cathode lamps give a higher density of calibration lines than Th/Ar lamps and will be implemented on the upgraded CRIRES+ spectrograph on ESO’s Very Large

Nucleosynthesis in Wolf-Rayet stars and galactic cosmic-ray isotopic composition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prantzos, N.

1984-01-01

An explanation of the isotopic composition of galactic cosmic rays could provide some clues to the mystery of their origin. It seems now that the strong stellar winds of Wolf-Rayet stars could account for most of the isotopic anomalies that have been observed in cosmic rays. Some results are presented, obtained by detailed nucleosynthesis computations. 25 references

Cosmic-ray produced nuclides in ground level air and in precipitation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schumann, G.; Roedel, W.; Stoeppler, M.

1963-11-15

There are mainly three kinds of radioactive substances in the atmosphere: emanations from the ground and their daughters, nuclides produced in the atmosphere by cosmic rays, and artificial products originating from nuclear weapon tests (and in a very small amount from other nuclear technical applications). This paper deals in particular with some of the cosmic-ray produced nuclides.

Cosmic Ray Mass Measurements with LOFAR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Buitink Stijn

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the dense core of LOFAR individual air showers are detected by hundreds of dipole antennas simultaneously. We reconstruct Xmax by using a hybrid technique that combines a two-dimensional fit of the radio profile to CoREAS simulations and a one-dimensional fit of the particle density distribution. For high-quality detections, the statistical uncertainty on Xmax is smaller than 20 g/cm2. We present results of cosmic-ray mass analysis in the energy regime of 1017 - 1017.5 eV. This range is of particular interest as it may harbor the transition from a Galactic to an extragalactic origin of cosmic rays.

Cosmic Rays in the Heliosphere: Requirements for Future Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Mewaldt, R. A.

2013-06-01

Since the publication of Cosmic Rays in the Heliosphere in 1998 there has been great progress in understanding how and why cosmic rays vary in space and time. This paper discusses measurements that are needed to continue advances in relating cosmic ray variations to changes in solar and interplanetary activity and variations in the local interstellar environment. Cosmic ray acceleration and transport is an important discipline in space physics and astrophysics, but it also plays a critical role in defining the radiation environment for humans and hardware in space, and is critical to efforts to unravel the history of solar activity. Cosmic rays are measured directly by balloon-borne and space instruments, and indirectly by ground-based neutron, muon and neutrino detectors, and by measurements of cosmogenic isotopes in ice cores, tree-rings, sediments, and meteorites. The topics covered here include: what we can learn from the deep 2008-2009 solar minimum, when cosmic rays reached the highest intensities of the space era; the implications of 10Be and 14C isotope archives for past and future solar activity; the effects of variations in the size of the heliosphere; opportunities provided by the Voyagers for discovering the origin of anomalous cosmic rays and measuring cosmic-ray spectra in interstellar space; and future space missions that can continue the exciting exploration of the heliosphere that has occurred over the past 50 years.

Solar glint suppression in compact planetary ultraviolet spectrographs

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Michael W.; Cook, Jason C.; Grava, Cesare; Greathouse, Thomas K.; Gladstone, G. Randall; Retherford, Kurt D.

2015-08-01

Solar glint suppression is an important consideration in the design of compact photon-counting ultraviolet spectrographs. Southwest Research Institute developed the Lyman Alpha Mapping Project for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (launch in 2009), and the Ultraviolet Spectrograph on Juno (Juno-UVS, launch in 2011). Both of these compact spectrographs revealed minor solar glints in flight that did not appear in pre-launch analyses. These glints only appeared when their respective spacecraft were operating outside primary science mission parameters. Post-facto scattered light analysis verifies the geometries at which these glints occurred and why they were not caught during ground testing or nominal mission operations. The limitations of standard baffle design at near-grazing angles are discussed, as well as the importance of including surface scatter properties in standard stray light analyses when determining solar keep-out efficiency. In particular, the scattered light analysis of these two instruments shows that standard "one bounce" assumptions in baffle design are not always enough to prevent scattered sunlight from reaching the instrument focal plane. Future builds, such as JUICE-UVS, will implement improved scattered and stray light modeling early in the design phase to enhance capabilities in extended mission science phases, as well as optimize solar keep out volume.

Trek and ECCO: Abundance measurements of ultraheavy galactic cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westphal, Andrew J.

2000-01-01

Using the Trek detector, we have measured the abundances of the heaviest elements (with Z>70) in the galactic cosmic rays with sufficient charge resolution to resolve the even-Z elements. We find that the abundance of Pb compared to Pt is ∼3 times lower than the value expected from the most widely-held class of models of the origin of galactic cosmic ray nuclei, that is, origination in a partially ionized medium with solar-like composition. The low abundance of Pb is, however, consistent with the interstellar gas and dust model of Meyer, Drury and Ellison, and with a source enriched in r-process material, proposed by Binns et al. A high-resolution, high-statistics measurement of the abundances of the individual actinides would distinguish between these models. This is the goal of ECCO, the Extremely Heavy Cosmic-ray Composition Observer, which we plan to deploy on the International Space Station

Xenia: A Probe of Cosmic Chemical Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Kouveliotou, Chryssa; Piro, L.

2008-01-01

Xenia is a concept study for a medium-size astrophysical cosmology mission addressing the Cosmic Origins key objective of NASA's Science Plan. The fundamental goal of this objective is to understand the formation and evolution of structures on various scales from the early Universe to the present time (stars, galaxies and the cosmic web). Xenia will use X-and y-ray monitoring and wide field X-ray imaging and high-resolution spectroscopy to collect essential information from three major tracers of these cosmic structures: the Warm Hot Intergalactic Medium (WHIM), Galaxy Clusters and Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs). Our goal is to trace the chemo-dynamical history of the ubiquitous warm hot diffuse baryon component in the Universe residing in cosmic filaments and clusters of galaxies up to its formation epoch (at z =0-2) and to map star formation and galaxy metal enrichment into the re-ionization era beyond z 6. The concept of Xenia (Greek for "hospitality") evolved in parallel with the Explorer of Diffuse Emission and GRB Explosions (EDGE), a mission proposed by a multinational collaboration to the ESA Cosmic Vision 2015. Xenia incorporates the European and Japanese collaborators into a U.S. led mission that builds on the scientific objectives and technological readiness of EDGE.

Xenia: A Probe of Cosmic Chemical Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Kouveliotou, Chryssa; Piro, L.; Xenia Collaboration

2008-03-01

Xenia is a concept study for a medium-size astrophysical cosmology mission addressing the Cosmic Origins key objective of NASA's Science Plan. The fundamental goal of this objective is to understand the formation and evolution of structures on various scales from the early Universe to the present time (stars, galaxies and the cosmic web). Xenia will use X-and γ-ray monitoring and wide field X-ray imaging and high-resolution spectroscopy to collect essential information from three major tracers of these cosmic structures: the Warm Hot Intergalactic Medium (WHIM), Galaxy Clusters and Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs). Our goal is to trace the chemo-dynamical history of the ubiquitous warm hot diffuse baryon component in the Universe residing in cosmic filaments and clusters of galaxies up to its formation epoch (at z =0-2) and to map star formation and galaxy metal enrichment into the re-ionization era beyond z 6. The concept of Xenia (Greek for "hospitality") evolved in parallel with the Explorer of Diffuse Emission and GRB Explosions (EDGE), a mission proposed by a multinational collaboration to the ESA Cosmic Vision 2015. Xenia incorporates the European and Japanese collaborators into a U.S. led mission that builds on the scientific objectives and technological readiness of EDGE.

Angular correlation of cosmic neutrinos with ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays and implications for their sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moharana, Reetanjali; Razzaque, Soebur, E-mail: reetanjalim@uj.ac.za, E-mail: srazzaque@uj.ac.za [Department of Physics, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park 2006 (South Africa)

2015-08-01

Cosmic neutrino events detected by the IceCube Neutrino Observatory with energy 0∼> 3 TeV have poor angular resolutions to reveal their origin. Ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs), with better angular resolutions at 0>6 EeV energies, can be used to check if the same astrophysical sources are responsible for producing both neutrinos and UHECRs. We test this hypothesis, with statistical methods which emphasize invariant quantities, by using data from the Pierre Auger Observatory, Telescope Array and past cosmic-ray experiments. We find that the arrival directions of the cosmic neutrinos are correlated with 0≥ 10 EeV UHECR arrival directions at confidence level ≈ 90%. The strength of the correlation decreases with decreasing UHECR energy and no correlation exists at energy 0∼ 6 EeV . A search in astrophysical databases within 3{sup o} of the arrival directions of UHECRs with energy 0≥ 10 EeV, that are correlated with the IceCube cosmic neutrinos, resulted in 18 sources from the Swift-BAT X-ray catalog with redshift z≤ 0.06. We also found 3 objects in the Kühr catalog of radio sources using the same criteria. The sources are dominantly Seyfert galaxies with Cygnus A being the most prominent member. We calculate the required neutrino and UHECR fluxes to produce the observed correlated events, and estimate the corresponding neutrino luminosity (25 TeV–2.2 PeV) and cosmic-ray luminosity (500 TeV–180 EeV), assuming the sources are the ones we found in the Swift-BAT and Kühr catalogs. We compare these luminosities with the X-ray luminosity of the corresponding sources and discuss possibilities of accelerating protons to 0∼> 10 EeV and produce neutrinos in these sources.

Infra-red photon release from cosmic dust entering into the earth's atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Koichi

1975-01-01

Cosmic dust brings considerably high intensity of energy flux to the upper atmosphere of the earth. Most of this energy can be converted to infra-red radiation. It can be concluded that the infra-red background radiation in the sky of its wavelength of less than about 10μ may considerably originate in the cosmic dust which has entered the earth's atmosphere, or that the upper limit to the flux of cosmic dust is about 10 5 tons/earth year. (author)

Ultra high energy cosmic rays above 10 GeV: Hints to new physics ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Ultra high energy cosmic rays; physics beyond standard model. ... The origin of the observed cosmic ray (CR) events above 10ѕј eV — the so-called ex- .... to arise simply from decay of some supermassive particles (of mass> 10ѕЅ eV) ...

Large scale CMB anomalies from thawing cosmic strings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ringeval, Christophe [Centre for Cosmology, Particle Physics and Phenomenology, Institute of Mathematics and Physics, Louvain University, 2 Chemin du Cyclotron, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium); Yamauchi, Daisuke; Yokoyama, Jun' ichi [Research Center for the Early Universe (RESCEU), Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Bouchet, François R., E-mail: christophe.ringeval@uclouvain.be, E-mail: yamauchi@resceu.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp, E-mail: yokoyama@resceu.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp, E-mail: bouchet@iap.fr [Institut d' Astrophysique de Paris, UMR 7095-CNRS, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 98bis boulevard Arago, 75014 Paris (France)

2016-02-01

Cosmic strings formed during inflation are expected to be either diluted over super-Hubble distances, i.e., invisible today, or to have crossed our past light cone very recently. We discuss the latter situation in which a few strings imprint their signature in the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Anisotropies after recombination. Being almost frozen in the Hubble flow, these strings are quasi static and evade almost all of the previously derived constraints on their tension while being able to source large scale anisotropies in the CMB sky. Using a local variance estimator on thousand of numerically simulated Nambu-Goto all sky maps, we compute the expected signal and show that it can mimic a dipole modulation at large angular scales while being negligible at small angles. Interestingly, such a scenario generically produces one cold spot from the thawing of a cosmic string loop. Mixed with anisotropies of inflationary origin, we find that a few strings of tension GU = O(1) × 10{sup −6} match the amplitude of the dipole modulation reported in the Planck satellite measurements and could be at the origin of other large scale anomalies.

Do coronal holes influence cosmic ray daily harmonics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahluwalia, H.S.

1977-01-01

Coronal holes are identified by their low emissivity in either EUV (Munro and Withrobe, 1973) or in X-rays (Krieger et al, 1973). They are seats of unidirectional magnetic fields. Also, high speed solar wind streams originate in them. Also, high speed solar wind streams originate in then (Krieger et al, 1973; Neupert and Pizzo, 1974; Nolte et al, 1976). Coronal holes often extend over a wide range of heliolatitudes (Timothy et al, 1975). Elsewhere in the Proceedings we have presented results on the long term changes observed in the amplitudes and the times of maximum of the diurnal, the semidiurnal and the tridiurnal variations of cosmic rays, at low (neutrons) and at high (underground muons) primary rigidities (Ahluwalia, 1977). We have shown that a dramatic shift to early hours is noticeable in the times of maxima of the harmonics during 1971-72 period. In this paper we examine the nature of the contributions of off-ecliptic cosmic rays of high enough rigidity, streaming under the influence of large scale ordered interplanetary magnetic field set up by the coronal holes, to the cosmic ray daily harmonics. Some models are presented and discussed in a preliminary fashion. (author)

Exceptional Colloquium: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Cosmic Strings

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva; Treille, D; Alvarez-Gaumé, Luís

2005-01-01

In the 1980s many people were excited by the concept that cosmic strings, as relics of the Grand Unified Era, could be responsible for the formation of cosmic structure. In the 1990s the cosmic string concept steadily lost ground to the Inflationary model both as a result of the difficulty of calculations and more definitively through observations of the CMB. About the time many expected the new WMAP data to deliver the coup de grace, the concepts of cosmic strings as major physical phenomena (not so important in structure formation) has begun a renaissance. This new interest is motivated by one of the original ideas that topological defects are inevitable in symmetry breaking by the Kibble (1976) mechanism and the introduction of new ideas such as brane-cosmology/inflation and the realization that cosmic strings may be the only acceptable such defect. We find ourselves back in the business of trying to detect or limit and understand cosmic strings once again for the insight and constraints they put on partic...

Exceptional Colloquium: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Cosmic Strings

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2005-01-01

In the 1980s many people were excited by the concept that cosmic strings, as relics of the Grand Unified Era, could be responsible for the formation of cosmic structure. In the 1990s the cosmic string concept steadily lost ground to the Inflationary model both as a result of the difficulty of calculations and more definitively through observations of the CMB. About the time many expected the new WMAP data to deliver the coup de grace, the concepts of cosmic strings as major physical phenomena (not so important in structure formation) has begun a renaissance. This new interest is motivated by one of the original ideas that topological defects are inevitable in symmetry breaking by the Kibble (1976) mechanism and the introduction of new ideas such as brane-cosmology/inflation and the realization that cosmic strings may be the only acceptable such defect. We find ourselves back in the business of trying to detect or limit and understand cosmic strings once again for the insight and constraints they put on p...

The BESS Search for Cosmic-Ray Antiproton Origins and for Cosmological Antimatter

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, John; Yamamoto, Akira

2009-01-01

The apex of the Balloon-borne Experiment with a Superconducting Spectrometer (BESS) program was reached with the Antarctic flight of BESS-Polar II, during the 2007-2008 Austral Summer, that obtained 24.5 days of data on over 4.7 billion cosmic-ray events. The US-Japan BESS Collaboration uses elementary particle measurements to study the early Universe and provides fundamental data on the spectra of light cosmic-ray elements and isotopes. BESS measures the energy spectra of cosmic-ray antiprotons to investigate signatures of possible exotic sources, such as dark-matter candidates, and searches for heavier antinuclei that might reach Earth from antimatter domains formed during symmetry breaking processes in the early Universe. Since 1993, BESS has carried out eleven high-latitude balloon flights, two of long duration, that together have defined the study of antiprotons below about 4 GeV, provided standard references for light element and isotope spectra, and set the most sensitive limits on the existence of antideuterons and antihelium. The BESS-Polar II flight took place at Solar Minimum, when the sensitivity of the low-energy antiproton measurements to a primary source is greatest. The rich BESS-Polar II dataset more than doubles the combined data from all earlier BESS flights and has 10-20 times the statistics of BESS data from the previous Solar Minimum. Here, we summarize the scientific results of BESS program, focusing on the results obtained using data from the long-duration flights of BESS-Polar I (2004) and BESS-Polar II.

Cosmic Censorship for Gowdy Spacetimes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ringström, Hans

2010-01-01

Due to the complexity of Einstein's equations, it is often natural to study a question of interest in the framework of a restricted class of solutions. One way to impose a restriction is to consider solutions satisfying a given symmetry condition. There are many possible choices, but the present article is concerned with one particular choice, which we shall refer to as Gowdy symmetry. We begin by explaining the origin and meaning of this symmetry type, which has been used as a simplifying assumption in various contexts, some of which we shall mention. Nevertheless, the subject of interest here is strong cosmic censorship. Consequently, after having described what the Gowdy class of spacetimes is, we describe, as seen from the perspective of a mathematician, what is meant by strong cosmic censorship. The existing results on cosmic censorship are based on a detailed analysis of the asymptotic behavior of solutions. This analysis is in part motivated by conjectures, such as the BKL conjecture, which we shall therefore briefly describe. However, the emphasis of the article is on the mathematical analysis of the asymptotics, due to its central importance in the proof and in the hope that it might be of relevance more generally. The article ends with a description of the results that have been obtained concerning strong cosmic censorship in the class of Gowdy spacetimes.

Origin of the cosmic x-ray background

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Margon, B.

1983-01-01

Since 1962, it has been known that every part of the sky emits a uniform glow of x-rays. After two decades of intense study the origin of this diffuse x-ray background is still a subject of controversy. The near perfect isotropy of the x-ray background is clearly a vital clue to its origin. A second clue to the origin of the x-ray background arises from the fact that it is x-radiation tha is generated, rather than some longer wavelength radiation. Two hypotheses of the origin of this x-ray background are discussed. One hypothesis is that the x-ray background can be attributed to bremsstrahlung from a hot intergalactic medium. The second hypothesis is that the x-ray background originates from a large number of quasars. Because there is no estimate independent of the intensity of the x-ray background of how much hot intergalactic medium exists (if any), there is a real possibility that both sources contribute to the observed x-rays. (SC)

From the solar system fo hidden cosmic structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benes, K

1987-01-01

The development of experimental astrophysics showed that in the evolution of planets, natural processes of a common nature take place. They include, e.g., radiogenic heat, the production of magmas, volcanic activity, degassing, etc. The solar system is a cosmic formation in an advanced stage of development and it is a realistic assumption that in the Galaxy other hidden planetary systems in various stages of development exist. The views on the possibility of the origination of life in other systems differ; life, however, is seen as a hidden property of cosmic matter. (M.D.).

Highlights from e-EPS: Cosmic Day / FEL for SuperB / Assessment Assessed

CERN Multimedia

Ian Randall, Bénédicte Huchet and EPS

2012-01-01

e-EPS News is a monthly addition to the CERN Bulletin line-up, showcasing articles from e-EPS – the European Physical Society newsletter – as part of a collaboration between the two publications.   International Cosmic Day The first International Cosmic Day will be held on 26 September this year. During this event, students and teachers worldwide will come together in research institutions, universities and classrooms to learn about cosmic particle research. The event will celebrate the centenary of Victor Franz Hess’ discovery of cosmic rays – particles which originate in outer space and spread through the whole universe, often at extremely high energies. On the day, students will tackle such questions as: what are cosmic particles? … where do they come from? … and how can they be measured? Participants will be encouraged to undertake their own cosmic particle experiments: analysing and evaluating the...

DNA Sequencing and Predictions of the Cosmic Theory of Life

Science.gov (United States)

Wickramasinghe, N. Chandra

The theory of cometary panspermia, developed by the late Sir Fred Hoyle and the present author argues that life originated cosmically as a unique event in one of a great multitude of comets or planetary bodies in the Universe. Life on Earth did not originate here but was introduced by impacting comets, and its further evolution was driven by the subsequent acquisition of cosmically derived genes. Explicit predictions of this theory published in 1979-1981, stating how the acquisition of new genes drives evolution, are compared with recent developments in relation to horizontal gene transfer, and the role of retroviruses in evolution. Precisely-stated predictions of the theory of cometary panspermia are shown to have been verified.

Cosmic chronometers: constraining the equation of state of dark energy. I: H(z) measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stern, Daniel; Jimenez, Raul; Verde, Licia; Kamionkowski, Marc; Stanford, S. Adam

2010-01-01

We present new determinations of the cosmic expansion history from red-envelope galaxies. We have obtained for this purpose high-quality spectra with the Keck-LRIS spectrograph of red-envelope galaxies in 24 galaxy clusters in the redshift range 0.2 −1 Mpc −1 at z ≅ 0.5 and H(z) = 90±40 km sec −1 Mpc −1 at z ≅ 0.9. We discuss the uncertainty in the expansion history determination that arises from uncertainties in the synthetic stellar-population models. We then use these new measurements in concert with cosmic-microwave-background (CMB) measurements to constrain cosmological parameters, with a special emphasis on dark-energy parameters and constraints to the curvature. In particular, we demonstrate the usefulness of direct H(z) measurements by constraining the dark-energy equation of state parameterized by w 0 and w a and allowing for arbitrary curvature. Further, we also constrain, using only CMB and H(z) data, the number of relativistic degrees of freedom to be 4±0.5 and their total mass to be < 0.2 eV, both at 1σ

The Oxford SWIFT Spectrograph: first commissioning and on-sky results

OpenAIRE

Thatte, Niranjan; Tecza, Mathias; Clarke, Fraser; Goodsall, Timothy; Fogarty, Lisa; Houghton, Ryan; Salter, Graeme; Scott, Nicholas; Davies, Roger L.; Bouchez, Antonin; Dekany, Richard

2010-01-01

The Oxford SWIFT spectrograph, an I & z band (6500-10500 A) integral field spectrograph, is designed to operate as a facility instrument at the 200 inch Hale Telescope on Palomar Mountain, in conjunction with the Palomar laser guide star adaptive optics system PALAO (and its upgrade to PALM3000). SWIFT provides spectra at R(≡λ/▵λ)~4000 of a contiguous two-dimensional field, 44 x 89 spatial pixels (spaxels) in size, at spatial scales of 0.235";, 0.16", and 0.08" per spaxel. It employs two 250μ...

Using a new, free spectrograph program to critically investigate acoustics

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Edward; Ruiz, Michael J.

2016-11-01

We have developed an online spectrograph program with a bank of over 30 audio clips to visualise a variety of sounds. Our audio library includes everyday sounds such as speech, singing, musical instruments, birds, a baby, cat, dog, sirens, a jet, thunder, and screaming. We provide a link to a video of the sound sources superimposed with their respective spectrograms in real time. Readers can use our spectrograph program to view our library, open their own desktop audio files, and use the program in real time with a computer microphone.

Towards a Unified Source-Propagation Model of Cosmic Rays

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, M.; Molla, M.

2010-07-01

It is well known that the cosmic ray energy spectrum is multifractal with the analysis of cosmic ray fluxes as a function of energy revealing a first “knee” slightly below 1016 eV, a second knee slightly below 1018 eV and an “ankle” close to 1019 eV. The behaviour of the highest energy cosmic rays around and above the ankle is still a mystery and precludes the development of a unified source-propagation model of cosmic rays from their source origin to Earth. A variety of acceleration and propagation mechanisms have been proposed to explain different parts of the spectrum the most famous of course being Fermi acceleration in magnetised turbulent plasmas (Fermi 1949). Many others have been proposd for energies at and below the first knee (Peters & Cimento (1961); Lagage & Cesarsky (1983); Drury et al. (1984); Wdowczyk & Wolfendale (1984); Ptuskin et al. (1993); Dova et al. (0000); Horandel et al. (2002); Axford (1991)) as well as at higher energies between the first knee and the ankle (Nagano & Watson (2000); Bhattacharjee & Sigl (2000); Malkov & Drury (2001)). The recent fit of most of the cosmic ray spectrum up to the ankle using non-extensive statistical mechanics (NESM) (Tsallis et al. (2003)) provides what may be the strongest evidence for a source-propagation system deviating significantly from Boltmann statistics. As Tsallis has shown (Tsallis et al. (2003)), the knees appear as crossovers between two fractal-like thermal regimes. In this work, we have developed a generalisation of the second order NESM model (Tsallis et al. (2003)) to higher orders and we have fit the complete spectrum including the ankle with third order NESM. We find that, towards the GDZ limit, a new mechanism comes into play. Surprisingly it also presents as a modulation akin to that in our own local neighbourhood of cosmic rays emitted by the sun. We propose that this is due to modulation at the source and is possibly due to processes in the shell of the originating supernova. We

Meteors, meteorites and cosmic dust

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lebedinets, V.N.

1987-01-01

The problem of meteorite origin and meteorite composition is discussed. Nowadays, most scientists suppose that the giant Oort cloud consisting of ice comet nuclei is the sourse of the meteor matter. A principle unity of the matter of meteorites falling to the Earth and cosmic dust is noted as well as that of meteorite bodies evaporating in the atmosphere and bearing meteors and bodies

Department of Cosmic Ray Physics; Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabelski, J.

2004-01-01

Full text: Cosmic Rays are energetic particles from outside the Solar System. The energy spectrum (power law energy dependence) suggests a non-thermal origin of these particles. Most of the studies of Cosmic Rays address fundamental problems such as: - the nature of the physical and astrophysical processes responsible for the high energies of particles (up to about 10 20 eV/particle), - estimation of the astrophysical conditions at the acceleration sites and/or a search for sources of Cosmic Rays, - properties of high energy particle interactions at very high energies (nuclear interactions at energies exceeding energies available in the laboratories). Some Cosmic Ray studies might have practical (commercial) implications, e.g. - ''cosmic weather'' forecast - predictions of geomagnetic disturbances related to Solar activity changes (due to large Solar Flares / events of Coronal Mass Ejections); these are important for large electricity networks, gas pipes, radio-wave connections, space missions and satellite experiments. The Department of Cosmic Ray Physics in Lodz is involved in basic research in the high energy Cosmic Ray field. Energetic Cosmic Ray particles produce cascades of particles in the atmosphere, called Extensive Air Showers (EAS). Registering EAS and their properties is the main theme of experimental studies of very high energy Cosmic Rays. In the Lodz Department we run an Extensive Air Shower array where EAS are registered. We concentrate our experimental research on the explanation of particle detection delayed by hundreds of microseconds with respect to the main EAS signals. In the underground (I5 meters) laboratory we continuously register muon (5 GeV energy threshold) flux with the multidirectional telescope. We have observed several disturbances (Forbush Decreases) in muon counting rates. The interpretation of these events for ''cosmic weather'' and for Cosmic Ray transport models in the interplanetary plasma are on going in collaboration with

Testing Cosmic Inflation

Science.gov (United States)

Chuss, David

2010-01-01

The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) has provided a wealth of information about the history and physics of the early Universe. Much progress has been made on uncovering the emerging Standard Model of Cosmology by such experiments as COBE and WMAP, and ESA's Planck Surveyor will likely increase our knowledge even more. Despite the success of this model, mysteries remain. Currently understood physics does not offer a compelling explanation for the homogeneity, flatness, and the origin of structure in the Universe. Cosmic Inflation, a brief epoch of exponential expansion, has been posted to explain these observations. If inflation is a reality, it is expected to produce a background spectrum of gravitational waves that will leave a small polarized imprint on the CMB. Discovery of this signal would give the first direct evidence for inflation and provide a window into physics at scales beyond those accessible to terrestrial particle accelerators. I will briefly review aspects of the Standard Model of Cosmology and discuss our current efforts to design and deploy experiments to measure the polarization of the CMB with the precision required to test inflation.

New fermionic dark matters, extended Standard Model and cosmic rays

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Jae-Kwang

2017-08-01

Three generations of leptons and quarks correspond to the lepton charges (LCs) in this work. Then, the leptons have the electric charges (ECs) and LCs. The quarks have the ECs, LCs and color charges (CCs). Three heavy leptons and three heavy quarks are introduced to make the missing third flavor of EC. Then the three new particles which have the ECs are proposed as the bastons (dark matters) with the rest masses of 26.121 eV/c2, 42.7 GeV/c2 and 1.9 × 1015 eV/c2. These new particles are applied to explain the origins of the astrophysical observations like the ultra-high energy cosmic rays and supernova 1987A anti-neutrino data. It is concluded that the 3.5 keV X-ray peak observed from the cosmic X-ray background spectra is originated not from the pair annihilations of the dark matters but from the X-ray emission of the Q1 baryon atoms which are similar in the atomic structure to the hydrogen atom. The presence of the 3.5 keV cosmic X-ray supports the presence of the Q1 quark with the EC of -4/3. New particles can be indirectly seen from the astrophysical observations like the cosmic ray and cosmic gamma ray. In this work, the systematic quantized charges of EC, LC and CC for the elementary particles are used to consistently explain the decay and reaction schemes of the elementary particles. Also, the strong, weak and dark matter forces are consistently explained.

The Energetic Trans-Iron Cosmic-ray Experiment (ENTICE)

Science.gov (United States)

Binns, W. R.; Adams. J. H.; Barghouty, A. F.; Christian, E. R.; Cummings, A. C.; Hams, T.; Israel, M. H.; Labrador, A. W.; Leske, R. A.; Link, J. T.;

Cosmic Education: Formation of a Planetary and Cosmic Personality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bazaluk Oleg

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The major stages of development of cosmic pedagogy have been researched. Based on the achievements of the modern neurosciences as well as of psychology, cosmology, and philosophy, the authors provide their reasoning for the cosmic education and its outlooks for the educational systems of the world. Through the studies of how important human mind is for the Earth and the cosmos and by researching the evolution of human mind within the structure of the Universe, the authors create a more advanced scientific and philosophic basis for the cosmic education where the subject is a comprehensive process of formation and directed progress of both an individual mind and a conglomerate of minds called the "psychospace". The cosmic education researches the permanent progress of the intelligent matter of the Earth. The purpose of the cosmic education has been determined as formation of a planetary and cosmic personality. According to the authors, a planetary and cosmic personality is a harmony of mind, soul, and body, and such harmony is directed to use the internal creative potential of mind to the benefit of the intelligent matter of the entire Earth and the cosmos. The properties of such a planetary and cosmic personality are being improved continuously; they are a sample (the ideal of the cosmic pedagogy and the image of a human being of the future. Through the usage of the entire potential and art of upbringing and educating, the cosmic pedagogy is called to embody the major properties of the image of a human being of the future in the new generations of minds and to form a planetary and cosmic personality capable of self-actualization to the benefit of the permanent progress of the intelligent matter.

New investigations on the origin of cosmic rays. 1. Hess experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Degrange, B.

2005-01-01

Hess is an international experiment on astrophysics settled in altitude in Namibia and whose aim is the study of cosmic radiation sources through the indirect detection of gamma rays whose energy ranges between 100 GeV and a few TeV. Hess is composed of 4 big telescopes located at the 4 summits of a square whose sides are 120 m long. This pattern of telescopes allows the stereoscopic reconstruction of the particles showers issued from the interaction of a cosmic particle with the atmosphere and enables scientists to tell electromagnetic showers from hadronic showers which are broader and more asymmetrical. These 4 telescopes detect the Cherenkov light. Hess has been operating since december 2003. Hess has detected for the first time a binary system in our galaxy. The center of our galaxy has been examined by Hess. The spectrum measured fits a power law well and the contribution of possible neutralinos cannot be prevailing in the very low-sloped spectrum unless neutralinos have a mass greater than 7.5 TeV which is very unlikely. Hess has enabled us to show the shell pattern in the gamma mapping of the remnants of the super-nova RXJ-1713-3946. (A.C.)

EMMA: A new underground cosmic-ray experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enqvist, T; Foehr, V; Joutsenvaara, J; Jaemsen, T; Keraenen, P; Kuusiniemi, P; Laitala, H; Lehtola, M; Mattila, A; Narkilahti, J; Peltoniemi, J; Remes, H; Reponen, M; Raeihae, T; Sarkamo, J; Shen, C; Vaittinen, M; Zhang, Z; Ding, L; Zhu, Q; Roos, M; Dzaparova, I; Karpov, S; Kurenya, A; Petkov, V; Yanin, A; Fynbo, H

2006-01-01

A cosmic-ray experiment of new type is under construction in the Pyhaesalmi mine in the underground laboratory of the University of Oulu, Finland. It aims to study the composition of cosmic rays at and above the knee region (energy above 1 PeV). The experiment, called EMMA, covers about 150 m 2 of detector area, and the setup is capable of measuring the multiplicity and the lateral distribution of underground muons, and the arrival direction of the air shower. The detector is placed at the depth of about 85 metres (corresponding about 240 mwe) which gives a threshold energy of muons of about 45 GeV. The rock overburden filters out all other particles of the air shower except the high-energy muons. These high-energy muons originate at high altitudes close to the first interaction of the primary cosmic ray and they carry more information about the primary than low-energy muons. The full-size detector is supposed to run by the end of 2007

Vacuum Predisperser For A Large Plane-Grating Spectrograph

Science.gov (United States)

Engleman, R.; Palmer, B. A.; Steinhaus, D. W.

1980-11-01

A plane grating predisperser has been constructed which acts as an "order-sorter" for a large plane-grating spectrograph. This combination can photograph relatively wide regions of spectra in a single exposure with no loss of resolution.

bHROS: A New High-Resolution Spectrograph Available on Gemini South

Science.gov (United States)

Margheim, S. J.; Gemini bHROS Team

2005-12-01

The Gemini bench-mounted High-Resolution Spectrograph (bHROS) is available for science programs beginning in 2006A. bHROS is the highest resolution (R=150,000) optical echelle spectrograph optimized for use on an 8-meter telescope. bHROS is fiber-fed via GMOS-S from the Gemini South focal plane and is available in both a dual-fiber Object/Sky mode and a single (larger) Object-only mode. Instrument characteristics and sample data taken during commissioning will be presented.

Cosmic ray variations of solar origin in relation to human physiological state during the December 2006 solar extreme events

Science.gov (United States)

Papailiou, M.; Mavromichalaki, H.; Vassilaki, A.; Kelesidis, K. M.; Mertzanos, G. A.; Petropoulos, B.

2009-02-01

There is an increasing amount of evidence linking biological effects to solar and geomagnetic disturbances. A series of studies is published referring to the changes in human physiological responses at different levels of geomagnetic activity. In this study, the possible relation between the daily variations of cosmic ray intensity, measured by the Neutron Monitor at the Cosmic Ray Station of the University of Athens (http://cosray.phys.uoa.gr) and the average daily and hourly heart rate variations of persons, with no symptoms or hospital admission, monitored by Holter electrocardiogram, is considered. This work refers to a group of persons admitted to the cardiological clinic of the KAT Hospital in Athens during the time period from 4th to 24th December 2006 that is characterized by extreme solar and geomagnetic activity. A series of Forbush decreases started on 6th December and lasted until the end of the month and a great solar proton event causing a Ground Level Enhancement (GLE) of the cosmic ray intensity on 13th December occurred. A sudden decrease of the cosmic ray intensity on 15th December, when a geomagnetic storm was registered, was also recorded in Athens Neutron Monitor station (cut-off rigidity 8.53 GV) with amplitude of 4%. It is noticed that during geomagnetically quiet days the heart rate and the cosmic ray intensity variations are positively correlated. When intense cosmic ray variations, like Forbush decreases and relativistic proton events produced by strong solar phenomena occur, cosmic ray intensity and heart rate get minimum values and their variations, also, coincide. During these events the correlation coefficient of these two parameters changes and follows the behavior of the cosmic ray intensity variations. This is only a small part of an extended investigation, which has begun using data from the year 2002 and is still in progress.

Search for cosmic-ray antimatter

Science.gov (United States)

Smoot, G. F.; Buffington, A.; Orth, C. D.

1975-01-01

It appears probable that some fraction of the cosmic rays has extragalactic origin. A search for antimatter nuclei was conducted with the aid of a balloon-borne superconducting magnetic spectrometer. The investigation made use of the fact that matter and antimatter nuclei, because of their opposite signs of charge, would be deflected in opposite directions when passing through a magnetic field. The antimatter flux limits set by the experiments are discussed.

Cosmic PeV neutrinos and the sources of ultrahigh energy protons

Science.gov (United States)

Kistler, Matthew D.; Stanev, Todor; Yüksel, Hasan

2014-12-01

The IceCube experiment recently detected the first flux of high-energy neutrinos in excess of atmospheric backgrounds. We examine whether these neutrinos originate from within the same extragalactic sources as ultrahigh energy cosmic rays. Starting from rather general assumptions about spectra and flavors, we find that producing a neutrino flux at the requisite level through pion photoproduction leads to a flux of protons well below the cosmic-ray data at ˜1 018 eV , where the composition is light, unless pions/muons cool before decaying. This suggests a dominant class of accelerator that allows for cosmic rays to escape without significant neutrino yields.

Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (2/3)

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2012-01-01

The origin of the highest energy cosmic rays (UHECR) with energies above 1000 TeV, is still unknown. The discovery of their sources will reveal the engines of the most energetic astrophysical accelerators in the universe. In these lectures we present the recent observational results from HiRes, Telescope Array and Pierre Auger Observatory as well as (some of) the possible astrophysical origins of UHECR. These experiments deal with particle interactions at energies orders of magnitude higher than achieved in terrestrial accelerators.

Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (1/3)

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2012-01-01

The origin of the highest energy cosmic rays (UHECR) with energies above 1000 TeV, is still unknown. The discovery of their sources will reveal the engines of the most energetic astrophysical accelerators in the universe. In these lectures we present the recent observational results from HiRes, Telescope Array and Pierre Auger Observatory as well as (some of) the possible astrophysical origins of UHECR. These experiments deal with particle interactions at energies orders of magnitude higher than achieved in terrestrial accelerators.

Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (3/3)

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2012-01-01

The origin of the highest energy cosmic rays (UHECR) with energies above 1000 TeV, is still unknown. The discovery of their sources will reveal the engines of the most energetic astrophysical accelerators in the universe. In these lectures we present the recent observational results from HiRes, Telescope Array and Pierre Auger Observatory as well as (some of) the possible astrophysical origins of UHECR. These experiments deal with particle interactions at energies orders of magnitude higher than achieved in terrestrial accelerators.

Cosmic Humanity: Utopia, Realities, Prospects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey Krichevsky

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The philosophical foundations of the theory and practice of the creation of cosmic humanity as a process of the evolution of human civilization, the emergence into space, with the prospect of resettlement outside the Earth are considered. There is a connection between myths, fantasies, ideas, concepts and projects aimed at the exploration of outer space, the creation of cosmic humanity. A new and voluminous definition of cosmic humanity in the evolutionary paradigm is given. Cosmic humanity is (essence and 4 stages of evolution: 1. Humanity living on Earth, sensing, knowing, understanding its cosmic origin, relationship with the cosmos and cosmic destiny. 2. Humanity living on Earth, leading aerospace activity for the purposes of exploration and use of aerospace space (Heaven, Space for survival and development. 3. Humanity living on Earth and outside the Earth — in the solar system, preserving the Earth and mastering the Cosmos for survival and development. 4. Humanity, settled and living in the Cosmos. Now humanity is in the process of transition from the second to the third stage. In the process of this evolution, a complex transformation of man and society takes place. The problem-semantic field of cosmic humanity is described and its general model is presented. The meta-goal-setting is the justification of cosmic humanity with the application of the anthropic principle and its “active” super (post anthropic supplement: “Cosmic humanity has an evolutionary purpose to actively manage evolution: change man, humanity and the universe.” The evolution of the “cosmic dream”, goals and technologies of space activities is formalized in the form of a conceptual model. Challenges and negative trends are considered in connection with the crisis of space activity, criticism and attempts to limit the flights of people into space. The prototype of cosmic humanity, its basis and acting model is the cosmonauts’ community. The main

The JEM-EUSO mission: a space observatory to study the origin of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bertaina, M. [Department of Physics, University of Torino and INFN, Torino (Italy); Parizot, E. [APC, Univ Paris Diderot, CNRS/IN2P3, CEA/Irfu, Obs de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité (France)

2014-11-15

The Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO) onboard the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM-EUSO) of the International Space Station (ISS) is an innovative space-based mission with the aim of detecting Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs) from the ISS, by using the Earth's atmosphere as a calorimeter viewed by a fluorescence telescope. An observatory able to produce an arrival direction map with more than several hundreds events above 5 × 10{sup 19} eV would give important information on the origin of the UHECRs and identify structures in the sky map that contain information about the source density and/or distribution. This is likely to lead to an understanding of the acceleration mechanisms with a high potential for producing discoveries in astrophysics and/or fundamental physics. The scientific motivations of the mission as well as the current development status of the instrument and its performance are reviewed.

The JEM-EUSO mission: a space observatory to study the origin of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertaina, M.; Parizot, E.

2014-01-01

The Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO) onboard the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM-EUSO) of the International Space Station (ISS) is an innovative space-based mission with the aim of detecting Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs) from the ISS, by using the Earth's atmosphere as a calorimeter viewed by a fluorescence telescope. An observatory able to produce an arrival direction map with more than several hundreds events above 5 × 10 19 eV would give important information on the origin of the UHECRs and identify structures in the sky map that contain information about the source density and/or distribution. This is likely to lead to an understanding of the acceleration mechanisms with a high potential for producing discoveries in astrophysics and/or fundamental physics. The scientific motivations of the mission as well as the current development status of the instrument and its performance are reviewed

Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Survey requirements and mission design

Science.gov (United States)

Delabrouille, J.; de Bernardis, P.; Bouchet, F. R.; Achúcarro, A.; Ade, P. A. R.; Allison, R.; Arroja, F.; Artal, E.; Ashdown, M.; Baccigalupi, C.; Ballardini, M.; Banday, A. J.; Banerji, R.; Barbosa, D.; Bartlett, J.; Bartolo, N.; Basak, S.; Baselmans, J. J. A.; Basu, K.; Battistelli, E. S.; Battye, R.; Baumann, D.; Benoít, A.; Bersanelli, M.; Bideaud, A.; Biesiada, M.; Bilicki, M.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonato, M.; Borrill, J.; Boulanger, F.; Brinckmann, T.; Brown, M. L.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Buzzelli, A.; Cabass, G.; Cai, Z.-Y.; Calvo, M.; Caputo, A.; Carvalho, C.-S.; Casas, F. J.; Castellano, G.; Catalano, A.; Challinor, A.; Charles, I.; Chluba, J.; Clements, D. L.; Clesse, S.; Colafrancesco, S.; Colantoni, I.; Contreras, D.; Coppolecchia, A.; Crook, M.; D'Alessandro, G.; D'Amico, G.; da Silva, A.; de Avillez, M.; de Gasperis, G.; De Petris, M.; de Zotti, G.; Danese, L.; Désert, F.-X.; Desjacques, V.; Di Valentino, E.; Dickinson, C.; Diego, J. M.; Doyle, S.; Durrer, R.; Dvorkin, C.; Eriksen, H. K.; Errard, J.; Feeney, S.; Fernández-Cobos, R.; Finelli, F.; Forastieri, F.; Franceschet, C.; Fuskeland, U.; Galli, S.; Génova-Santos, R. T.; Gerbino, M.; Giusarma, E.; Gomez, A.; González-Nuevo, J.; Grandis, S.; Greenslade, J.; Goupy, J.; Hagstotz, S.; Hanany, S.; Handley, W.; Henrot-Versillé, S.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Hervias-Caimapo, C.; Hills, M.; Hindmarsh, M.; Hivon, E.; Hoang, D. T.; Hooper, D. C.; Hu, B.; Keihänen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Kiiveri, K.; Kisner, T.; Kitching, T.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lamagna, L.; Lapi, A.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Le Brun, A. M. C.; Lesgourgues, J.; Liguori, M.; Lindholm, V.; Lizarraga, J.; Luzzi, G.; Macìas-P{érez, J. F.; Maffei, B.; Mandolesi, N.; Martin, S.; Martinez-Gonzalez, E.; Martins, C. J. A. P.; Masi, S.; Massardi, M.; Matarrese, S.; Mazzotta, P.; McCarthy, D.; Melchiorri, A.; Melin, J.-B.; Mennella, A.; Mohr, J.; Molinari, D.; Monfardini, A.; Montier, L.; Natoli, P.; Negrello, M.; Notari, A.; Noviello, F.; Oppizzi, F.; O'Sullivan, C.; Pagano, L.; Paiella, A.; Pajer, E.; Paoletti, D.; Paradiso, S.; Partridge, R. B.; Patanchon, G.; Patil, S. P.; Perdereau, O.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pisano, G.; Polastri, L.; Polenta, G.; Pollo, A.; Ponthieu, N.; Poulin, V.; Prêle, D.; Quartin, M.; Ravenni, A.; Remazeilles, M.; Renzi, A.; Ringeval, C.; Roest, D.; Roman, M.; Roukema, B. F.; Rubiño-Martin, J.-A.; Salvati, L.; Scott, D.; Serjeant, S.; Signorelli, G.; Starobinsky, A. A.; Sunyaev, R.; Tan, C. Y.; Tartari, A.; Tasinato, G.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Torrado, J.; Tramonte, D.; Trappe, N.; Triqueneaux, S.; Tristram, M.; Trombetti, T.; Tucci, M.; Tucker, C.; Urrestilla, J.; Väliviita, J.; Van de Weygaert, R.; Van Tent, B.; Vennin, V.; Verde, L.; Vermeulen, G.; Vielva, P.; Vittorio, N.; Voisin, F.; Wallis, C.; Wandelt, B.; Wehus, I. K.; Weller, J.; Young, K.; Zannoni, M.

2018-04-01

Future observations of cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarisation have the potential to answer some of the most fundamental questions of modern physics and cosmology, including: what physical process gave birth to the Universe we see today? What are the dark matter and dark energy that seem to constitute 95% of the energy density of the Universe? Do we need extensions to the standard model of particle physics and fundamental interactions? Is the ΛCDM cosmological scenario correct, or are we missing an essential piece of the puzzle? In this paper, we list the requirements for a future CMB polarisation survey addressing these scientific objectives, and discuss the design drivers of the COREmfive space mission proposed to ESA in answer to the "M5" call for a medium-sized mission. The rationale and options, and the methodologies used to assess the mission's performance, are of interest to other future CMB mission design studies. COREmfive has 19 frequency channels, distributed over a broad frequency range, spanning the 60–600 GHz interval, to control astrophysical foreground emission. The angular resolution ranges from 2' to 18', and the aggregate CMB sensitivity is about 2 μKṡarcmin. The observations are made with a single integrated focal-plane instrument, consisting of an array of 2100 cryogenically-cooled, linearly-polarised detectors at the focus of a 1.2-m aperture cross-Dragone telescope. The mission is designed to minimise all sources of systematic effects, which must be controlled so that no more than 10‑4 of the intensity leaks into polarisation maps, and no more than about 1% of E-type polarisation leaks into B-type modes. COREmfive observes the sky from a large Lissajous orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 point on an orbit that offers stable observing conditions and avoids contamination from sidelobe pick-up of stray radiation originating from the Sun, Earth, and Moon. The entire sky is observed repeatedly during four years of continuous scanning

Life as a Cosmic Phenomenon: 2. the Panspermic Trajectory of Homo Sapiens

Science.gov (United States)

Tokoro, Gensuke; Wickramasinghe, N. Chandra

We discuss the origin and evolution of Homo sapiens in a cosmic context, and in relation to the Hoyle-Wickramasinghe theory of panspermia for which there is now overwhelming evidence. It is argued that the first bacteria (archea) incident on the Earth via the agency of comets 3.8-4 billion years ago continued at later times to be augmented by viral genes (DNA, RNA) from space that eventually led to the evolutionary patterns we see in present-day biology. We argue that the current evolutionary status of Homo sapiens as well as its future trajectory is circumscribed by evolutionary processes that were pre-determined on a cosmic scale -- over vast distances and enormous spans of cosmic time. Based on this teleological hypothesis we postulate that two distinct classes of cosmic viruses (cosmic viral genes) are involved in accounting for the facts relating to the evolution of life.

Acceleration of galactic cosmic rays in shock waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lagage, P.O.

1981-06-01

The old problem of the origin of cosmic rays has triggered off fresh interest owing to the discovery of a new model which enables a lot of energy to be transferred to a small number of particles on the one hand and the discovery of the coronal environment in which this transfer occurs, on the other. In this paper, interest is taken in the galactic cosmic rays and an endeavour is made to find out if the model can reveal the existence of cosmic rays over a wide energy range. The existence of an energy break, predicted by the model, was recognized fairly early but, in the literature, it varies from 30 GeV ro 10 6 GeV according to the authors. A study has been made of the two main causes of an energy break: the sphericity of the shock and the life time of the shock wave [fr

Department of Cosmic Ray Physics - Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabelski, J

2005-01-01

Full text: The Department of Cosmic Ray Physics in Lodz is involved in basic research in the high energy Cosmic Ray field. Cosmic Rays are energetic particles from outside the Solar System. The energy spectrum (power law energy dependence) suggests a non-thermal origin of these particles. Most studies of Cosmic Rays address fundamental problems: - the nature of the physical and astrophysical processes responsible for high energies of particles (up to about 10 20 eV/particle), - estimation of the astrophysical conditions at the acceleration sites and/or search for sources of Cosmic Rays, - properties of high energy particle interactions at very high energies (nuclear interactions at energies exceeding energy available in laboratories). - Some Cosmic Ray studies might have practical (commercial) implications, e.g. - ''cosmic weather'' forecast - predictions of geomagnetic disturbances related to Solar activity changes (due to large Solar Flares / events of Coronal Mass Ejection); these are important for large electricity networks, gas pipes, radio-wave connections, space missions and satellite experiments. Presentation of Cosmic Ray registration to high school students is a popular way to introduce particle physics detectors and elementary particle detection techniques to young people. Energetic Cosmic Ray particles produce cascades of particles in the atmosphere, called Extensive Air Showers (EAS). Registering the EAS and their properties is the main way of experimental studies of very high energy Cosmic Rays. In our Lodz Department we run an Extensive Air Shower array where EAS are continuously being registered. We concentrate on the studies of detection of neutrons correlated with EAS and interpretation of this phenomenon. In 2004 we started realisation of the Roland Maze Project, the network of EAS detectors placed on the roofs of high schools in Lodz. We received funds from the City of Lodz's budget to make a pilot project and equip 10 high schools, each with

Track-etched detectors for the dosimetry of the radiation of cosmic origin

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Spurný, František; Turek, Karel

2004-01-01

Roč. 109, č. 4 (2004), s. 375-381 ISSN 0144-8420 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KSK4055109 Grant - others:EC project(XE) FIGM-CT2000-00068 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z1048901 Keywords : track-etched detectors * cosmic rays * aircraft Subject RIV: BG - Nuclear, Atomic and Molecular Physics, Colliders Impact factor: 0.617, year: 2003

Constraining sources of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays and shear acceleration mechanism of particles in relativistic jets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Ruoyu

2015-06-10

Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays are extreme energetic particles from outer space. They have aroused great interest among scientists for more than fifty years. However, due to the rarity of the events and complexity of the process of their propagation to Earth, they are still one of the biggest puzzles in modern high energy astrophysics. This dissertation is dedicated to study the origin of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays from various aspects. Firstly, we discuss a possible link between recently discovered sub-PeV/PeV neutrinos and ultrahigh energy cosmic rays. If these two kinds of particles share the same origin, the observation of neutrinos may provide additional and non-trivial constraints on the sources of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays. Secondly, we jointly employ the chemical composition measurement and the arrival directions of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays, and find a robust upper limit for distances of sources of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays above ∝55 EeV, as well as a lower limit for their metallicities. Finally, we study the shear acceleration mechanism in relativistic jets, which is a more efficient mechanism for the acceleration of higher energy particle. We compute the acceleration efficiency and the time-dependent particle energy spectrum, and explore the feature of synchrotron radiation of the accelerated particles. The possible realizations of this mechanism for acceleration of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays in different astrophysical environments is also discussed.

Galaxy clustering and small-scale CBR anisotropy constraints on galaxy origin scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lucchin, F.

1986-01-01

The problem of the origin of cosmic structures (galaxies, galaxy clusters,......) represents the crossroads of the modern cosmology: it is correlated both with the theoretical model of the very early universe and with most of the present observational data. In this context, galaxy origin scenarios are reviewed. The cosmological relevance of the observed clustering properties of the universe is outlined. The observational constraints, due to small-scale cosmic background radiation (CBR) anisotropies, on galaxy origin scenarios are discussed. (author)

Linking high-energy cosmic particles by black-hole jets embedded in large-scale structures

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Ke; Murase, Kohta

2018-04-01

The origin of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) is a half-century-old enigma1. The mystery has been deepened by an intriguing coincidence: over ten orders of magnitude in energy, the energy generation rates of UHECRs, PeV neutrinos and isotropic sub-TeV γ-rays are comparable, which hints at a grand unified picture2. Here we report that powerful black hole jets in aggregates of galaxies can supply the common origin for all of these phenomena. Once accelerated by a jet, low-energy cosmic rays confined in the radio lobe are adiabatically cooled; higher-energy cosmic rays leaving the source interact with the magnetized cluster environment and produce neutrinos and γ-rays; the highest-energy particles escape from the host cluster and contribute to the observed cosmic rays above 100 PeV. The model is consistent with the spectrum, composition and isotropy of the observed UHECRs, and also explains the IceCube neutrinos and the non-blazar component of the Fermi γ-ray background, assuming a reasonable energy output from black hole jets in clusters.

Lead shielded cells for the spectrographic analysis of radioisotope solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roca, M.; Capdevila, C.; Cruz, F. de la

1967-01-01

Two lead shielded cells for the spectrochemical analysis of radioisotope samples are described. One of them is devoted to the evaporation of samples before excitation and the other one contains a suitable spectrographic excitation stand for the copper spark technique. A special device makes it possible the easy displacement of the excitation cell on wheels and rails for its accurate and reproducible position as well as its replacement by a glove box for plutonium analysis. In order to guarantee safety the room in which the spectrograph and the source are set up in separated from the active laboratory by a wall with a suitable window. (Author) 1 refs

Ultraviolet spectrographs for thermospheric and ionospheric remote sensing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dymond, K.F.; McCoy, R.P.

1993-01-01

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has been developing far- and extreme-ultraviolet spectrographs for remote sensing the Earth's upper atmosphere and ionosphere. The first of these sensors, called the Special Sensor Ultraviolet Limb Imager (SSULI), will be flying on the Air Force's Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) block 5D3 satellites as an operational sensor in the 1997-2010 time frame. A second sensor, called the High-resolution ionospheric and Thermospheric Spectrograph (HITS), will fly in late 1995 on the Air Force Space Test Program's Advanced Research and Global Observation Satellite (ARGOS, also known as P91-1) as part of NRL's High Resolution Airglow and Auroral Spectroscopy (HIRAAS) experiment. Both of these instruments are compact and do not draw much power and would be good candidates for small satellite applications. The instruments and their capabilities are discussed. Possible uses of these instruments in small satellite applications are also presented

Application of charge coupled devices as spatially-resolved detectors for X-ray spectrograph

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Attelan-Langlet, S; Etlicher, B [Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau (France); Mishenskij, V O; Papazyan, Yu V; Smirnov, V P; Volkov, G S; Zajtsev, V I [Inst. for Thermonuclear and Innovation Investigations, Troitsk (Russian Federation)

1997-12-31

An X-ray crystal spectrograph which contains a CCD linear array as the position-sensitive detector is described. Radiation detection is performed directly onto CCD. The spectrograph has a limit of sensitivity at about 2 J/(A.ster), spectral resolution about 1000 and dynamic range 100-120. The device operates on-line with IBM-PC based control system. Software provides all data acquisition and treatment. Output spectra are presented in absolute units. The device was used during composite Z-pinch experiments at pulse-power installations ``Angara-5-1`` (TRINITI, Troitsk, Russia) and ``GAEL`` (Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France). Currently the spectrograph is included in the set of diagnostics of the ``Angara-5-1`` facility. Some of the spectra obtained are presented and discussed. (author). 4 figs., 9 refs.

Cosmic rays around 1018 eV: Implications of contemporary measurements on the origin of the ankle feature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deligny, O.

2014-01-01

The impressive power-law decay of the energy spectrum of cosmic rays over more than thirty orders of magnitude in intensity and for energies ranging over eleven decades between 10 9 eV and 10 20 eV is actually dotted with small irregularities. These irregularities are highly valuable for uncovering and understanding the modes of production and propagation of cosmic rays. They manifest themselves through changes in the spectral index characterising the observed power laws. One of these irregularities, known as the ankle, is a hardening of the energy spectrum of cosmic rays in the 10 18 eV energy range. There are many possible interpretations for explaining it. One is to say that the ankle may be the spectral feature marking the transition between Galactic and extragalactic cosmic rays. Another one is to understand the ankle as the natural distortion of a proton-dominated extragalactic spectrum due to e ± pair production in the collisions with the photons of the cosmic microwave background. While the data collected at the Telescope Array supports the second explanation, the data collected at the Pierre Auger Observatory requires a totally different picture in terms of introducing a new component mainly composed of light elements in order to fill the gap of the all-particle energy spectrum between 10 17 eV and 4*10 18 eV, and to reproduce the measurements related to mass composition. If contemporary observations characterising the ankle have shed new lights, they are still far from being able to deliver all the story

The Cosmic-ray Spectrum: from the knee to the ankle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaisser, T K

2006-01-01

This talk addresses the question, 'Where is the transition from cosmic rays of galactic origin to extra-galactic cosmic-rays?' I have addressed the background of this topic recently in lectures at Erice and, with Todor Stanev, in a collection of papers on various aspects of nuclear astrophysics. Here I concentrate on primary composition as a signature of the transition and mention some new air-shower experiments aimed at the energy region from the knee to the ankle (PeV to 10 EeV)

Cosmic Ray Physics with the KASCADE-Grande Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Arteaga-Velázquez, J. C.; Apel, W. D.; Bekk, K.; Bertaina, M.; Blümer, J.; Bozdog, H.; Brancus, I. M.; Cantoni, E.; Chiavassa, A.; Cossavella, F.; Daumiller, K.; de Souza, V.; Di Pierro, F.; Doll, P.; Engel, R.; Fuhrmann, D.; Gherghel-Lascu, A.; Gils, H. J.; Glasstetter, R.; Grupen, C.; Haungs, A.; Heck, D.; Hörandel, J. R.; Huege, T.; Kampert, K.-H.; Kang, D.; Klages, H. O.; Link, K.; Łuczak, P.; Mathes, H. J.; Mayer, H. J.; Milke, J.; Mitrica, B.; Morello, C.; Oehlschläger, J.; Ostapchenko, S.; Pierog, T.; Rebel, H.; Roth, M.; Schieler, H.; Schoo, S.; Schröder, F. G.; Sima, O.; Toma, G.; Trinchero, G. C.; Ulrich, H.; Weindl, A.; Wochele, J.; Zabierowski, J.

The existence of a knee at a few PeV in the all-particle cosmic ray energy spectrum has been well established by several experiments but its physical origin has eluded researches for a long time. It is believed that keys to disentangle the mystery could be found in the spectrum and the composition of cosmic rays between 1 PeV and 1 EeV. A first detailed look into the elemental chemical abundances of cosmic rays in this energy regime was provided by both the KASCADE and the KASCADE-Grande experiments. Their measurements opened the door to a wealth of new data on the subject, which led to the discovery of new structures in the all-particle energy spectrum and the confirmation of knee-like features in the spectra of individual mass groups, as well as the observation of an unexpected ankle-like structure at around 100 PeV in the flux of the light component of cosmic rays. In this contribution, early findings with the KASCADE-Grande experiment will be reviewed and then a short update on the analyses currently performed with the data of the observatory will be presented.

Garden of cosmic speculation

CERN Document Server

Jencks, Charles

2005-01-01

This book tells the story of one of the most important gardens in Europe, created by the architectural critic and designer Charles Jencks and his late wife, the landscape architect and author Maggie Keswick. The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is a landscape that celebrates the new sciences of complexity and chaos theory and consists of a series of metaphors exploring the origins, the destiny and the substance of the Universe. The book is illustrated with year-round photography, bringing the garden's many dimensions vividly to life.

Department of Cosmic Ray Physics - Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabelski, J.

2007-01-01

The Department of Cosmic Ray Physics in Lodz is involved in basic research in the high energy Cosmic Ray field. Cosmic Rays are energetic particles from outside the Solar System. The energy spectrum (power law energy dependence) suggests non-thermal origin of these particles. Most of the studies of Cosmic Rays address fundamental problems: · the nature of the physical and astrophysical processes responsible for high energies of particles (up to about 1020 eV/particle), · an estimation of the astrophysical conditions at the acceleration sites and/or search for sources of Cosmic Rays, · properties of high energy particle interactions at very high energies (nuclear interactions at energies exceeding energy available in the laboratories). Some Cosmic Ray studies might have practical (commercial) implications, e.g.: · '' cosmic weather '' forecast - predictions of geomagnetic disturbances related to Solar activity changes (due to large Solar Flares / events of Coronal Mass Ejection); these are important for large electricity networks, gas pipes, radio-wave connections, space missions and satellite experiments. Presentation of Cosmic Ray registration to high school students becomes a popular way to introduce particle physics detectors and elementary particle detection techniques to young people. We organize in Lodz several workshops on particle physics for high school students. This is a part of European activity: Masterclass - Hands on CERN. Energetic Cosmic Ray particles produce cascades of particles in the atmosphere, called Extensive Air Showers (EAS). Registering EAS and their properties is the main way of experimental studies of very high energy Cosmic Rays. In Lodz Department we run Extensive Air Shower array where EAS are continuously being registered. We concentrate on the studies of detection of neutrons correlated with EAS and interpretation of this phenomenon. Back in 2004 we started realisation of the Roland Maze Project, the network of EAS detectors

Spectrographic analysis of stainless steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabato, S.F.; Lordello, A.R.

1984-01-01

Two spectrogaphyic solution techniques, 'Porous Cup' and 'Vacuum Cup', were investigated in order to determine the minor constituents (Cr, Ni, Mo, Mn, Cu and V) of stainless steels. Iron and cobalt were experimented as internal standards. The precision varied from 4 to 11% for both spectrographic techniques, in which cobalt was used as international standard. Certified standards from National Bureau of Standards and Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnologicas were analysed to verify the accuracy of both techniques. The best accuracy was obtained with the Vacuum Cup techniques. (Author) [pt

A soft X-Ray flat field grating spectrograph and its experimental applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ni Yuanlong; Mao Chusheng

2001-01-01

The principle, structure, and application results of a flat field grating spectrograph for X-ray laser research is presented. There are two kinds of the spectrograph. One uses a varied space grating with nominal line spacing 1200 l/mm, the spectral detection range is 5 - 50 nm, and another uses a 2400 l/mm varied line space grating, detection range is 1 - 10 nm. The experimental results of the former is introduced only. Both experimental results of this instrument using the soft X-ray film and a streak camera as the detecting elements are given. The spectral resolutions are 0.01 nm and 0.05 nm, respectively. The temporal resolution is 30 ps. Finally, the stigmatic structure of the spectrograph is introduced, which uses cylindrical mirror and spherical mirror as a focusing system. The magnification is 5, spatial resolution is 25 μm. The experimental results are given as well

Cosmic evolution, life and man

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oro, J.

1995-01-01

Among the most basic problems confronting science are those regarding the origin of the universe, the origin of life and the origin of man. This general overview starts (1) with a brief introduction addressed primarily to the Cyril Ponnamperuma Memorial. Then, the thesis is presented that the appearance of life and intelligence on our planet can be understood as the result of a number of cosmic and biological evolutionary processes, including (2) the stellar thermonuclear synthesis of the biogenic elements other than hydrogen (C, N, O, P and S), their dispersal into space, and their combination into circumstellar and interstellar molecules. (3) The formation of the Solar System and the Earth-Moon System. (4) The role of comets and carbonaceous chondrites in contributing organic matter to the primitive Earth. (5) The prebiotics synthesis of amino acids, purines, pyrimidines, fatty acids, and other biochemical monomers. (6) The prebiotic condensation reactions leading to the synthesis of oligomers such as oligonucleotides and oligopeptides, with replicative and catalytic activities. (7) The synthesis of amphiphilic lipids, and their self-assembly into liposomes with bi-layered membranes. (8) The formation of protocellular structures. (9) The activation of protocells into a functioning Darwin's ancestral cell. (10) Early evolution of life. (11) The K-T boundary event and the disappearance of dinosaurs. (12) Evolution of hominids leading to Homo sapiens. (13) The rapid development of civilization. (14) The exploration of the Solar System. (15) Life beyond our planetary system. (16) Epilogue. Peace from cosmic evolution? (Abstract only)

Cosmic evolution, life and man

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oro, J [Houston Univ., Houston, TX (United States). Dept. of Biochemical and Biophysical Sciences

1995-08-01

Among the most basic problems confronting science are those regarding the origin of the universe, the origin of life and the origin of man. This general overview starts (1) with a brief introduction addressed primarily to the Cyril Ponnamperuma Memorial. Then, the thesis is presented that the appearance of life and intelligence on our planet can be understood as the result of a number of cosmic and biological evolutionary processes, including (2) the stellar thermonuclear synthesis of the biogenic elements other than hydrogen (C, N, O, P and S), their dispersal into space, and their combination into circumstellar and interstellar molecules. (3) The formation of the Solar System and the Earth-Moon System. (4) The role of comets and carbonaceous chondrites in contributing organic matter to the primitive Earth. (5) The prebiotics synthesis of amino acids, purines, pyrimidines, fatty acids, and other biochemical monomers. (6) The prebiotic condensation reactions leading to the synthesis of oligomers such as oligonucleotides and oligopeptides, with replicative and catalytic activities. (7) The synthesis of amphiphilic lipids, and their self-assembly into liposomes with bi-layered membranes. (8) The formation of protocellular structures. (9) The activation of protocells into a functioning Darwin`s ancestral cell. (10) Early evolution of life. (11) The K-T boundary event and the disappearance of dinosaurs. (12) Evolution of hominids leading to Homo sapiens. (13) The rapid development of civilization. (14) The exploration of the Solar System. (15) Life beyond our planetary system. (16) Epilogue. Peace from cosmic evolution? (Abstract only).

An estimate of cosmic dose component around Kudankulam site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vijayakumar, B.; Thomas, G.; Rajan, P.S.; Selvi, B.S.; Balamurugan, M.; Ravi, P.M.; Tripathi, R.M.

2015-01-01

Natural ionizing radiation pervades the whole environment and enters human lives in a wide variety of ways. It arises from natural processes such as the decay of terrestrially deposited radionuclides in the earth, and artificial processes like the use of X-rays in medicine. Thus, radiation can be classified as natural and artificial depending on its origin. Natural sources include cosmic rays, terrestrial gamma radiation, radon and its decay products in air and various radio nuclides found naturally in food and drink. Cosmic rays reach the earth from outer space. Artificial sources include medical X-rays, therapeutic use of radioisotopes, fallout from past weapon tests, discharges from nuclear industry, industrial gamma rays and use of radioisotopes in consumer products. This paper attempts to estimate the natural cosmic dose component around Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant site in the south eastern coast of India. (author)

Digital TV-echelle spectrograph for simultaneous multielemental analysis using microcomputer control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davidson, J.B.; Case, A.L.

1980-12-01

A digital TV-echelle spectrograph with microcomputer control was developed for simultaneous multielemental analysis. The optical system is a commercially available unit originally equipped for film and photomultiplier (single element) readout. The film port was adapted for the intensifier camera. The camera output is digitized and stored in a microcomputer-controlled, 512 x 512 x 12 bit memory and image processor. Multiple spectra over the range of 200 to 800 nm are recorded in a single exposure. Spectra lasting from nanoseconds to seconds are digitized and stored in 0.033 s and displayed on a TV monitor. An inexpensive microcomputer controls the exposure, reads and displays the intensity of predetermined spectral lines, and calculates wavelengths of unknown lines. The digital addresses of unknown lines are determined by superimposing a cursor on the TV display. The microcomputer also writes into memory wavelength fiducial marks for alignment of the TV camera

NASA's Physics of the Cosmos and Cosmic Origins Technology Development Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Pham, Thai; Seery, Bernard; Ganel, Opher

2016-01-01

The strategic astrophysics missions of the coming decades will help answer the questions "How did our universe begin and evolve?" and "How did galaxies, stars, and planets come to be?" Enabling these missions requires advances in key technologies far beyond the current state of the art. NASA's Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) and Cosmic Origins (COR) Program Offices manage technology maturation projects funded through the Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) program to accomplish such advances. The PCOS and COR Program Offices, residing at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), were established in 2011, and serve as the implementation arm for the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. We present an overview of the Programs' technology development activities and the current technology investment portfolio of 23 technology advancements. We discuss the process for addressing community-provided technology gaps and Technology Management Board (TMB)-vetted prioritization and investment recommendations that inform the SAT program. The process improves the transparency and relevance of our technology investments, provides the community a voice in the process, and promotes targeted external technology investments by defining needs and identifying customers. The Programs' priorities are driven by strategic direction from the Astrophysics Division, which is informed by the National Research Council's (NRC) "New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics" (NWNH) 2010 Decadal Survey report [1], the Astrophysics Implementation Plan (AIP) [2] as updated, and the Astrophysics Roadmap "Enduring Quests, Daring Visions" [3]. These priorities include technology development for missions to study dark energy, gravitational waves, X-ray and inflation probe science, and large far-infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV)/optical/IR telescopes to conduct imaging and spectroscopy studies. The SAT program is the Astrophysics Division's main investment method to mature technologies

Observation of superheavy primary cosmic ray nuclei with solid state track detectors and x-ray films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doke, Tadayoshi; Hayashi, Takayoshi; Ito, Kensai; Yanagimachi, Tomoki; Kobayashi, Shigeru.

1977-01-01

The measurements of energy spectra and the nuclear charge distribution of superheavy nuclei heavier than iron in primary cosmic ray can provide information on the origin, propagation and life time of the cosmic ray. Since incident particles are in the region of relativistic velocity (the low energy cosmic ray below the cutoff energy is forbidden from entering), the charges of cosmic ray nuclei can be determined without knowing the energy of particles. The balloon-borne solid state track detector and plastic and X-ray films were employed for the detection of superheavy cosmic ray, and the five events were detected with the cellulose nitrate film. The flux of superheavy nuclei is predicted from the present analysis. (Yoshimori, M.)

Carl Sagan: Cosmic Evolution vs. the Creationist Myth.

Science.gov (United States)

Harnack, William J.

1981-01-01

Considers the dichotomy between the cosmic perspective and the creationist view. Presents an overview of various current explanations of the origin and nature of the universe, including scientific explanations, fundamentalist beliefs, and creation myths from other cultures. The article is based on comments made by Carl Sagan at the American…

Project overview of OPTIMOS-EVE: the fibre-fed multi-object spectrograph for the E-ELT

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Navarro, R.; Chemla, F.; Bonifacio, P.; Flores, H.; Guinouard, I.; Huet, J.-M.; Puech, M.; Royer, F.; Pragt, J.H.; Wulterkens, G.; Sawyer, E.C.; Caldwell, M.E.; Tosh, I.A.J.; Whalley, M.S.; Woodhouse, G.F.W.; Spanò, P.; Di Marcantonio, P.; Andersen, M.I.; Dalton, G.B.; Kaper, L.; Hammer, F.

2010-01-01

OPTIMOS-EVE (OPTical Infrared Multi Object Spectrograph - Extreme Visual Explorer) is the fibre fed multi object spectrograph proposed for the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), planned to be operational in 2018 at Cerro Armazones (Chile). It is designed to provide a spectral resolution of

X-Ray, UV and Optical Observations of Classical Cepheids: New Insights into Cepheid Evolution, and the Heating and Dynamics of Their Atmospheres

OpenAIRE

Engle, Scott G.; Guinan, Edward F.

2012-01-01

To broaden the understanding of classical Cepheid structure, evolution and atmospheres, we have extended our continuing secret lives of Cepheids program by obtaining XMM/Chandra X-ray observations, and Hubble space telescope (HST) / cosmic origins spectrograph (COS) FUV-UV spectra of the bright, nearby Cepheids Polaris, {\\delta} Cep and {\\beta} Dor. Previous studies made with the international ultraviolet explorer (IUE) showed a limited number of UV emission lines in Cepheids. The well-known ...

Department of Cosmic Ray Physics - Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabelski, J.

2006-01-01

The Department of Cosmic Ray Physics in Lodz is involved in basic research in the high energy Cosmic Ray field. Cosmic Rays are energetic particles from outside the Solar System. The energy spectrum (power law energy dependence) suggests a non-thermal origin of these particles. Most of the studies of Cosmic Rays address fundamental problems: · The nature of the physical and astrophysical processes responsible for the high energies of the particles (up to about 1020 eV/particle), · An estimation of the astrophysical conditions at the acceleration sites and/or search for sources of Cosmic Rays, · properties of high energy particle interactions at very high energies (nuclear interactions at energies exceeding energy available in the laboratories). Some Cosmic Ray studies might have practical (commercial) implications, e.g. · 'cosmic weather' forecast - predictions of geomagnetic disturbances related to Solar activity changes (due to large Solar Flares / events of Coronal Mass Ejection); these are important for large electricity networks, gas pipes, radio-wave connections, space missions and satellite experiments. Presentation of Cosmic Ray registration to high school students becomes a popular way to introduce particle physics detectors and elementary particle detection techniques to young people. Energetic Cosmic Ray particles produce cascades of particles in the atmosphere, called Extensive Air Showers (EAS). Registering EAS and their properties is the main way of experimental studies of very high energy Cosmic Rays. In the Lodz Department we run the Extensive Air Shower array where EAS are being registered. We concentrate on the studies of detection of neutrons correlated with EAS and interpretation of this phenomenon. In 2004, we started realisation of the Roland Maze Project, the network of EAS detectors placed on roofs of high schools in Lodz. We received funds from the City of Lodz budget to make a pilot project and equip 10 high schools, each with four 1 m

UV Spectroscopy of Metallic Asteroid (16) Psyche

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, N. J.; Becker, T. M.; Retherford, K. D.; Roth, L.; Feaga, L. M.; Wahlund, J.-E.; Elkins-Tanton, L. T.

2017-09-01

Asteroid (16) Psyche is the largest M-type asteroid, and the planned destination of the NASA Discovery mission Psyche and the proposed ESA M5 mission Heavy Metal. Psyche is considered to be the exposed core of a differentiated asteroid, whose mantle has been stripped by collisions; but other histories have been proposed. We observed Psyche with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) and Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope, to obtain a full ultraviolet (UV) spectrum of both of Psyche's hemispheres. We seek to test three possible scenarios for Psyche's origin: Is Psyche the exposed core of a differentiated asteroid? Is it an asteroid with high olivine content that has been space-weathered? Or did Psyche accrete as-is in a highly-reducing environment early in the history of the solar system? We will present the UV spectra and their implications for Psyche's history.

Spectrographic determination of lithium in nuclear grade calcium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artaud, J.; Cittanova, J.

1957-01-01

A method is described for the spectrographic determination of lithium in calcium. The samples are converted directly to CaCO 3 . A method of fractional distillation in the arc, using KCl as carrier, makes it possible to detect and measure the Li content to 0,1 ppm. (author) [fr

Near InfraRed Imaging Spectrograph (NIRIS) for ground-based ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

54

NIRIS is a large field-of-view imaging spectrograph which is sensitive to fluctuation in ..... enhancement over low-latitudes has been shown to be developed as a ..... step forward towards passive remote sensing of the mesospheric dynamics.

General method of quantitative spectrographic analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capdevila, C.; Roca, M.

1966-01-01

A spectrographic method was developed to determine 23 elements in a wide range of concentrations; the method can be applied to metallic or refractory samples. Previous melting with lithium tetraborate and germanium oxide is done in order to avoid the influence of matrix composition and crystalline structure. Germanium oxide is also employed as internal standard. The resulting beads ar mixed with graphite powder (1:1) and excited in a 10 amperes direct current arc. (Author) 12 refs

Cosmic perspectives in space physics

CERN Document Server

Biswas, Sukumar

2000-01-01

In the early years of the twentieth century, Victor Hess of Germany flew instruments in balloons and so discovered in 1912 that an extra-~errestial radiation of unknown origin is incident on the earth with an almost constant intensity at all times. These penetrating non­ solar radiations which were called Cosmic Rays by Millikan, USA, opened the new frontier of space physics and many leading scientists were attracted to it. At the end of World War II a number of space vehicles, e.g. stratospheric balloons, rockets and satellites were developed. In 1950 and onwards, these vehicles enabled spectacular advances in space physics and space astrophysics. New horizons were opened in the explorations of cosmic rays, the earth's magnetosphere, the Sun and the heliosphere, the moon and the planets. Using space-borne instruments, exciting discoveries were made of stars, and galaxies in the infra-red, ultra violet, x-ray and gamma-ray wavelengths. In this text book these fascinating new findings are presented in depth a...

The Bess Investigation of the Origin of Cosmic-ray Antiprotons and Search for Cosmological Antimatter

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, John; Yamamoto, Akira; Yoshimura, Koji; Makida, Yasuhiro; Matsuda, Shinya; Hasegawa, Masaya; Horikoshi, Atsushi; Tanaka,Ken-ichi; Suzuki, Junichi; Nishimura, Jun;

Propagation of cosmic rays in the Earth's atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Putze, Antje

2006-06-01

Cosmic rays are composed of charged particles, which arrive after a long travel through the Galaxy on Earth. Supernova explosions are considered to be galactic sources, which accelerate these particles up to energies around 10 18 eV. Beyond this energy, one supposes that the extragalactic sources, like active galaxy nuclei (AGN), gamma ray bursts or pulsars, are the origin of the ultra high energy cosmic rays. The spectral index of the elemental energy distributions of cosmic rays reflects the dynamic of its propagation, particularly the conjugation of the effects connected to the cosmic ray source spectrum and those connected to its propagation (acceleration, absorption and escape). The evolution of the spectral index with the cosmic-ray particle energy constitutes a sensitive test of the components, which determine this evolution. The precise index measurement of individual elemental spectra of the cosmic rays by AMS up to TeV and by the experiment CREAM beyond it, from TeV to PeV, will permit to proceed in this problematic. One of the difficulties on this measurement is to take well into account the systematic errors. During the data analysis we have to take into account in particular the interaction (diffusion and fragmentation) of the ions while their travel through the Earth's atmosphere. The study of the interaction and the fragmentation of these ions in the atmosphere is hence indispensable and described in this work. The study is based on a matrix calculation, which had been successfully implemented and tested and which has permitted to analyse the effects, caused by the experimental uncertainties on the cross sections, on the spectral index measurement. (author)

Multitaper spectral analysis of cosmic rays Sao Martinho da Serra's muon telescope and Newark's neutron monitor data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Marlos Rockenbach da; Alarcon, Walter Demetrio Gonzalez; Echer, Ezequiel; Lago, Alisson dal; Lucas, Aline de [National Institute for Space Research - INPE-MCT, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP (Brazil); Vieira, Luis Eduardo Antunes; Guarnieri, Fernando Luis [Universidade do Vale do Paraiba - UNIVAP, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP (Brazil); Schuch, Nelson Jorge [Southern Regional Space Research Center - CRSPE/INPE-MCT, Santa Maria, RS (Brazil); Munakata, Kazuoki, E-mail: marlos@dge.inpe.br, E-mail: gonzalez@dge.inpe.br, E-mail: eecher@dge.inpe.br, E-mail: dallago@dge.inpe.br, E-mail: delucas@dge.inpe.br, E-mail: levieira@univap.br, E-mail: guarnieri@univap.br, E-mail: njschuch@lacesm.ufsm.br, E-mail: kmuna00@gipac.shinshu-u.ac.jp [Physics Department, Shinshu University, Matsumoto (Japan)

2007-07-01

In this work we present an analysis on the correction efficiency of atmospheric effects on cosmic ray Sao Martinho da Serra's muon telescope and Newark's neutron monitor data. We use a Multitaper spectral analysis of cosmic rays time series to show the main periodicities present in the corrected and uncorrected data for the atmospheric effects. This kind of correction is very important when intends to study cosmic rays variations of extra-terrestrial origin. (author)

A Shifting Shield Provides Protection Against Cosmic Rays

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2017-12-01

The Sun plays an important role in protecting us from cosmic rays, energetic particles that pelt us from outside our solar system. But can we predict when and how it will provide the most protection, and use this to minimize the damage to both pilotedand roboticspace missions?The Challenge of Cosmic RaysSpacecraft outside of Earths atmosphere and magnetic field are at risk of damage from cosmic rays. [ESA]Galactic cosmic rays are high-energy, charged particles that originate from astrophysical processes like supernovae or even distant active galactic nuclei outside of our solar system.One reason to care about the cosmic rays arriving near Earth is because these particles can provide a significant challenge for space missions traveling above Earths protective atmosphere and magnetic field. Since impacts from cosmic rays can damage human DNA, this risk poses a major barrier to plans for interplanetary travel by crewed spacecraft. And roboticmissions arent safe either: cosmic rays can flip bits, wreaking havoc on spacecraft electronics as well.The magnetic field carried by the solar wind provides a protective shield, deflecting galactic cosmic rays from our solar system. [Walt Feimer/NASA GSFCs Conceptual Image Lab]Shielded by the SunConveniently, we do have some broader protection against galactic cosmic rays: a built-in shield provided by the Sun. The interplanetary magnetic field, which is embedded in the solar wind, deflects low-energy cosmic rays from us at the outer reaches of our solar system, decreasing the flux of these cosmic rays that reach us at Earth.This shield, however, isnt stationary; instead, it moves and changes as the strength and direction of the solar wind moves and changes. This results in a much lower cosmic-ray flux at Earth when solar activity is high i.e., at the peak of the 11-year solar cycle than when solar activity is low. This visible change in local cosmic-ray flux with solar activity is known as solar modulation of the cosmic ray flux

Diffuse Cosmic Infrared Background Radiation

Science.gov (United States)

Dwek, Eli

2002-01-01

The diffuse cosmic infrared background (CIB) consists of the cumulative radiant energy released in the processes of structure formation that have occurred since the decoupling of matter and radiation following the Big Bang. In this lecture I will review the observational data that provided the first detections and limits on the CIB, and the theoretical studies explaining the origin of this background. Finally, I will also discuss the relevance of this background to the universe as seen in high energy gamma-rays.

Cosmic microwave background radiation of black hole universe

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, T. X.

2010-11-01

Modifying slightly the big bang theory, the author has recently developed a new cosmological model called black hole universe. This new cosmological model is consistent with the Mach principle, Einsteinian general theory of relativity, and observations of the universe. The origin, structure, evolution, and expansion of the black hole universe have been presented in the recent sequence of American Astronomical Society (AAS) meetings and published recently in a scientific journal: Progress in Physics. This paper explains the observed 2.725 K cosmic microwave background radiation of the black hole universe, which grew from a star-like black hole with several solar masses through a supermassive black hole with billions of solar masses to the present universe with hundred billion-trillions of solar masses. According to the black hole universe model, the observed cosmic microwave background radiation can be explained as the black body radiation of the black hole universe, which can be considered as an ideal black body. When a hot and dense star-like black hole accretes its ambient materials and merges with other black holes, it expands and cools down. A governing equation that expresses the possible thermal history of the black hole universe is derived from the Planck law of black body radiation and radiation energy conservation. The result obtained by solving the governing equation indicates that the radiation temperature of the present universe can be ˜2.725 K if the universe originated from a hot star-like black hole, and is therefore consistent with the observation of the cosmic microwave background radiation. A smaller or younger black hole universe usually cools down faster. The characteristics of the original star-like or supermassive black hole are not critical to the physical properties of the black hole universe at present, because matter and radiation are mainly from the outside space, i.e., the mother universe.

The origin of cosmic gamma-ray bursts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van den Bergh, S.

1983-01-01

The positions of 46 γ-ray burst sources on the sky are used to show that the majority of these objects either originate in very distant regions with redshifts > or approx. 30 000 km s -1 or within < or approx. 0.5β of the Sun; where β is the scale-height of the parent population perpendicular to the galactic disc. An origin of the majority of γ-ray bursts in the more distant parts of the galactic disc, the galactic nuclear bulge, the Virgo supercluster, in galaxies with msub(pg) < 18 and rich in Abell clusters of distance classes 0 to 4 is excluded by the data. (orig.)

WAS: the data archive for the WEAVE spectrograph

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Guerra, Jose; Molinari, Emilio; Lodi, Marcello; Martin, Adrian; Dalton, Gavin B.; Trager, Scott C.; Jin, Shoko; Abrams, Don Carlos; Bonifacio, Piercarlo; López Aguerri, Jose Alfonso; Vallenari, Antonella; Carrasco Licea, Esperanza E.; Middleton, Kevin F.

2016-01-01

The WAS1(WEAVE Archive System) is a software architecture for archiving and delivering the data releases for the WEAVE7 instrument at WHT (William Herschel Telescope). The WEAVE spectrograph will be mounted at the 4.2-m WHT telescope and will provide millions of spectra in a 5-year program, starting

Origins Space Telescope: 3D infrared surveys of star formation and black hole growth in galaxies over cosmic time

Science.gov (United States)

Pope, Alexandra; Armus, Lee; bradford, charles; Origins Space Telescope STDT

2018-01-01

In the coming decade, new telescope facilities and surveys aim to provide a 3D map of the unobscured Universe over cosmic time. However, much of galaxy formation and evolution occurs behind dust, and is only observable through infrared observations. Previous extragalactic infrared surveys were fundamentally limited to a 2D mapping of the most extreme populations of galaxies due to spatial resolution and sensitivity. The Origins Space Telescope (OST) is the mission concept for the Far-Infrared Surveyor, one of the four science and technology definition studies sponsored by NASA to provide input to the 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal survey. OST is planned to be a large aperture, actively-cooled telescope covering a wide span of the mid- to far-infrared spectrum, which will achieve spectral line sensitivities up to 1000 times deeper than previous infrared facilities. With powerful instruments such as the Medium Resolution Survey Spectrometer (MRSS), capable of simultaneous imaging and spectroscopy, the extragalactic infrared sky can finally be surveyed in 3D. In addition to spectroscopic redshifts, the rich suite of lines in the infrared provides unique diagnostics of the ongoing star formation (both obscured and unobscured) and the central supermassive black hole growth. In this poster, we present a simulated extragalactic survey with OST/MRSS which will detect millions of galaxies down to well below the knee of the infrared luminosity function. We demonstrate how this survey can map the coeval star formation and black hole growth in galaxies over cosmic time.

Magnetic spectrograph with a semicircular focusing for studies on the energy distribution of a high-current relativistic electron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gosteva, T.S.; Zablotskaya, G.R.; Ivanov, B.A.; Kolyubakin, S.A.; Chernobrovin, V.I.

1975-01-01

Specific features of a magnetic spectrograph with a semicircular focusing are described; the spectrograph has been designed to study, using the REP-5 pulsed accelerator, the energy spectra of electrons with a current of 50 kA, pulse duration of 20 ns in the energy range 0.2 to 3 MeV. The beam has been transported in a drift chamber where the air pressure varies from 10 -3 to 40 torr. The chamber is 50 cm long and 12 cm in diameter. The spectrograph vacuum chamber is made in the form of a plane rectangular box with a degassing fitting. The uniform magnetic field in the spectrograph gap is provided with permanent magnets (ferrite-barium plates). The collimator and the chamber walls on which the magnets are located, are made of low-carbon electrotechnical steel. The diameters of the collimator entrance and exit windows are 2 and 0.2 mm, respectively. To screen the photofilm in the spectrograph chamber from x-radiation, there are three disks on the spectrograph flange on the part of the drift chamber, they are made of lead, steel, and aluminium. The steel disk, besides, screens the space in front of the collimator entrance window from the scattered magnetic field. During the experiments the pressure in the spectrograph chamber has varied from 7x10 -3 to 10 -1 torr. Electrons are registered using the RT-1 and RT-5 x-ray films 1x18 cm in size. The spectrograph described makes it possible to have well-resolved electron spectrum during a pulse. The electron spectra obtained by means of the spectrograph at a pressure of 4.10 -1 torr in the drift chamber and a charge voltage of 3.2 MV in the line, are shown [ru

Propagation of Galactic Cosmic Rays and Dark Matter indirect Detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delahaye, Timur

2010-07-01

This thesis is dedicated to the study of propagation of cosmic electrons and positrons in the Milky Way and to the indirect detection of dark matter. The existence of dark matter is a hypothesis considered as reasonable from the point of view of cosmology, astrophysics and even particle physics. Nevertheless its detection still eludes us and it is not possible to verify this hypothesis by other means than gravitational one. A possible way to detect dark matter is to look for its annihilation or decay products among Galactic cosmic rays. During the last three years, data concerning cosmic ray electrons and positrons have been accumulated and have reached a remarkable precision. Such a precision requires from us to refine the theoretical models and to quantify the errors. This thesis addresses the study of all the sources of uncertainties affecting predictions of cosmic electrons and positron fluxes, primary and secondary, classical or from exotic origin. The greatest care has been dedicated to the sources and the propagation in the Galactic halo. Moreover a study of gamma and radio emissions associated to these cosmic rays is presented, again with the will of sizing uncertainties. Finally a status of the research for detection of annihilation or decay of Galactic dark matter is presented. (author)

Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Extragalactic sources in cosmic microwave background maps

Science.gov (United States)

De Zotti, G.; González-Nuevo, J.; Lopez-Caniego, M.; Negrello, M.; Greenslade, J.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Delabrouille, J.; Cai, Z.-Y.; Bonato, M.; Achúcarro, A.; Ade, P.; Allison, R.; Ashdown, M.; Ballardini, M.; Banday, A. J.; Banerji, R.; Bartlett, J. G.; Bartolo, N.; Basak, S.; Bersanelli, M.; Biesiada, M.; Bilicki, M.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonavera, L.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F.; Boulanger, F.; Brinckmann, T.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Buzzelli, A.; Calvo, M.; Carvalho, C. S.; Castellano, M. G.; Challinor, A.; Chluba, J.; Clements, D. L.; Clesse, S.; Colafrancesco, S.; Colantoni, I.; Coppolecchia, A.; Crook, M.; D'Alessandro, G.; de Bernardis, P.; de Gasperis, G.; Diego, J. M.; Di Valentino, E.; Errard, J.; Feeney, S. M.; Fernández-Cobos, R.; Ferraro, S.; Finelli, F.; Forastieri, F.; Galli, S.; Génova-Santos, R. T.; Gerbino, M.; Grandis, S.; Hagstotz, S.; Hanany, S.; Handley, W.; Hervias-Caimapo, C.; Hills, M.; Hivon, E.; Kiiveri, K.; Kisner, T.; Kitching, T.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lamagna, L.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Le Brun, A.; Lesgourgues, J.; Lewis, A.; Liguori, M.; Lindholm, V.; Luzzi, G.; Maffei, B.; Mandolesi, N.; Martinez-Gonzalez, E.; Martins, C. J. A. P.; Masi, S.; Massardi, M.; Matarrese, S.; McCarthy, D.; Melchiorri, A.; Melin, J.-B.; Molinari, D.; Monfardini, A.; Natoli, P.; Notari, A.; Paiella, A.; Paoletti, D.; Partridge, R. B.; Patanchon, G.; Piat, M.; Pisano, G.; Polastri, L.; Polenta, G.; Pollo, A.; Poulin, V.; Quartin, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Roman, M.; Rossi, G.; Roukema, B. F.; Rubiño-Martín, J.-A.; Salvati, L.; Scott, D.; Serjeant, S.; Tartari, A.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Trappe, N.; Triqueneaux, S.; Trombetti, T.; Tucci, M.; Tucker, C.; Väliviita, J.; van de Weygaert, R.; Van Tent, B.; Vennin, V.; Vielva, P.; Vittorio, N.; Young, K.; Zannoni, M.

2018-04-01

We discuss the potential of a next generation space-borne Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) experiment for studies of extragalactic sources. Our analysis has particular bearing on the definition of the future space project, CORE, that has been submitted in response to ESA's call for a Medium-size mission opportunity as the successor of the Planck satellite. Even though the effective telescope size will be somewhat smaller than that of Planck, CORE will have a considerably better angular resolution at its highest frequencies, since, in contrast with Planck, it will be diffraction limited at all frequencies. The improved resolution implies a considerable decrease of the source confusion, i.e. substantially fainter detection limits. In particular, CORE will detect thousands of strongly lensed high-z galaxies distributed over the full sky. The extreme brightness of these galaxies will make it possible to study them, via follow-up observations, in extraordinary detail. Also, the CORE resolution matches the typical sizes of high-z galaxy proto-clusters much better than the Planck resolution, resulting in a much higher detection efficiency; these objects will be caught in an evolutionary phase beyond the reach of surveys in other wavebands. Furthermore, CORE will provide unique information on the evolution of the star formation in virialized groups and clusters of galaxies up to the highest possible redshifts. Finally, thanks to its very high sensitivity, CORE will detect the polarized emission of thousands of radio sources and, for the first time, of dusty galaxies, at mm and sub-mm wavelengths, respectively.

The Coude spectrograph and echelle scanner of the 2.7 m telescope at McDonald observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Tull, R. G.

1972-01-01

The design of the Coude spectrograph of the 2.7 m McDonald telescope is discussed. A description is given of the Coude scanner which uses the spectrograph optics, the configuration of the large echelle and the computer scanner control and data systems.

Cosmic very high-energy {gamma}-rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plaga, R. [Max-Planck-Institut fur Physik, Muenchen (Germany)

1998-12-31

The article gives a brief overview, aimed at nonspecialists, about the goals and selected recent results of the detection of very-high energy {gamma}-rays (energies above 100 GeV) with ground based detectors. The stress is on the physics questions, specially the origin of Galactic Cosmic Rays and the emission of TeV {gamma}-radiation from active galaxies. Moreover some particle-physics questions which are addressed in this area are discussed.

Yaku-cedar tells cosmic outbursts in ancient times. Anomalies of cosmic ray intensity in AD 774-775 and AD 993-994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyake, Fusa; Masuda, Kimiaki

2014-01-01

Measurements of cosmogenic nuclides, which are radioisotopes produced by cosmic rays in the atmosphere, provide important information regarding extraterrestrial high-energy events. We present 14 C measurements in annual rings of Japanese cedar trees with 1- and 2-year resolutions, and a finding of two sudden increases of 14 C content by significant amount from AD 774 to 775 and AD 993 to 994. The short-term increases of radioactive nuclide production were also found in tree rings of Europe and Antarctic ice core. This strongly indicates that the anomalies were not due to local terrestrial events, but triggered by cosmic outbursts that affected the whole planet. Several conjectures have been made upon the origin of the events, e.g. nearby supernovae (∼200 pc), Galactic short gamma-ray bursts, and violent solar mass ejections like SPEs (solar proton events) or super flares. We investigated energetics and the frequencies of occurrence of the phenomena, and demonstrate that SPE is likely to be the origin of the two 14 C increase events. Astrophysical significances and impact to modern human society are also discussed. (author)

Cosmic void clumps

Science.gov (United States)

Lares, M.; Luparello, H. E.; Garcia Lambas, D.; Ruiz, A. N.; Ceccarelli, L.; Paz, D.

2017-10-01

Cosmic voids are of great interest given their relation to the large scale distribution of mass and the way they trace cosmic flows shaping the cosmic web. Here we show that the distribution of voids has, in consonance with the distribution of mass, a characteristic scale at which void pairs are preferentially located. We identify clumps of voids with similar environments and use them to define second order underdensities. Also, we characterize its properties and analyze its impact on the cosmic microwave background.

Phono-spectrographic analysis of heart murmur in children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angerla Anna

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background More than 90% of heart murmurs in children are innocent. Frequently the skills of the first examiner are not adequate to differentiate between innocent and pathological murmurs. Our goal was to evaluate the value of a simple and low-cost phonocardiographic recording and analysis system in determining the characteristic features of heart murmurs in children and in distinguishing innocent systolic murmurs from pathological. Methods The system consisting of an electronic stethoscope and a multimedia laptop computer was used for the recording, monitoring and analysis of auscultation findings. The recorded sounds were examined graphically and numerically using combined phono-spectrograms. The data consisted of heart sound recordings from 807 pediatric patients, including 88 normal cases without any murmur, 447 innocent murmurs and 272 pathological murmurs. The phono-spectrographic features of heart murmurs were examined visually and numerically. From this database, 50 innocent vibratory murmurs, 25 innocent ejection murmurs and 50 easily confusable, mildly pathological systolic murmurs were selected to test whether quantitative phono-spectrographic analysis could be used as an accurate screening tool for systolic heart murmurs in children. Results The phono-spectrograms of the most common innocent and pathological murmurs were presented as examples of the whole data set. Typically, innocent murmurs had lower frequencies (below 200 Hz and a frequency spectrum with a more harmonic structure than pathological cases. Quantitative analysis revealed no significant differences in the duration of S1 and S2 or loudness of systolic murmurs between the pathological and physiological systolic murmurs. However, the pathological murmurs included both lower and higher frequencies than the physiological ones (p Conclusion Phono-spectrographic analysis improves the accuracy of primary heart murmur evaluation and educates inexperienced listener

Spectrographic determination of trace impurities in reactor grade aluminium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandola, L.C.; Machado, I.J.

1975-01-01

A spectrographic method enabling the determination of 21 trace impurities in aluminium oxide is described. The technique involves mixing the sample with graphite buffer in the ratio 1:1, loading it in a graphite electrode and arcing it for 30 sec. in a dc arc to 10 A current against a pointed graphite cathode. The spectra are photographed on Ilford N.30 emulsion employing a large quartz spectrograph. The aluminium line at 2669.2 A 0 serves as the internal standard. The impurities determined are Ag, B, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, In, Mg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Si, Sn, Ti, V and Zn. The sensitivity varies from 5 to 100 ppm and the precision from +- 5 to +- 22% for different elements. A method for converting aluminium metal to aluminium oxide is described. It is found that boron is not lost during this conversion. (author)

The glacial cycles and cosmic rays

CERN Document Server

Kirkby, Jasper; Müller, R A

2004-01-01

The cause of the glacial cycles remains a mystery. The origin is widely accepted to be astronomical since paleoclimatic archives contain strong spectral components that match the frequencies of Earth's orbital modulation. Milankovitch insolation theory contains similar frequencies and has become established as the standard model of the glacial cycles. However, high precision paleoclimatic data have revealed serious discrepancies with the Milankovitch model that fundamentally challenge its validity and re-open the question of what causes the glacial cycles. We propose here that the ice ages are initially driven not by insolation cycles but by cosmic ray changes, probably through their effect on clouds. This conclusion is based on a wide range of evidence, including results presented here on speleothem growth in caves in Austria and Oman, and on a record of cosmic ray flux over the past 220 kyr obtained from the 10Be composition of deep-ocean sediments.

Evolution of matter and energy on a cosmic and planetary scale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taube, M.

1985-01-01

This book covers the following topics: matter and energy; the interplay of elementary particles and elementary forces; the universe; how is it observed here and now; its past and possible future; the origin and nuclear evolution of matter; chemical evolution and the evolution of life; the cosmic phenomena; the eternal cycle of matter on the earth; the flow of energy on the earth; the biosphere; the coupling of matter and the flow of free energy; is the future development of mankind on this planet possible, and the distant future of mankind: terrestrial or cosmic

Spectrographic determination of impurities in ammonium bifluoride. III. Study of the processes of vaporization, transport and excitation of the elements Al, B, Cu and Cr

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alduan, F. A.; Roca, M.; Capdevila, C.

1979-01-01

The influences of the processes of vaporization, transport and excitation on the shape of the volatilization-excitation curves and on the values of the spectral-line intensities have been investigated in a method for the spectrographic determination of Al, B, Cu and Cr In ammonium bifluoride samples by direct current are excitation in Scribner type electrodes, with addition of different matrices (graphite, 63203, GeO 2 , MgO and Zn0). The reaction products in the electrode cavity have been identified by X-ray powder diffraction analysis and the percentages of vaporized and diffused element evaluated through analysis by total-burning spectrographic methods. In addition, the values of both the number of particles entering the discharge column and the transport efficiencies have been calculated. Thus, the origin of most observed differences has been explained. (Author) 11 refs

Cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tkachev, I.I.

2014-01-01

In this talk I will review results of cosmic ray observations at the highest energies. This year the new results on energy spectra, composition and the study of arrival directions of cosmic ray primaries came from the Telescope Array collaboration. I present these results in comparison with measurements done by other recent experiments and discuss their implications for the search of cosmic ray sources. Some related results in gamma-ray astronomy and selected recent advances in theory are also covered. (author)

Cosmic rays and terrestrial life: A brief review

Science.gov (United States)

Atri, Dimitra; Melott, Adrian L.

2014-01-01

“The investigation into the possible effects of cosmic rays on living organisms will also offer great interest.” - Victor F. Hess, Nobel Lecture, December 12, 1936 High-energy radiation bursts are commonplace in our Universe. From nearby solar flares to distant gamma ray bursts, a variety of physical processes accelerate charged particles to a wide range of energies, which subsequently reach the Earth. Such particles contribute to a number of physical processes occurring in the Earth system. A large fraction of the energy of charged particles gets deposited in the atmosphere, ionizing it, causing changes in its chemistry and affecting the global electric circuit. Remaining secondary particles contribute to the background dose of cosmic rays on the surface and parts of the subsurface region. Life has evolved over the past ∼3 billion years in presence of this background radiation, which itself has varied considerably during the period [1-3]. As demonstrated by the Miller-Urey experiment, lightning plays a very important role in the formation of complex organic molecules, which are the building blocks of more complex structures forming life. There is growing evidence of increase in the lightning rate with increasing flux of charged particles. Is there a connection between enhanced rate of cosmic rays and the origin of life? Cosmic ray secondaries are also known to damage DNA and cause mutations, leading to cancer and other diseases. It is now possible to compute radiation doses from secondary particles, in particular muons and neutrons. Have the variations in cosmic ray flux affected the evolution of life on earth? We describe the mechanisms of cosmic rays affecting terrestrial life and review the potential implications of the variation of high-energy astrophysical radiation on the history of life on earth.

About one of possible cosmic causes of extinction of organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kagramanov, Yu.R.

2004-01-01

Based on the analysis of diverse causes of extinction of organisms in the history of the Earth and a new hypothesis of cosmic origin of oil, a suggested new possible cause of such extinction is related to intoxication with hydrocarbons arriving from the outer space

Cosmic ray injection spectrum at the galactic sources

Science.gov (United States)

Lagutin, Anatoly; Tyumentsev, Alexander; Volkov, Nikolay

The spectra of cosmic rays measured at Earth are different from their source spectra. A key to understanding this difference, being crucial for solving the problem of cosmic-ray origin, is the determination of how cosmic-ray (CR) particles propagate through the turbulent interstellar medium (ISM). If the medium is a quasi-homogeneous the propagation process can be described by a normal diffusion model. However, during a last few decades many evidences, both from theory and observations, of the existence of multiscale structures in the Galaxy have been found. Filaments, shells, clouds are entities widely spread in the ISM. In such a highly non-homogeneous (fractal-like) ISM the normal diffusion model certainly is not kept valid. Generalization of this model leads to what is known as "anomalous diffusion". The main goal of the report is to retrieve the cosmic ray injection spectrum at the galactic sources in the framework of the anomalous diffusion (AD) model. The anomaly in this model results from large free paths ("Levy flights") of particles between galactic inhomogeneities. In order to evaluate the CR spectrum at the sources, we carried out new calculation of the CR spectra at Earth. AD equation in terms of fractional derivatives have been used to describe CR propagation from the nearby (r≤1 kpc) young (t≤ 1 Myr) and multiple old distant (r > 1 kpc) sources. The assessment of the key model parameters have been based on the results of the particles diffusion in the cosmic and laboratory plasma. We show that in the framework of the anomalous diffusion model the locally observed basic features of the cosmic rays (difference between spectral exponents of proton, He and other nuclei, "knee" problem, positron to electron ratio) can be explained if the injection spectrum at the main galactic sources of cosmic rays has spectral exponent p˜ 2.85. The authors acknowledge support from The Russian Foundation for Basic Research grant No. 14-02-31524.

DNDO Report: Predicting Solar Modulation Potentials for Modeling Cosmic Background Radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Behne, Patrick Alan [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-08-08

The modeling of the detectability of special nuclear material (SNM) at ports and border crossings requires accurate knowledge of the background radiation at those locations. Background radiation originates from two main sources, cosmic and terrestrial. Cosmic background is produced by high-energy galactic cosmic rays (GCR) entering the atmosphere and inducing a cascade of particles that eventually impact the earth’s surface. The solar modulation potential represents one of the primary inputs to modeling cosmic background radiation. Usosokin et al. formally define solar modulation potential as “the mean energy loss [per unit charge] of a cosmic ray particle inside the heliosphere…” Modulation potential, a function of elevation, location, and time, shares an inverse relationship with cosmic background radiation. As a result, radiation detector thresholds require adjustment to account for differing background levels, caused partly by differing solar modulations. Failure to do so can result in higher rates of false positives and failed detection of SNM for low and high levels of solar modulation potential, respectively. This study focuses on solar modulation’s time dependence, and seeks the best method to predict modulation for future dates using Python. To address the task of predicting future solar modulation, we utilize both non-linear least squares sinusoidal curve fitting and cubic spline interpolation. This material will be published in transactions of the ANS winter meeting of November, 2016.

Field Raman Spectrograph for Environmental Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sylvia, J.M.; Haas, J.W.; Spencer, K.M.; Carrabba, M.M.; Rauh, R.D.; Forney, R.W.; Johnston, T.M.

1998-01-01

The widespread contamination found across the US Department of Energy (DOE) complex has received considerable attention from the government and public alike. A massive site characterization and cleanup effort has been underway for several years and is expected to continue for several decades more. The scope of the cleanup effort ranges from soil excavation and treatment to complete dismantling and decontamination of whole buildings. To its credit, DOE has supported research and development of new technologies to speed up and reduce the cost of this effort. One area in particular has been the development of portable instrumentation that can be used to perform analytical measurements in the field. This approach provides timely data to decision makers and eliminates the expense, delays, and uncertainties of sample preservation, transport, storage, and laboratory analysis. In this program, we have developed and demonstrated in the field a transportable, high performance Raman spectrograph that can be used to detect and identify contaminants in a variety of scenarios. With no moving parts, the spectrograph is rugged and can perform many Raman measurements in situ with flexible fiber optic sampling probes. The instrument operates under computer control and a software package has been developed to collect and process spectral data. A collection of Raman spectra for 200 contaminants of DOE importance has been compiled in a searchable format to assist in the identification of unknown contaminants in the field

Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: B-mode component separation

Science.gov (United States)

Remazeilles, M.; Banday, A. J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Basak, S.; Bonaldi, A.; De Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Dickinson, C.; Eriksen, H. K.; Errard, J.; Fernandez-Cobos, R.; Fuskeland, U.; Hervías-Caimapo, C.; López-Caniego, M.; Martinez-González, E.; Roman, M.; Vielva, P.; Wehus, I.; Achucarro, A.; Ade, P.; Allison, R.; Ashdown, M.; Ballardini, M.; Banerji, R.; Bartlett, J.; Bartolo, N.; Baumann, D.; Bersanelli, M.; Bonato, M.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F.; Boulanger, F.; Brinckmann, T.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Buzzelli, A.; Cai, Z.-Y.; Calvo, M.; Carvalho, C.-S.; Castellano, G.; Challinor, A.; Chluba, J.; Clesse, S.; Colantoni, I.; Coppolecchia, A.; Crook, M.; D'Alessandro, G.; de Bernardis, P.; de Gasperis, G.; Diego, J.-M.; Di Valentino, E.; Feeney, S.; Ferraro, S.; Finelli, F.; Forastieri, F.; Galli, S.; Genova-Santos, R.; Gerbino, M.; González-Nuevo, J.; Grandis, S.; Greenslade, J.; Hagstotz, S.; Hanany, S.; Handley, W.; Hernandez-Monteagudo, C.; Hills, M.; Hivon, E.; Kiiveri, K.; Kisner, T.; Kitching, T.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lamagna, L.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Lesgourgues, J.; Lewis, A.; Liguori, M.; Lindholm, V.; Luzzi, G.; Maffei, B.; Martins, C. J. A. P.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; McCarthy, D.; Melin, J.-B.; Melchiorri, A.; Molinari, D.; Monfardini, A.; Natoli, P.; Negrello, M.; Notari, A.; Paiella, A.; Paoletti, D.; Patanchon, G.; Piat, M.; Pisano, G.; Polastri, L.; Polenta, G.; Pollo, A.; Poulin, V.; Quartin, M.; Rubino-Martin, J.-A.; Salvati, L.; Tartari, A.; Tomasi, M.; Tramonte, D.; Trappe, N.; Trombetti, T.; Tucker, C.; Valiviita, J.; Van de Weijgaert, R.; van Tent, B.; Vennin, V.; Vittorio, N.; Young, K.; Zannoni, M.

2018-04-01

We demonstrate that, for the baseline design of the CORE satellite mission, the polarized foregrounds can be controlled at the level required to allow the detection of the primordial cosmic microwave background (CMB) B-mode polarization with the desired accuracy at both reionization and recombination scales, for tensor-to-scalar ratio values of rgtrsim 5× 10‑3. We consider detailed sky simulations based on state-of-the-art CMB observations that consist of CMB polarization with τ=0.055 and tensor-to-scalar values ranging from r=10‑2 to 10‑3, Galactic synchrotron, and thermal dust polarization with variable spectral indices over the sky, polarized anomalous microwave emission, polarized infrared and radio sources, and gravitational lensing effects. Using both parametric and blind approaches, we perform full component separation and likelihood analysis of the simulations, allowing us to quantify both uncertainties and biases on the reconstructed primordial B-modes. Under the assumption of perfect control of lensing effects, CORE would measure an unbiased estimate of r=(5 ± 0.4)× 10‑3 after foreground cleaning. In the presence of both gravitational lensing effects and astrophysical foregrounds, the significance of the detection is lowered, with CORE achieving a 4σ-measurement of r=5× 10‑3 after foreground cleaning and 60% delensing. For lower tensor-to-scalar ratios (r=10‑3) the overall uncertainty on r is dominated by foreground residuals, not by the 40% residual of lensing cosmic variance. Moreover, the residual contribution of unprocessed polarized point-sources can be the dominant foreground contamination to primordial B-modes at this r level, even on relatively large angular scales, l ~ 50. Finally, we report two sources of potential bias for the detection of the primordial B-modes by future CMB experiments: (i) the use of incorrect foreground models, e.g. a modelling error of Δβs = 0.02 on the synchrotron spectral indices may result in an

Spectrographic determination of impurities in ammonium bifluoride. IV.Study of the processes of vaporization, transport and excitation of the elements Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb and Si

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alduan, F.A.; Capdevila, C.; Roca, M.

1981-01-01

The influences of the processes of vaporization, transport and excitation on the shape of the volatilization-excitation curves and on the values of the spectra-line intensities have been investigated in a method for the spectrographic determination of Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb and Si in ammonium bifluoride samples by direct current arc Ga 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , MgO and ZnO. The reaction products in the electrode cavity have been identified by X-ray powder diffraction analysis and the porcentages of vaporized and diffused element evaluated through analysis by total-burning spectrographic methods. In addition, the values of both the number of particles entering the discharge column and the transport efficiencies have been calculated. Thus, the origin of most observed differences has been explained. (author)

Laboratory Testing and Performance Verification of the CHARIS Integral Field Spectrograph

Science.gov (United States)

Groff, Tyler D.; Chilcote, Jeffrey; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Galvin, Michael; Loomis, Craig; Carr, Michael A.; Brandt, Timothy; Knapp, Gillian; Limbach, Mary Anne; Guyon, Olivier;

Origin of galaxies: a review of recent theoretical developments and their confrontation with observation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, B.J.T.

1976-01-01

The subject of galaxy formation has advanced considerably during the past decade. On the theoretical side two theories in particular were developed to the point where confrontation with observation will be possible; these are the ''gravitational instability picture'' and the ''cosmic turbulence theory.'' These theories are discussed at some length, with particular attention to the question of the origin of cosmic angular momentum and the nature of the initial conditions. There is now a considerable body of data on galaxies; the problem is in deciding which kind of observation is most relevant to understanding the origin of galaxies. Throughout the review an attempt is made both to put the present research in its historical perspective and to stress the possibilities for future advances towards the goal of understanding the origin of cosmic structure

Origins Space Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Cooray, Asantha; Origins Space Telescope Study Team

2018-01-01

The Origins Space Telescope (OST) is the mission concept for the Far-Infrared Surveyor, a study in development by NASA in preparation for the 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey. Origins is planned to be a large aperture, actively-cooled telescope covering a wide span of the mid- to far-infrared spectrum. Its spectrographs will enable 3D surveys of the sky that will discover and characterize the most distant galaxies, Milky-Way, exoplanets, and the outer reaches of our Solar system. Origins will enable flagship-quality general observing programs led by the astronomical community in the 2030s. The Science and Technology Definition Team (STDT) would like to hear your science needs and ideas for this mission. The team can be contacted at firsurveyor_info@lists.ipac.caltech.edu. This presentation will provide a summary of the OST STDT, our completed first mission concept and an introduction to the second concept that will be studied at the study center in 2018. This presentation will also summarize key science drivers and the key study milestones between 2018 and 2020.

Quantum statistical entropy corresponding to cosmic horizon in five-dimensional spacetime

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2008-01-01

The generalized uncertainty relation is introduced to calculate the quantum statis-tical entropy corresponding to cosmic horizon. By using the new equation of state density motivated by the generalized uncertainty relation, we discuss entropies of Bose field and Fermi field on the background of five-dimensional spacetime. In our calculation, we need not introduce cutoff. There is no divergent logarithmic term in the original brick-wall method. And it is obtained that the quantum statistical en-tropy corresponding to cosmic horizon is proportional to the area of the horizon. Further it is shown that the entropy corresponding to cosmic horizon is the entropy of quantum state on the surface of horizon. The black hole’s entropy is the intrinsic property of the black hole. The entropy is a quantum effect. In our calculation, by using the quantum statistical method, we obtain the partition function of Bose field and Fermi field on the background of five-dimensional spacetime. We provide a way to study the quantum statistical entropy corresponding to cosmic horizon in the higher-dimensional spacetime.

The spectrographic orbit of the eclipsing binary HH Carinae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mandrini, C.H.; Mendez, R.H.; Niemela, V.S.; Ferrer, O.E.

1985-01-01

We present a radial velocity study of the eclipsing binary system HH Carinae, and determine for the first time its spectrographic orbital elements. Using the results of a previous photometric study by Soderhjelm, we also determine the values of the masses and dimensions of the binary components. (author)

Selected Theoretical Studies Group contributions to the 14th International Cosmic Ray conference. [including studies on galactic molecular hydrogen, interstellar reddening, and on the origin of cosmic rays

Science.gov (United States)

1975-01-01

The galactic distribution of H2 was studied through gamma radiation and through X-ray, optical, and infrared absorption measurements from SAS-2 and other sources. A comparison of the latitude distribution of gamma-ray intensity with reddening data shows reddening data to give the best estimate of interstellar gas in the solar vicinity. The distribution of galactic cosmic ray nucleons was determined and appears to be identical to the supernova remnant distribution. Interactions between ultrahigh energy cosmic-ray nuclei and intergalactic photon radiation fields were calculated, using the Monte Carlo method.

Insights into the Galactic Cosmic-ray Source from the TIGER Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Link, Jason T.; Barbier, L. M.; Binns, W. R.; Christian, E. R.; Cummings, J. R.; Geier, S.; Israel, M. H.; Lodders, K.; Mewaldt,R. A.; Mitchell, J. W.;

Probing the Cosmic X-Ray and MeV Gamma-Ray Background Radiation through the Anisotropy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inoue, Yoshiyuki [Stanford Univ., CA (United States). Kavli Inst. for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology; SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); Murase, Kohta [Inst. for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ (United States). School of Natural Sciences; Madejski, Grzegorz M. [Stanford Univ., CA (United States). Kavli Inst. for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology; SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); Uchiyama, Yasunobu [Stanford Univ., CA (United States). Kavli Inst. for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology; SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); Rikkyo Univ., Tokyo (Japan). Dept. of Physics

2013-09-24

While the cosmic soft X-ray background is very likely to originate from individual Seyfert galaxies, the origin of the cosmic hard X-ray and MeV gamma-ray background is not fully understood. It is expected that Seyferts including Compton thick population may explain the cosmic hard X-ray background. At MeV energy range, Seyferts having non-thermal electrons in coronae above accretion disks or MeV blazars may explain the background radiation. We propose that future measurements of the angular power spectra of anisotropy of the cosmic X-ray and MeV gamma-ray backgrounds will be key to deciphering these backgrounds and the evolution of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). As AGNs trace the cosmic large-scale structure, spatial clustering of AGNs exists. We show that e-ROSITA will clearly detect the correlation signal of unresolved Seyferts at 0.5-2 keV and 2-10 keV bands and will be able to measure the bias parameter of AGNs at both bands. Once the future hard X-ray all sky satellites achieve the sensitivity better than 10^-12 erg/cm²/s^-1 at 10-30 keV or 30-50 keV - although this is beyond the sensitivities of current hard X-ray all sky monitors - angular power spectra will allow us to independently investigate the fraction of Compton-thick AGNs in all Seyferts. We also find that the expected angular power spectra of Seyferts and blazars in the MeV range are different by about an order of magnitude, where the Poisson term, so-called shot noise, is dominant. Current and future MeV instruments will clearly disentangle the origin of the MeV gamma-ray background through the angular power spectrum.

Probing the cosmic x-ray and MeV gamma ray background radiation through the anisotropy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inoue, Yoshiyuki [Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Murase, Kohta [Inst. for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ (United States); Madejski, Grzegorz M. [Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Uchiyama, Yasunobu [Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Rikkyo Univ., Tokyo (Japan)

2013-09-24

While the cosmic soft X-ray background is very likely to originate from individual Seyfert galaxies, the origin of the cosmic hard X-ray and MeV gamma-ray background is not fully understood. It is expected that Seyferts including Compton thick population may explain the cosmic hard X-ray background. At MeV energy range, Seyferts having non-thermal electrons in coronae above accretion disks or MeV blazars may explain the background radiation. We propose that future measurements of the angular power spectra of anisotropy of the cosmic X-ray and MeV gamma-ray backgrounds will be key to deciphering these backgrounds and the evolution of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). As AGNs trace the cosmic large-scale structure, spatial clustering of AGNs exists. We show that e-ROSITA will clearly detect the correlation signal of unresolved Seyferts at 0.5-2 keV and 2-10 keV bands and will be able to measure the bias parameter of AGNs at both bands. Once future hard X-ray all sky satellites achieve a sensitivity better than 10–12 erg cm–2 s–1 at 10-30 keV or 30-50 keV—although this is beyond the sensitivities of current hard X-ray all sky monitors—angular power spectra will allow us to independently investigate the fraction of Compton-thick AGNs in all Seyferts. We also find that the expected angular power spectra of Seyferts and blazars in the MeV range are different by about an order of magnitude, where the Poisson term, so-called shot noise, is dominant. Current and future MeV instruments will clearly disentangle the origin of the MeV gamma-ray background through the angular power spectrum.

An echelle spectrograph for middle ultraviolet solar spectroscopy from rockets.

Science.gov (United States)

Tousey, R; Purcell, J D; Garrett, D L

1967-03-01

An echelle grating spectrograph is ideal for use in a rocket when high resolution is required becaus itoccupies a minimum of space. The instrument described covers the range 4000-2000 A with a resolution of 0.03 A. It was designed to fit into the solar biaxial pointing-control section of an Aerobee-150 rocket. The characteristics of the spectrograph are illustrated with laboratory spectra of iron and carbon are sources and with solar spectra obtained during rocket flights in 1961 and 1964. Problems encountered in analyzing the spectra are discussed. The most difficult design problem was the elimination of stray light when used with the sun. Of the several methods investigated, the most effective was a predispersing system in the form of a zero-dispersion double monochromator. This was made compact by folding the beam four times.

Hypervelocity Microparticle Impact Studies: Simulating Cosmic Dust Impacts on the Dustbuster

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, D. E.; Manning, H. L. K.; Bailey, C. L.; Farnsworth, J. T.; Ahrens, T. J.; Beauchamp, J. L.

2002-01-01

Iron and copper microparticles accelerated to 2-20 km/s in a 2 MV Van de Graaff accelerator were used to test a recently-developed cosmic dust mass spectrometer, known as the Dustbuster. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Spectrographic analysis of waste waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alvarez Alduan, F.; Capdevila, C.

1979-01-01

The Influence of sodium and calcium, up to a maximum concentration of 1000 mg/1 Na and 300 mg/1 Ca, in the spectrographic determination of Cr, Cu, Fe,Mn and Pb in waste waters using graphite spark excitation has been studied. In order to eliminate this influence, each of the elements Ba, Cs, In, La, Li, Sr and Ti, as well as a mixture containing 5% Li-50% Ti, have been tested as spectrochemical buffers. This mixture allows to obtain an accuracy better than 25%. Sodium and calcium enhance the line intensities of impurities, when using graphite or gold electrodes, but they produce an opposite effect if copper or silver electrodes are used. (Author) 1 refs

What is cosmic radiation?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

The earth was indeed receiving ionizing radiations from the heavens. This cosmic radiation consists of particles travelling near the speed of light. It consists of two components, the first of which is permanent and of galactic origin, while the other is more sporadic, depending on the sun's activities. Natural land-based sources expose each of us to an average total dose of 2.4 mSv per year (source UNSCEAR). In addition, the human activities using ionizing radiation contribute to an average annual exposure of 1.4 mSv, originating primarily with medical activities ( radiodiagnostic and radiation therapy). Members of flights crew are subject to exposure. The total dose of cosmic radiation received is is directly proportional with the duration of exposure, and thus with the duration of the flight. Measurement taken on board aircraft during the 1990's showed that flight personnel (on long haul flights) receive an average dose of approximately the same magnitude as the one due to exposure to natural radioactivity in France. The damage caused by ionizing radiation depends on the quantity of energy released by radiation into the cells of each organ or tissue of the human body(exposure dose). For a given quantity of absorbed energy (dose expressed in Gray), the damage will vary according to the nature of the radiation and the affected organ. These effects are of two types: acute effects and deferred effects. Two measurements are essential for radiation protection: the measurements of the dose of radiation absorbed by the body and the assessment of the risk associated with the absorbed dose. Two units were thus created: the gray and the sievert. (N.C.)

High-energy cosmic ray nuclei from tidal disruption events: Origin, survival, and implications

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, B. Theodore; Murase, Kohta; Oikonomou, Foteini; Li, Zhuo

2017-09-01

Tidal disruption events (TDEs) by supermassive or intermediate mass black holes have been suggested as candidate sources of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) and high-energy neutrinos. Motivated by the recent measurements from the Pierre Auger Observatory, which indicates a metal-rich cosmic-ray composition at ultrahigh energies, we investigate the fate of UHECR nuclei loaded in TDE jets. First, we consider the production and survival of UHECR nuclei at internal shocks, external forward and reverse shocks, and nonrelativistic winds. Based on the observations of Swift J 1644 +57 , we show that the UHECRs can survive for external reverse and forward shocks, and disk winds. On the other hand, UHECR nuclei are significantly disintegrated in internal shocks, although they could survive for low-luminosity TDE jets. Assuming that UHECR nuclei can survive, we consider implications of different composition models of TDEs. We find that the tidal disruption of main sequence stars or carbon-oxygen white dwarfs does not successfully reproduce UHECR observations, namely the observed composition or spectrum. The observed mean depth of the shower maximum and its deviation could be explained by oxygen-neon-magnesium white dwarfs, although they may be too rare to be the sources of UHECRs.

Our Cosmic Insignificance

Science.gov (United States)

Kahane, Guy

2014-01-01

The universe that surrounds us is vast, and we are so very small. When we reflect on the vastness of the universe, our humdrum cosmic location, and the inevitable future demise of humanity, our lives can seem utterly insignificant. Many philosophers assume that such worries about our significance reflect a banal metaethical confusion. They dismiss the very idea of cosmic significance. This, I argue, is a mistake. Worries about cosmic insignificance do not express metaethical worries about objectivity or nihilism, and we can make good sense of the idea of cosmic significance and its absence. It is also possible to explain why the vastness of the universe can make us feel insignificant. This impression does turn out to be mistaken, but not for the reasons typically assumed. In fact, we might be of immense cosmic significance—though we cannot, at this point, tell whether this is the case. PMID:25729095

Synthetic nebular emission from massive galaxies - I: origin of the cosmic evolution of optical emission-line ratios

Science.gov (United States)

Hirschmann, Michaela; Charlot, Stephane; Feltre, Anna; Naab, Thorsten; Choi, Ena; Ostriker, Jeremiah P.; Somerville, Rachel S.

2017-12-01

Galaxies occupy different regions of the [O III]λ5007/H β-versus-[N II]λ6584/H α emission-line ratio diagram in the distant and local Universe. We investigate the origin of this intriguing result by modelling self-consistently, for the first time, nebular emission from young stars, accreting black holes (BHs) and older, post-asymptotic giant branch (post-AGB) stellar populations in galaxy formation simulations in a full cosmological context. In post-processing, we couple new-generation nebular-emission models with high-resolution, cosmological zoom-in simulations of massive galaxies to explore which galaxy physical properties drive the redshift evolution of the optical-line ratios [O III]λ5007/H β, [N II]λ6584/H α, [S II]λλ6717, 6731/H α and [O I]λ6300/H α. The line ratios of simulated galaxies agree well with observations of both star-forming and active local Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxies. Towards higher redshifts, at fixed galaxy stellar mass, the average [O III]/H β is predicted to increase and [N II]/H α, [S II]/H α and [O I]/H α to decrease - widely consistent with observations. At fixed stellar mass, we identify star formation history, which controls nebular emission from young stars via the ionization parameter, as the primary driver of the cosmic evolution of [O III]/H β and [N II]/H α. For [S II]/H α and [O I]/H α, this applies only to redshifts greater than z = 1.5, the evolution at lower redshift being driven in roughly equal parts by nebular emission from active galactic nuclei and post-AGB stellar populations. Instead, changes in the hardness of ionizing radiation, ionized-gas density, the prevalence of BH accretion relative to star formation and the dust-to-metal mass ratio (whose impact on the gas-phase N/O ratio we model at fixed O/H) play at most a minor role in the cosmic evolution of simulated galaxy line ratios.

GEMINI NEAR INFRARED FIELD SPECTROGRAPH OBSERVATIONS OF THE SEYFERT 2 GALAXY MRK 573: IN SITU ACCELERATION OF IONIZED AND MOLECULAR GAS OFF FUELING FLOWS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fischer, Travis C.; Straughn, A. N. [Astrophysics Science Division, Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 665, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Machuca, C.; Crenshaw, D. M.; Baron, F.; Revalski, M.; Pope, C. L. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University, Astronomy Offices, 25 Park Place, Suite 605, Atlanta, GA 30303 (United States); Diniz, M. R.; Riffel, R. A. [Departamento de Física, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS (Brazil); Kraemer, S. B. [Institute for Astrophysics and Computational Sciences, Department of Physics, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064 (United States); Schmitt, H. R. [Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Storchi-Bergmann, T., E-mail: travis.c.fischer@nasa.gov [Departamento de Astronomia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, IF, CP 15051, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil)

2017-01-01

We present near-infrared and optical emission-line and stellar kinematics of the Seyfert 2 galaxy Mrk 573 using the Near-Infrared Field Spectrograph (NIFS) at Gemini North and Dual Imaging Spectrograph at Apache Point Observatory, respectively. By obtaining full kinematic maps of the infrared ionized and molecular gas and stellar kinematics in a ∼700 × 2100 pc{sup 2} circumnuclear region of Mrk 573, we find that kinematics within the Narrow-Line Region are largely due to a combination of both rotation and in situ acceleration of material originating in the host disk. Combining these observations with large-scale, optical long-slit spectroscopy that traces ionized gas emission out to several kpcs, we find that rotation kinematics dominate the majority of the gas. We find that outflowing gas extends to distances less than 1 kpc, suggesting that outflows in Seyfert galaxies may not be powerful enough to evacuate their entire bulges.

Gemini Near Infrared Field Spectrograph Observations of the Seyfert 2 Galaxy MRK 573: In Situ Acceleration of Ionized and Molecular Gas Off Fueling Flows

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Travis C.; Machuca, C.; Diniz, M. R.; Crenshaw, D. M.; Kraemer, S. B.; Riffel, R. A.; Schmitt, H. R.; Baron, F.; Storchi-Bergmann, T.; Straughn, A. N.;

Proton polarimetry using an Enge split-pole spectrograph

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moss, J M; Brown, D R; Cornelius, W D [Texas Agricultural and Mechanical Univ., College Station (USA). Cyclotron Inst.

1976-05-15

A high-efficiency (4 x 10/sup -5/ at A=0.4) high resolution (150 keV) polarimeter used in conjunction with an Enge split-pole spectrograph is described. This device permits for the first time polarization transfer studies in elastic scattering. Spectra are shown for /sup 11/B(p(pol),p(pol)')/sup 11/B (2.14 MeV)at Esub(p)=31 MeV.

Large Scale Anomalies of the Cosmic Microwave Background with Planck

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frejsel, Anne Mette

This thesis focuses on the large scale anomalies of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and their possible origins. The investigations consist of two main parts. The first part is on statistical tests of the CMB, and the consistency of both maps and power spectrum. We find that the Planck data...

Micro photometer's automation for quantitative spectrograph analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gutierrez E, C.Y.A.

1996-01-01

A Microphotometer is used to increase the sharpness of dark spectral lines. Analyzing these lines one sample content and its concentration could be determined and the analysis is known as Quantitative Spectrographic Analysis. The Quantitative Spectrographic Analysis is carried out in 3 steps, as follows. 1. Emulsion calibration. This consists of gauging a photographic emulsion, to determine the intensity variations in terms of the incident radiation. For the procedure of emulsion calibration an adjustment with square minimum to the data obtained is applied to obtain a graph. It is possible to determine the density of dark spectral line against the incident light intensity shown by the microphotometer. 2. Working curves. The values of known concentration of an element against incident light intensity are plotted. Since the sample contains several elements, it is necessary to find a work curve for each one of them. 3. Analytical results. The calibration curve and working curves are compared and the concentration of the studied element is determined. The automatic data acquisition, calculation and obtaining of resulting, is done by means of a computer (PC) and a computer program. The conditioning signal circuits have the function of delivering TTL levels (Transistor Transistor Logic) to make the communication between the microphotometer and the computer possible. Data calculation is done using a computer programm

First observations from a CCD all-sky spectrograph at Barentsburg (Spitsbergen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. Chernouss

2008-05-01

Full Text Available A digital CCD all-sky spectrograph was made by the Polar Geophysical Institute (PGI to support IPY activity in auroral research. The device was tested at the Barentsburg observatory of PGI during the winter season of 2005–2006. The spectrograph is based on a cooled CCD and a transmission grating. The main features of this spectrograph are: a wide field of view (~180°, a wide spectral range (380–740 nm, a spectral resolution of 0.6 nm, a background level of about 100 R at 1-min exposure time. Several thousand spectra of nightglow and aurora were recorded during the observation season. It was possible to register both the strong auroral emissions, as well as weak ones. Spectra of aurora, including nitrogen and oxygen molecular and atomic emissions, as well as OH emissions of the nightglow are shown. A comparison has been conducted of auroral spectra obtained by the film all-sky spectral camera C-180-S at Spitsbergen during IGY, with spectra obtained at Barentsburg during the last winter season. The relationship between the red (630.0 nm and green (557.7 nm auroral emissions shows that the green emission is dominant near the minimum of the solar cycle activity (2005–2006. The opposite situation is observed during 1958–1959, with a maximum solar cycle activity.

Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Gravitational lensing of the CMB

Science.gov (United States)

Challinor, A.; Allison, R.; Carron, J.; Errard, J.; Feeney, S.; Kitching, T.; Lesgourgues, J.; Lewis, A.; Zubeldía, Í.; Achucarro, A.; Ade, P.; Ashdown, M.; Ballardini, M.; Banday, A. J.; Banerji, R.; Bartlett, J.; Bartolo, N.; Basak, S.; Baumann, D.; Bersanelli, M.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonato, M.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F.; Boulanger, F.; Brinckmann, T.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Buzzelli, A.; Cai, Z.-Y.; Calvo, M.; Carvalho, C.-S.; Castellano, G.; Chluba, J.; Clesse, S.; Colantoni, I.; Coppolecchia, A.; Crook, M.; d'Alessandro, G.; de Bernardis, P.; de Gasperis, G.; De Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Di Valentino, E.; Diego, J.-M.; Fernandez-Cobos, R.; Ferraro, S.; Finelli, F.; Forastieri, F.; Galli, S.; Genova-Santos, R.; Gerbino, M.; González-Nuevo, J.; Grandis, S.; Greenslade, J.; Hagstotz, S.; Hanany, S.; Handley, W.; Hernandez-Monteagudo, C.; Hervías-Caimapo, C.; Hills, M.; Hivon, E.; Kiiveri, K.; Kisner, T.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lamagna, L.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Liguori, M.; Lindholm, V.; López-Caniego, M.; Luzzi, G.; Maffei, B.; Martinez-González, E.; Martins, C. J. A. P.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; McCarthy, D.; Melchiorri, A.; Melin, J.-B.; Molinari, D.; Monfardini, A.; Natoli, P.; Negrello, M.; Notari, A.; Paiella, A.; Paoletti, D.; Patanchon, G.; Piat, M.; Pisano, G.; Polastri, L.; Polenta, G.; Pollo, A.; Poulin, V.; Quartin, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Roman, M.; Rubino-Martin, J.-A.; Salvati, L.; Tartari, A.; Tomasi, M.; Tramonte, D.; Trappe, N.; Trombetti, T.; Tucker, C.; Valiviita, J.; Van de Weijgaert, R.; van Tent, B.; Vennin, V.; Vielva, P.; Vittorio, N.; Young, K.; Zannoni, M.

2018-04-01

Lensing of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) is now a well-developed probe of the clustering of the large-scale mass distribution over a broad range of redshifts. By exploiting the non-Gaussian imprints of lensing in the polarization of the CMB, the CORE mission will allow production of a clean map of the lensing deflections over nearly the full-sky. The number of high-S/N modes in this map will exceed current CMB lensing maps by a factor of 40, and the measurement will be sample-variance limited on all scales where linear theory is valid. Here, we summarise this mission product and discuss the science that will follow from its power spectrum and the cross-correlation with other clustering data. For example, the summed mass of neutrinos will be determined to an accuracy of 17 meV combining CORE lensing and CMB two-point information with contemporaneous measurements of the baryon acoustic oscillation feature in the clustering of galaxies, three times smaller than the minimum total mass allowed by neutrino oscillation measurements. Lensing has applications across many other science goals of CORE, including the search for B-mode polarization from primordial gravitational waves. Here, lens-induced B-modes will dominate over instrument noise, limiting constraints on the power spectrum amplitude of primordial gravitational waves. With lensing reconstructed by CORE, one can "delens" the observed polarization internally, reducing the lensing B-mode power by 60 %. This can be improved to 70 % by combining lensing and measurements of the cosmic infrared background from CORE, leading to an improvement of a factor of 2.5 in the error on the amplitude of primordial gravitational waves compared to no delensing (in the null hypothesis of no primordial B-modes). Lensing measurements from CORE will allow calibration of the halo masses of the tens of thousands of galaxy clusters that it will find, with constraints dominated by the clean polarization-based estimators. The 19

A cosmic microwave background feature consistent with a cosmic texture.

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, M; Turok, N; Vielva, P; Martínez-González, E; Hobson, M

2007-12-07

The Cosmic Microwave Background provides our most ancient image of the universe and our best tool for studying its early evolution. Theories of high-energy physics predict the formation of various types of topological defects in the very early universe, including cosmic texture, which would generate hot and cold spots in the Cosmic Microwave Background. We show through a Bayesian statistical analysis that the most prominent 5 degrees -radius cold spot observed in all-sky images, which is otherwise hard to explain, is compatible with having being caused by a texture. From this model, we constrain the fundamental symmetry-breaking energy scale to be (0) approximately 8.7 x 10(15) gigaelectron volts. If confirmed, this detection of a cosmic defect will probe physics at energies exceeding any conceivable terrestrial experiment.

Cosmic Microwave Background Timeline

Science.gov (United States)

Cosmic Microwave Background Timeline 1934 : Richard Tolman shows that blackbody radiation in an will have a blackbody cosmic microwave background with temperature about 5 K 1955: Tigran Shmaonov anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background, this strongly supports the big bang model with gravitational

Light scattering by cosmic particles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hovenier, J.W.; Min, M.

2008-01-01

We define cosmic particles as particles outside the Earth. Two types of cosmic particles can be distinguished, namely liquid and solid particles. The solid particles are often called grains or cosmic dust particles. Cosmic particles occur in a great variety of astronomical objects and environments.

Distortions in the Rayleigh-Jeans region of the cosmic background radiation spectrum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Zotti, G.

1982-01-01

The theory of the origin and evolution of distortions in the Rayleigh-Jeans region of the cosmic background radiation spectrum is reviewed. Some proposed experiments, designed to substantially improve our knowledge of that portion of the spectrum, are briefly described. (author)

Spectrographic determination of impurities in copper and copper oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabato, S.F.; Lordello, A.R.

1990-11-01

An emission spectrographic method for the determination of Al, Bi, Ca, Cd, Cr, Fe, Ge, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Si, Sn and Zn in copper and copper oxide is described. Two mixtures (Graphite and ZnO: graphite and GeO sub(2)) were used as buffers. The standard deviation lies around 10%. (author)

Cosmic strings and galaxy formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertschinger, E.

1989-01-01

Cosmic strings have become increasingly popular candidates as seeds for the formation of structure in the universe. This scenario, remains a serious cosmogonical model despite close scrutiny. In constrast, magnetic monopoles and domain walls - relic topological defects as are cosmic strings - are disastrous for cosmology if they are left over from the early universe. The production of heavy cosmic strings is speculative, as it depends on the details of ultrahigh energy physics. Fortunately, speculation about cosmic strings is not entirely idle because, if they exist and are heavy enough to seed galaxy formation, cosmic strings can be detected astronomically. Failure to detect cosmic strings would impose some constraints on grand unified theories (GUTs); their discovery would have exciting consequences for high energy physics and cosmology. This article reviews the basic physics of nonsuperconducting cosmic strings, highlighting the field theory aspects, and provides a progress report on calculations of structure formation with cosmic strings

Initial results from the fast imaging solar spectrograph (FISS)

CERN Document Server

2015-01-01

This collection of papers describes the instrument and initial results obtained from the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS),  one of the post-focus instruments of the 1.6 meter New Solar Telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory. The FISS primarily aims at investigating structures and dynamics of  chromospheric features. This instrument is a dual-band Echelle spectrograph optimized for the simultaneous recording of the H I 656.3 nm band and the Ca II 854.2 nm band. The imaging is done with the fast raster scan realized by the linear motion of a two-mirror scanner, and its quality is determined by the performance of the adaptive optics of the telescope.    These papers illustrate the capability of the early FISS observations in the study of chromospheric features. Since the imaging quality has been improved a lot with the advance of the adaptive optics, one can obtain much better data with the current FISS observations.        This volume is aimed at graduate students and researchers working in...

Cosmic ray observations of Cygnus X-3: some theoretical implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaisser, T.K.; Halzen, F.

1986-01-01

We describe how the discovery of surface showers from Cygnus X-3 and other compact X-ray binaries may resolve the long-standing question of the origin of cosmic rays above 10 15 eV. In contrast, we show how possible underground muon observations raise rather than answer questions. 5 figs.; 17 refs

Calculation of cosmic ray induced single event upsets: Program CRUP (Cosmic Ray Upset Program)

Science.gov (United States)

Shapiro, P.

1983-09-01

This report documents PROGRAM CRUP, COSMIC RAY UPSET PROGRAM. The computer program calculates cosmic ray induced single-event error rates in microelectronic circuits exposed to several representative cosmic-ray environments.

Propagation of cosmic rays in the Earth's atmosphere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Putze, Antje [LPSC-CNRS-IN2P3, 53, avenue des Martyrs, 38021 Grenoble cedex (France)

2006-06-15

Cosmic rays are composed of charged particles, which arrive after a long travel through the Galaxy on Earth. Supernova explosions are considered to be galactic sources, which accelerate these particles up to energies around 10{sup 18} eV. Beyond this energy, one supposes that the extragalactic sources, like active galaxy nuclei (AGN), gamma ray bursts or pulsars, are the origin of the ultra high energy cosmic rays. The spectral index of the elemental energy distributions of cosmic rays reflects the dynamic of its propagation, particularly the conjugation of the effects connected to the cosmic ray source spectrum and those connected to its propagation (acceleration, absorption and escape). The evolution of the spectral index with the cosmic-ray particle energy constitutes a sensitive test of the components, which determine this evolution. The precise index measurement of individual elemental spectra of the cosmic rays by AMS up to TeV and by the experiment CREAM beyond it, from TeV to PeV, will permit to proceed in this problematic. One of the difficulties on this measurement is to take well into account the systematic errors. During the data analysis we have to take into account in particular the interaction (diffusion and fragmentation) of the ions while their travel through the Earth's atmosphere. The study of the interaction and the fragmentation of these ions in the atmosphere is hence indispensable and described in this work. The study is based on a matrix calculation, which had been successfully implemented and tested and which has permitted to analyse the effects, caused by the experimental uncertainties on the cross sections, on the spectral index measurement. (author)

Stellar black holes and the origin of cosmic acceleration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prescod-Weinstein, Chanda; Afshordi, Niayesh; Balogh, Michael L.

2009-01-01

The discovery of cosmic acceleration has presented a unique challenge for cosmologists. As observational cosmology forges ahead, theorists have struggled to make sense of a standard model that requires extreme fine-tuning. This challenge is known as the cosmological constant problem. The theory of gravitational aether is an alternative to general relativity that does not suffer from this fine-tuning problem, as it decouples the quantum field theory vacuum from geometry, while remaining consistent with other tests of gravity. In this paper, we study static black hole solutions in this theory and show that it manifests a UV-IR coupling: Aether couples the space-time metric close to the black hole horizon, to metric at infinity. We then show that using the trans-Planckian ansatz (as a quantum gravity effect) close to the black hole horizon, leads to an accelerating cosmological solution, far from the horizon. Interestingly, this acceleration matches current observations for stellar-mass black holes. Based on our current understanding of the black hole accretion history in the Universe, we then make a prediction for how the effective dark energy density should evolve with redshift, which can be tested with future dark energy probes.

Mass production of volume phase holographic gratings for the VIRUS spectrograph array

Science.gov (United States)

Chonis, Taylor S.; Frantz, Amy; Hill, Gary J.; Clemens, J. Christopher; Lee, Hanshin; Tuttle, Sarah E.; Adams, Joshua J.; Marshall, J. L.; DePoy, D. L.; Prochaska, Travis

2014-07-01

The Visible Integral-field Replicable Unit Spectrograph (VIRUS) is a baseline array of 150 copies of a simple, fiber-fed integral field spectrograph that will be deployed on the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET). VIRUS is the first optical astronomical instrument to be replicated on an industrial scale, and represents a relatively inexpensive solution for carrying out large-area spectroscopic surveys, such as the HET Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX). Each spectrograph contains a volume phase holographic (VPH) grating with a 138 mm diameter clear aperture as its dispersing element. The instrument utilizes the grating in first-order for 350 VPH gratings has been mass produced for VIRUS. Here, we present the design of the VIRUS VPH gratings and a discussion of their mass production. We additionally present the design and functionality of a custom apparatus that has been used to rapidly test the first-order diffraction efficiency of the gratings for various discrete wavelengths within the VIRUS spectral range. This device has been used to perform both in-situ tests to monitor the effects of adjustments to the production prescription as well as to carry out the final acceptance tests of the gratings' diffraction efficiency. Finally, we present the as-built performance results for the entire suite of VPH gratings.

Astronomers Unveiling Life's Cosmic Origins

Science.gov (United States)

2009-02-01

Processes that laid the foundation for life on Earth -- star and planet formation and the production of complex organic molecules in interstellar space -- are yielding their secrets to astronomers armed with powerful new research tools, and even better tools soon will be available. Astronomers described three important developments at a symposium on the "Cosmic Cradle of Life" at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Chicago, IL. Chemistry Cycle The Cosmic Chemistry Cycle CREDIT: Bill Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF Full Size Image Files Chemical Cycle Graphic (above image, JPEG, 129K) Graphic With Text Blocks (JPEG, 165K) High-Res TIFF (44.2M) High-Res TIFF With Text Blocks (44.2M) In one development, a team of astrochemists released a major new resource for seeking complex interstellar molecules that are the precursors to life. The chemical data released by Anthony Remijan of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and his university colleagues is part of the Prebiotic Interstellar Molecule Survey, or PRIMOS, a project studying a star-forming region near the center of our Milky Way Galaxy. PRIMOS is an effort of the National Science Foundation's Center for Chemistry of the Universe, started at the University of Virginia (UVa) in October 2008, and led by UVa Professor Brooks H. Pate. The data, produced by the NSF's Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in West Virginia, came from more than 45 individual observations totalling more than nine GigaBytes of data and over 1.4 million individual frequency channels. Scientists can search the GBT data for specific radio frequencies, called spectral lines -- telltale "fingerprints" -- naturally emitted by molecules in interstellar space. "We've identified more than 720 spectral lines in this collection, and about 240 of those are from unknown molecules," Remijan said. He added, "We're making available to all scientists the best collection of data below 50 GHz ever produced for

Cosmic ray diffusion: report of the workshop in cosmic ray diffusion theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birmingham, T.J.; Jones, F.C.

1975-02-01

A workshop in cosmic ray diffusion theory was held at Goddard Space Flight Center on May 16-17, 1974. Topics discussed and summarized are: (1) cosmic ray measurements as related to diffusion theory; (2) quasi-linear theory, nonlinear theory, and computer simulation of cosmic ray pitch-angle diffusion; and (3) magnetic field fluctuation measurements as related to diffusion theory. (auth)

11. European cosmic ray symposium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-03-01

The biannual Symposium includes all aspects of cosmic ray research. The scientific programme was organized under three main headings: Cosmic rays in the heliosphere, Cosmic rays in the interstellar and extragalactic space, Properties of high-energy interactions as studied by cosmic rays. Seven invited talks were indexed seprately for the INIS database. (R.P.)

Origin, structure and evolution of galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhi, F.L.

1988-01-01

Recent developments of the origin, structure and evolution of galaxies have been reviewed. The contents of this book are: Inflationary Universe; Cosmic String; Active Galaxies; Intergalactic Medium; Waves in Disk Galaxies; Dark Matter; Gas Dynamics in Disk Galaxies; Equilibrium and Stability of Spiral Galaxies

The Oxford SWIFT Spectrograph: first commissioning and on-sky results

Science.gov (United States)

Thatte, Niranjan; Tecza, Mathias; Clarke, Fraser; Goodsall, Timothy; Fogarty, Lisa; Houghton, Ryan; Salter, Graeme; Scott, Nicholas; Davies, Roger L.; Bouchez, Antonin; Dekany, Richard

2010-07-01

The Oxford SWIFT spectrograph, an I & z band (6500-10500 A) integral field spectrograph, is designed to operate as a facility instrument at the 200 inch Hale Telescope on Palomar Mountain, in conjunction with the Palomar laser guide star adaptive optics system PALAO (and its upgrade to PALM3000). SWIFT provides spectra at R(≡λ/▵λ)~4000 of a contiguous two-dimensional field, 44 x 89 spatial pixels (spaxels) in size, at spatial scales of 0.235", 0.16", and 0.08" per spaxel. It employs two 250μm thick, fully depleted, extremely red sensitive 4k X 2k CCD detector arrays (manufactured by LBNL) that provide excellent quantum efficiency out to 1000 nm. We describe the commissioning observations and present the measured values of a number of instrument parameters. We also present some first science results that give a taste of the range of science programs where SWIFT can have a substantial impact.

Electric currents in cosmic plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alfven, H.

1977-05-01

Since the beginning of the century physics has been dualistic in the sense that some phenomena are described by a field concept, others by a particle concept. This dualism is essential also in the physics of cosmical plasmas: some phenomena should be described by a magnetic field formalism, others by an electric current formalism. During the first period of evolution of cosmic plasma physics the magnetic field aspect has dominated, and a fairly exhaustive description has been given of those phenomena--like the propagation of waves--which can be described in this way. We have now entered a second period which is dominated by a systematic exploration of the particle (or current) aspect. A survey is given of a number of phenomena which can be understood only from the particle aspect. These include the formation of electric double layers, the origin of explosive events like magnetic substorms and solar flares, and further, the transfer of energy from one region to another. A useful method of exploring many of these phenomena is to draw the electric circuit in which the current flows and study its properties. A number of simple circuits are analyzed in this way. (author)

A COSMIC VARIANCE COOKBOOK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moster, Benjamin P.; Rix, Hans-Walter; Somerville, Rachel S.; Newman, Jeffrey A.

2011-01-01

Deep pencil beam surveys ( 2 ) are of fundamental importance for studying the high-redshift universe. However, inferences about galaxy population properties (e.g., the abundance of objects) are in practice limited by 'cosmic variance'. This is the uncertainty in observational estimates of the number density of galaxies arising from the underlying large-scale density fluctuations. This source of uncertainty can be significant, especially for surveys which cover only small areas and for massive high-redshift galaxies. Cosmic variance for a given galaxy population can be determined using predictions from cold dark matter theory and the galaxy bias. In this paper, we provide tools for experiment design and interpretation. For a given survey geometry, we present the cosmic variance of dark matter as a function of mean redshift z-bar and redshift bin size Δz. Using a halo occupation model to predict galaxy clustering, we derive the galaxy bias as a function of mean redshift for galaxy samples of a given stellar mass range. In the linear regime, the cosmic variance of these galaxy samples is the product of the galaxy bias and the dark matter cosmic variance. We present a simple recipe using a fitting function to compute cosmic variance as a function of the angular dimensions of the field, z-bar , Δz, and stellar mass m * . We also provide tabulated values and a software tool. The accuracy of the resulting cosmic variance estimates (δσ v /σ v ) is shown to be better than 20%. We find that for GOODS at z-bar =2 and with Δz = 0.5, the relative cosmic variance of galaxies with m * >10 11 M sun is ∼38%, while it is ∼27% for GEMS and ∼12% for COSMOS. For galaxies of m * ∼ 10 10 M sun , the relative cosmic variance is ∼19% for GOODS, ∼13% for GEMS, and ∼6% for COSMOS. This implies that cosmic variance is a significant source of uncertainty at z-bar =2 for small fields and massive galaxies, while for larger fields and intermediate mass galaxies, cosmic

High energy cosmic rays

CERN Document Server

Stanev, Todor

2010-01-01

Offers an accessible text and reference (a cosmic-ray manual) for graduate students entering the field and high-energy astrophysicists will find this an accessible cosmic-ray manual Easy to read for the general astronomer, the first part describes the standard model of cosmic rays based on our understanding of modern particle physics. Presents the acceleration scenario in some detail in supernovae explosions as well as in the passage of cosmic rays through the Galaxy. Compares experimental data in the atmosphere as well as underground are compared with theoretical models

Spectrographic analysis of uranium-molybdenum alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roca, M.

1967-01-01

A spectrographic method of analysis has been developed for uranium-molybdenum alloys containing up to 10 % Mo. The carrier distillation technique, with gallium oxide and graphite as carriers, is used for the semiquantitative determination of Al, Cr, Fe, Ni and Si, involving the conversion of the samples into oxides. As a consequence of the study of the influence of the molybdenum on the line intensities, it is useful to prepare only one set of standards with 0,6 % MoO 3 . Total burning excitation is used for calcium, employing two sets of standards with 0,6 and 7.5 MoO 3 . (Author) 5 refs

Opto-mechanical design of an image slicer for the GRIS spectrograph at GREGOR

Science.gov (United States)

Vega Reyes, N.; Esteves, M. A.; Sánchez-Capuchino, J.; Salaun, Y.; López, R. L.; Gracia, F.; Estrada Herrera, P.; Grivel, C.; Vaz Cedillo, J. J.; Collados, M.

2016-07-01

An image slicer has been proposed for the Integral Field Spectrograph [1] of the 4-m European Solar Telescope (EST) [2] The image slicer for EST is called MuSICa (Multi-Slit Image slicer based on collimator-Camera) [3] and it is a telecentric system with diffraction limited optical quality offering the possibility to obtain high resolution Integral Field Solar Spectroscopy or Spectro-polarimetry by coupling a polarimeter after the generated slit (or slits). Considering the technical complexity of the proposed Integral Field Unit (IFU), a prototype has been designed for the GRIS spectrograph at GREGOR telescope at Teide Observatory (Tenerife), composed by the optical elements of the image slicer itself, a scanning system (to cover a larger field of view with sequential adjacent measurements) and an appropriate re-imaging system. All these subsystems are placed in a bench, specially designed to facilitate their alignment, integration and verification, and their easy installation in front of the spectrograph. This communication describes the opto-mechanical solution adopted to upgrade GRIS while ensuring repeatability between the observational modes, IFU and long-slit. Results from several tests which have been performed to validate the opto-mechanical prototypes are also presented.

THE UNREASONABLE WEAKNESS OF R -PROCESS COSMIC RAYS IN THE NEUTRON-STAR-MERGER NUCLEOSYNTHESIS SCENARIO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kyutoku, Koutarou [Interdisciplinary Theoretical Science (iTHES) Research Group, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Ioka, Kunihito, E-mail: koutarou.kyutoku@riken.jp [Center for Gravitational Physics, Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502 (Japan)

2016-08-10

We reach the robust conclusion that, by combining the observed cosmic rays of r -process elements with the fact that the velocity of the neutron-star-merger ejecta is much higher than that of the supernova ejecta, either (1) the reverse shock in the neutron-star-merger ejecta is a very inefficient accelerator that converts less than 0.003% of the ejecta kinetic energy to the cosmic-ray energy or (2) the neutron star merger is not the origin of the Galactic r -process elements. We also find that the acceleration efficiency should be less than 0.1% for the reverse shock of the supernova ejecta with observed cosmic rays lighter than the iron.

A Tale of cosmic rays narrated in γ rays by Fermi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tibaldo, Luigi

2014-01-01

Because cosmic rays are charged particles scrambled by magnetic fields, combining direct measurements with other observations is crucial to understanding their origin and propagation. As energetic particles traverse matter and electromagnetic fields, they leave marks in the form of neutral interaction products. Among those, γ rays trace interactions of nuclei that inelastically collide with interstellar gas, as well as of leptons that undergo Bremsstrahlung and inverse-Compton scattering. Data collected by the Fermi large area telescope (LAT) are therefore telling the story of cosmic rays along their journey from sources through their home galaxies. Supernova remnants emerge as a notable γ -ray source population, and older remnants interacting with interstellar matter finally show strong evidence of the presence of accelerated nuclei. Yet the maximum energy attained by shock accelerators is poorly constrained by observations. Cygnus X, a massive star-forming region established by the LAT as housing cosmic-ray sources, provides a test case to study the impact of wind-driven turbulence on the early propagation. Interstellar emission resulting from the large-scale propagation of cosmic rays in the Milky Way is revealed in unprecedented detail that challenges some of the simple assumptions used for the modeling. Moreover, the cosmic-ray induced γ -ray luminosities of galaxies-scale quasi-linearly with their massive-star formation rates: the overall normalization of that relation below the calorimetric limit suggests that for most systems, a substantial fraction of energy in cosmic rays escapes into the intergalactic medium. The nuclear production models and the distribution of target gas and radiation fields, not determined precisely enough yet, are key to exploiting the full potential of γ - ray data. Nevertheless, data being collected by Fermi and complementary multiwavelength/multi messenger observations are bringing ever closer to solving the cosmic-ray mystery

A Tale of cosmic rays narrated in γ rays by Fermi

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tibaldo, Luigi, E-mail: ltibaldo@slac.stanford.edu [Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park (United States)

2014-07-01

Because cosmic rays are charged particles scrambled by magnetic fields, combining direct measurements with other observations is crucial to understanding their origin and propagation. As energetic particles traverse matter and electromagnetic fields, they leave marks in the form of neutral interaction products. Among those, γ rays trace interactions of nuclei that inelastically collide with interstellar gas, as well as of leptons that undergo Bremsstrahlung and inverse-Compton scattering. Data collected by the Fermi large area telescope (LAT) are therefore telling the story of cosmic rays along their journey from sources through their home galaxies. Supernova remnants emerge as a notable γ -ray source population, and older remnants interacting with interstellar matter finally show strong evidence of the presence of accelerated nuclei. Yet the maximum energy attained by shock accelerators is poorly constrained by observations. Cygnus X, a massive star-forming region established by the LAT as housing cosmic-ray sources, provides a test case to study the impact of wind-driven turbulence on the early propagation. Interstellar emission resulting from the large-scale propagation of cosmic rays in the Milky Way is revealed in unprecedented detail that challenges some of the simple assumptions used for the modeling. Moreover, the cosmic-ray induced γ -ray luminosities of galaxies-scale quasi-linearly with their massive-star formation rates: the overall normalization of that relation below the calorimetric limit suggests that for most systems, a substantial fraction of energy in cosmic rays escapes into the intergalactic medium. The nuclear production models and the distribution of target gas and radiation fields, not determined precisely enough yet, are key to exploiting the full potential of γ - ray data. Nevertheless, data being collected by Fermi and complementary multiwavelength/multi messenger observations are bringing ever closer to solving the cosmic-ray mystery

Cosmic microwave background power asymmetry from non-Gaussian modulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Fabian; Hui, Lam

2013-01-04

Non-Gaussianity in the inflationary perturbations can couple observable scales to modes of much longer wavelength (even superhorizon), leaving as a signature a large-angle modulation of the observed cosmic microwave background power spectrum. This provides an alternative origin for a power asymmetry that is otherwise often ascribed to a breaking of statistical isotropy. The non-Gaussian modulation effect can be significant even for typical ~10(-5) perturbations while respecting current constraints on non-Gaussianity if the squeezed limit of the bispectrum is sufficiently infrared divergent. Just such a strongly infrared-divergent bispectrum has been claimed for inflation models with a non-Bunch-Davies initial state, for instance. Upper limits on the observed cosmic microwave background power asymmetry place stringent constraints on the duration of inflation in such models.

Implications of fast radio bursts for superconducting cosmic strings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Yun-Wei [Institute of Astrophysics, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079 (China); Cheng, Kwong-Sang [Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong (China); Shiu, Gary; Tye, Henry, E-mail: yuyw@phy.ccnu.edu.cn, E-mail: hrspksc@hku.hk, E-mail: shiu@ust.hk, E-mail: iastye@ust.hk [Department of Physics and Institute for Advanced Study, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong (China)

2014-11-01

Highly beamed, short-duration electromagnetic bursts could be produced by superconducting cosmic string (SCS) loops oscillating in cosmic magnetic fields. We demonstrated that the basic characteristics of SCS bursts such as the electromagnetic frequency and the energy release could be consistently exhibited in the recently discovered fast radio bursts (FRBs). Moreover, it is first showed that the redshift distribution of the FRBs can also be well accounted for by the SCS burst model. Such agreements between the FRBs and SCS bursts suggest that the FRBs could originate from SCS bursts and thus they could provide an effective probe to study SCSs. The obtained values of model parameters indicate that the loops generating the FRBs have a small length scale and they are mostly formed in the radiation-dominated cosmological epoch.

Implications of fast radio bursts for superconducting cosmic strings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Yun-Wei; Cheng, Kwong-Sang; Shiu, Gary; Tye, Henry

2014-01-01

Highly beamed, short-duration electromagnetic bursts could be produced by superconducting cosmic string (SCS) loops oscillating in cosmic magnetic fields. We demonstrated that the basic characteristics of SCS bursts such as the electromagnetic frequency and the energy release could be consistently exhibited in the recently discovered fast radio bursts (FRBs). Moreover, it is first showed that the redshift distribution of the FRBs can also be well accounted for by the SCS burst model. Such agreements between the FRBs and SCS bursts suggest that the FRBs could originate from SCS bursts and thus they could provide an effective probe to study SCSs. The obtained values of model parameters indicate that the loops generating the FRBs have a small length scale and they are mostly formed in the radiation-dominated cosmological epoch

Prototype of a hybrid cosmic ray detector at the Pico de Orizaba: First stage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ponce, E.; Perez, E.; Villasenor, L.; Garipov, G.; Salazar, H.; Martinez, O.; Moreno, E.; Pedraza, I.; Cotzomi, J.; Khrenov, B.

2003-01-01

In this work we present a progress report of the project of a high energy cosmic ray observatory located at Pico de Orizaba mountain. One of the goals of this facility will be to contribute to the understanding of the origin of the cosmic rays at energies around the feature known as the knee. To achieve this goal we plan to use a hybrid detector composed of a surface detector array and a fluorescence telescope. The design and expected performance of the fluorescent detector is presented

Comment on AMS02 results support the secondary origin of cosmic ray positrons

OpenAIRE

Dado, Shlomo; Dar, Arnon

2015-01-01

We present a simple calculation of the flux of secondary positrons produced in the ISM that is based only on priors. Our calculated ISM flux agrees very well with that calculated with the elaborate GALPROP code. It confirms that secondary production of positrons in the ISM by the primary cosmic rays cannot explain the observed sub-TeV flux of CR positrons. Moreover, we show that once energy loss of positrons in source and in the ISM are included, secondary production inside the CR sources plu...

High Energy Cosmic Electrons: Messengers from Nearby Cosmic Ray Sources or Dark Matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Moiseev, Alexander

2011-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the recent discoveries by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) and the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) on board the Fermi Gamma-Ray Telescope in reference to high energy cosmic electrons, and whether their source is cosmic rays or dark matter. Specific interest is devoted to Cosmic Ray electrons anisotropy,

Effect of Acoustic Spectrographic Instruction on Production of English /i/ and /I/ by Spanish Pre-Service English Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Quintana-Lara, Marcela

2014-01-01

This study investigates the effects of Acoustic Spectrographic Instruction on the production of the English phonological contrast /i/ and / I /. Acoustic Spectrographic Instruction is based on the assumption that physical representations of speech sounds and spectrography allow learners to objectively see and modify those non-accurate features in…

Exact optics - III. Schwarzschild's spectrograph camera revised

Science.gov (United States)

Willstrop, R. V.

2004-03-01

Karl Schwarzschild identified a system of two mirrors, each defined by conic sections, free of third-order spherical aberration, coma and astigmatism, and with a flat focal surface. He considered it impractical, because the field was too restricted. This system was rediscovered as a quadratic approximation to one of Lynden-Bell's `exact optics' designs which have wider fields. Thus the `exact optics' version has a moderate but useful field, with excellent definition, suitable for a spectrograph camera. The mirrors are strongly aspheric in both the Schwarzschild design and the exact optics version.

Cosmic strings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, D.P.

1988-07-01

Cosmic strings are linear topological defects that are predicted by some grand unified theories to form during a spontaneous symmetry breaking phase transition in the early universe. They are the basis for the only theories of galaxy formation aside from quantum fluctuations from inflation that are based on fundamental physics. In contrast to inflation, they can also be observed directly through gravitational lensing and their characteristic microwave background anistropy. It has recently been discovered by F. Bouchet and myself that details of cosmic string evolution are very different from the so-called ''standard model'' that has been assumed in most of the string induced galaxy formation calculations. Therefore, the details of galaxy formation in the cosmic string models are currently very uncertain. 29 refs., 9 figs

Theory Summary: Very High Energy Cosmic Rays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarkar Subir

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This is a summary of ISVHECRI 2012 from a theorist’s perspective. A hundred years after their discovery, there is renewed interest in very high energy cosmic raysand their interactions which can provide unique information on new physics well beyond the Standard Model if only we knew how to unambiguously decipher the experimental data. While the observational situation has improved dramatically on the past decade with regard to both improved statistics and better understood systematics, the long standing questions regarding the origin of cosmic rays remain only partially answered, while further questions have been raised by new data. A recent development discussed at this Symposium is the advent of forward physics data from several experiments at the LHC, which have broadly vindicated the air shower simulation Monte Carlos currently in use and reduced their uncertainties further. Nevertheless there is still a major extrapolation required to interpret the highest energy air showers observed which appear to be undergoing a puzzling change in their elemental composition, even casting doubt on whether the much vaunted GZK cutoff has indeedbeen observed. The situation is further compounded by the apparent disagreement between Auger and Telescope Array data. A crucial diagnostic will be provided by the detection of the accompanying ultra-high energy cosmic neutrinos — two intriguing events have recently been recorded by IceCube.

Management of cosmic radiation exposure for aircraft crew in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasuda, H.; Sato, T.; Yonehara, H.; Kosako, T.; Fujitaka, K.; Sasaki, Y.

2011-01-01

The International Commission on Radiological Protection has recommended that cosmic radiation exposure of crew in commercial jet aircraft be considered as occupational exposure. In Japan, the Radiation Council of the government has established a guideline that requests domestic airlines to voluntarily keep the effective dose of cosmic radiation for aircraft crew below 5 mSv y -1 . The guideline also gives some advice and policies regarding the method of cosmic radiation dosimetry, the necessity of explanation and education about this issue, a way to view and record dose data, and the necessity of medical examination for crew. The National Inst. of Radiological Sciences helps the airlines to follow the guideline, particularly for the determination of aviation route doses by numerical simulation. The calculation is performed using an original, easy-to-use program package called 'JISCARD EX' coupled with a PHITS-based analytical model and a GEANT4-based particle tracing code. The new radiation weighting factors recommended in 2007 are employed for effective dose determination. The annual individual doses of aircraft crew were estimated using this program. (authors)

Ablation and chemical alteration of cosmic dust particles during entry into the earth`s atmosphere

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Rudraswami, N.G.; ShyamPrasad, M.; Dey, S.; Plane, J.M.C.; Feng, W.; Carrillo-Sanchez, J.D.; Fernandes, D.

Most dust-sized cosmic particles undergo ablation and chemical alteration during atmospheric entry, which alters their original properties. A comprehensive understanding of this process is essential in order to decipher their pre...

Cosmic-Ray Extremely Distributed Observatory: a global cosmic ray detection framework

Science.gov (United States)

Sushchov, O.; Homola, P.; Dhital, N.; Bratek, Ł.; Poznański, P.; Wibig, T.; Zamora-Saa, J.; Almeida Cheminant, K.; Alvarez Castillo, D.; Góra, D.; Jagoda, P.; Jałocha, J.; Jarvis, J. F.; Kasztelan, M.; Kopański, K.; Krupiński, M.; Michałek, M.; Nazari, V.; Smelcerz, K.; Smolek, K.; Stasielak, J.; Sułek, M.

2017-12-01

The main objective of the Cosmic-Ray Extremely Distributed Observatory (CREDO) is the detection and analysis of extended cosmic ray phenomena, so-called super-preshowers (SPS), using existing as well as new infrastructure (cosmic-ray observatories, educational detectors, single detectors etc.). The search for ensembles of cosmic ray events initiated by SPS is yet an untouched ground, in contrast to the current state-of-the-art analysis, which is focused on the detection of single cosmic ray events. Theoretical explanation of SPS could be given either within classical (e.g., photon-photon interaction) or exotic (e.g., Super Heavy Dark Matter decay or annihilation) scenarios, thus detection of SPS would provide a better understanding of particle physics, high energy astrophysics and cosmology. The ensembles of cosmic rays can be classified based on the spatial and temporal extent of particles constituting the ensemble. Some classes of SPS are predicted to have huge spatial distribution, a unique signature detectable only with a facility of the global size. Since development and commissioning of a completely new facility with such requirements is economically unwarranted and time-consuming, the global analysis goals are achievable when all types of existing detectors are merged into a worldwide network. The idea to use the instruments in operation is based on a novel trigger algorithm: in parallel to looking for neighbour surface detectors receiving the signal simultaneously, one should also look for spatially isolated stations clustered in a small time window. On the other hand, CREDO strategy is also aimed at an active engagement of a large number of participants, who will contribute to the project by using common electronic devices (e.g., smartphones), capable of detecting cosmic rays. It will help not only in expanding the geographical spread of CREDO, but also in managing a large manpower necessary for a more efficient crowd-sourced pattern recognition scheme to

MSE spectrograph optical design: a novel pupil slicing technique

Science.gov (United States)

Spanò, P.

2014-07-01

The Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer shall be mainly devoted to perform deep, wide-field, spectroscopic surveys at spectral resolutions from ~2000 to ~20000, at visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Simultaneous spectral coverage at low resolution is required, while at high resolution only selected windows can be covered. Moreover, very high multiplexing (3200 objects) must be obtained at low resolution. At higher resolutions a decreased number of objects (~800) can be observed. To meet such high demanding requirements, a fiber-fed multi-object spectrograph concept has been designed by pupil-slicing the collimated beam, followed by multiple dispersive and camera optics. Different resolution modes are obtained by introducing anamorphic lenslets in front of the fiber arrays. The spectrograph is able to switch between three resolution modes (2000, 6500, 20000) by removing the anamorphic lenses and exchanging gratings. Camera lenses are fixed in place to increase stability. To enhance throughput, VPH first-order gratings has been preferred over echelle gratings. Moreover, throughput is kept high over all wavelength ranges by splitting light into more arms by dichroic beamsplitters and optimizing efficiency for each channel by proper selection of glass materials, coatings, and grating parameters.

The origin of the elements. Chapter 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tayler, R.J.

1980-01-01

The paper is concerned with the questions: how the present chemical composition is related to the original composition of the Universe, and what was the nature of that original composition. In particular, the chemical evolution of the Galaxy is discussed. Section headings are: observations of chemical composition (stars, cosmic gases, galaxies, element abundance); theoretical considerations (nucleosynthesis); cosmological element production (the Hot Big Bang theory); galactic nucleosynthesis. (U.K.)

Cosmic rays in space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujitaka, Kazunobu

2005-01-01

Cosmos is a mysterious space by which many researchers are fascinated for many years. But, going into space means that we will receive extra exposure due to existence of cosmic rays. Cosmic rays are mainly composed of highly energetic protons. It was born in the last stage of stellar life. Understanding of cosmos will certainly bring right understanding of radiation energy, or energy itself. As no one could see the very early stage of cosmic rays, there is only a speculation. But it is better to speculate something based on certain side evidences, than to give up the whole. Such attitude shall be welcomed in the space researches. Anyway, cosmic rays were born in the last explosion of a star, which is called as Super Nova. After cosmic rays are emitted from the Super Nova, it will reach to the human surroundings. To indicate its intensity, special unit of ''dose rate'' is used. When a man climbs a mountain, cosmic ray intensity surely increases. It doubles as he goes up every 1500m elevation. It was ascertained by our own measurements. Then what happens when the goes up more? At aviation altitude, where airplanes fly, the dose rate will be increased up to 100times the high mountain cases. And what is expected when he goes up further more, up to space orbit altitude? In this case, the dose rate increases up to 10times the airplane cases. Geomagnetism affects the dose rate very much. As primary cosmic ray particles are charged particles, they cannot do well with existence of the magnetic field. In effect, cosmic rays can penetrate into the polar atmosphere along geomagnetic lines of forces which stand almost vertical, but penetration of low energy cosmic rays will be banned when they intend to penetrate crossing the geomagnetic lines of forces in equatorial region. Therefore, exposure due to cosmic rays will become large in polar region, while it remains small in equatorial region. In effect, airplanes which fly over the equator. Only, we have to know that the cosmos

A brief history of the discovery of cosmic gamma-ray bursts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonnell, J.T.; Klebesadel, R.W.

1996-01-01

The discovery of cosmic gamma-ray bursts, based on an analysis of data produced by the Vela defense satellites was announced in Ap.J. letters in 1973 by Klebesadel, Strong, and Olsen. The story of the discovery begins 10 years earlier, in October of 1963, when the US Air Force launched the first in this series of satellites inspired by a nuclear test ban treaty. Interest in the events surrounding this discovery has been piqued by the recent public debate on the distance scale to the burst sources. Details of the Vela program to detect nuclear detonations and general circumstances surrounding the discovery of gamma-ray bursts of cosmic 'origin' are presented. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Quantitative imaging through a spectrograph. 2. Stoichiometry mapping by Raman scattering.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tolboom, R.A.L.; Dam, N.J.; Meulen, J.J. ter

2004-01-01

The Bayesian deconvolution algorithm described in a preceding paper [Appl. Opt. 43, 5669-5681 (2004)] is applied to measurement of the two-dimensional stoichiometry field in a combustible methane-air mixture by Raman imaging through a spectrograph. Stoichiometry (fuel equivalence ratio) is derived

Fiber Scrambling for High Precision Spectrographs

Science.gov (United States)

Kaplan, Zachary; Spronck, J. F. P.; Fischer, D.

2011-05-01

The detection of Earth-like exoplanets with the radial velocity method requires extreme Doppler precision and long-term stability in order to measure tiny reflex velocities in the host star. Recent planet searches have led to the detection of so called "super-Earths” (up to a few Earth masses) that induce radial velocity changes of about 1 m/s. However, the detection of true Earth analogs requires a precision of 10 cm/s. One of the largest factors limiting Doppler precision is variation in the Point Spread Function (PSF) from observation to observation due to changes in the illumination of the slit and spectrograph optics. Thus, this stability has become a focus of current instrumentation work. Fiber optics have been used since the 1980's to couple telescopes to high-precision spectrographs, initially for simpler mechanical design and control. However, fiber optics are also naturally efficient scramblers. Scrambling refers to a fiber's ability to produce an output beam independent of input. Our research is focused on characterizing the scrambling properties of several types of fibers, including circular, square and octagonal fibers. By measuring the intensity distribution after the fiber as a function of input beam position, we can simulate guiding errors that occur at an observatory. Through this, we can determine which fibers produce the most uniform outputs for the severest guiding errors, improving the PSF and allowing sub-m/s precision. However, extensive testing of fibers of supposedly identical core diameter, length and shape from the same manufacturer has revealed the "personality” of individual fibers. Personality describes differing intensity patterns for supposedly duplicate fibers illuminated identically. Here, we present our results on scrambling characterization as a function of fiber type, while studying individual fiber personality.

Constraints on cosmic strings due to black holes formed from collapsed cosmic string loops

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caldwell, R.R.; Gates, E.

1993-05-01

The cosmological features of primordial black holes formed from collapsed cosmic string loops are studied. Observational restrictions on a population of primordial black holes are used to restrict f, the fraction of cosmic string loops which collapse to form black holes, and μ, the cosmic string mass-per-unit-length. Using a realistic model of cosmic strings, we find the strongest restriction on the parameters f and μ is due to the energy density in 100MeV photons radiated by the black holes. We also find that inert black hole remnants cannot serve as the dark matter. If earlier, crude estimates of f are reliable, our results severely restrict μ, and therefore limit the viability of the cosmic string large-scale structure scenario

A cocoon of freshly accelerated cosmic rays detected by Fermi in the Cygnus Superbubble

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ackermann, M.; Ajello, A.; Allafort, A.; Berenji, B.; Blandford, R.D.; Bloom, E.D.; Borgland, A.W.; Bottacini, E.; Buehler, R.; Cameron, R.A.; Chiang, J.; Claus, R.; Do Couto e Silva, E.; Drell, P.S.; Focke, W.B.; Glanzman, T.; Godfrey, G.; Hayashida, M.; Johnson, A.S.; Kamae, T.; Kerr, M.; Lande, J.; Michelson, P.F.; Mitthumsiri, W.; Monzani, M.E.; Moskalenko, I.V.; Murgia, S.; Nolan, P.L.; Okumura, A.; Orlando, E.; Paneque, D.; Prokhorov, D.; Tanaka, T.; Thayer, J.G.; Thayer, J.B.; Tramacere, A.; Uchiyama, Y.; Vandenbroucke, J.; Vianello, G.; Waite, A.P.; Wang, P.; Baldini, L.; Bellazzini, R.; Kuss, M.; Latronico, L.; Pesce-Rollins, M.; Razzano, M.; Sgro, C.; Ballet, J.; Casandjian, J.M.; Grenier, I.A.; Naumann-Godo, M.; Pierbattista, M.; Tibaldo, L.

2011-01-01

The origin of Galactic cosmic rays is a century-long puzzle. Indirect evidence points to their acceleration by supernova shock waves, but we know little of their escape from the shock and their evolution through the turbulent medium surrounding massive stars. Gamma rays can probe their spreading through the ambient gas and radiation fields. The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) has observed the star-forming region of Cygnus X. The 1- to 100-giga-electron-volt images reveal a 50-parsec-wide cocoon of freshly accelerated cosmic rays that flood the cavities carved by the stellar winds and ionization fronts from young stellar clusters. It provides an example to study the youth of cosmic rays in a superbubble environment before they merge into the older Galactic population. (authors)

A fast new cadioptric design for fiber-fed spectrographs

Science.gov (United States)

Saunders, Will

2012-09-01

The next generation of massively multiplexed multi-object spectrographs (DESpec, SUMIRE, BigBOSS, 4MOST, HECTOR) demand fast, efficient and affordable spectrographs, with higher resolutions (R = 3000-5000) than current designs. Beam-size is a (relatively) free parameter in the design, but the properties of VPH gratings are such that, for fixed resolution and wavelength coverage, the effect on beam-size on overall VPH efficiency is very small. For alltransmissive cameras, this suggests modest beam-sizes (say 80-150mm) to minimize costs; while for cadioptric (Schmidt-type) cameras, much larger beam-sizes (say 250mm+) are preferred to improve image quality and to minimize obstruction losses. Schmidt designs have benefits in terms of image quality, camera speed and scattered light performance, and recent advances such as MRF technology mean that the required aspherics are no longer a prohibitive cost or risk. The main objections to traditional Schmidt designs are the inaccessibility of the detector package, and the loss in throughput caused by it being in the beam. With expected count rates and current read-noise technology, the gain in camera speed allowed by Schmidt optics largely compensates for the additional obstruction losses. However, future advances in readout technology may erase most of this compensation. A new Schmidt/Maksutov-derived design is presented, which differs from previous designs in having the detector package outside the camera, and adjacent to the spectrograph pupil. The telescope pupil already contains a hole at its center, because of the obstruction from the telescope top-end. With a 250mm beam, it is possible to largely hide a 6cm × 6cm detector package and its dewar within this hole. This means that the design achieves a very high efficiency, competitive with transmissive designs. The optics are excellent, as least as good as classic Schmidt designs, allowing F/1.25 or even faster cameras. The principal hardware has been costed at $300K per

Spectrographic determination of chlorine and fluorine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Contamin, G.

1965-04-01

Experimental conditions have been investigated in order to obtain the highest sensitivity in spectrographic determination of chlorine and fluorine using the Fassel method of excitation in an inert atmosphere. The influence of the nature of the atmosphere, of the discharge conditions and of the matrix material has been investigated. The following results have been established: 1. chlorine determination is definitely possible: a working curve has been drawn between 10 μg and 100 μg, the detection limit being around 5 μg; 2. fluorine determination is not satisfactory: the detection limit is still of the order of 80 μg. The best operating conditions have been defined for both elements. (author) [fr

D-term inflation, cosmic strings, and consistency with cosmic microwave background measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Rocher, Jonathan; Sakellariadou, Mairi

2005-01-14

Standard D-term inflation is studied in the framework of supergravity. D-term inflation produces cosmic strings; however, it can still be compatible with cosmic microwave background (CMB) measurements without invoking any new physics. The cosmic strings contribution to the CMB data is not constant, nor dominant, contrary to some previous results. Using current CMB measurements, the free parameters (gauge and superpotential couplings, as well as the Fayet-Iliopoulos term) of D-term inflation are constrained.

The Use of Color Sensors for Spectrographic Calibration

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Neil B.

2018-04-01

The wavelength calibration of spectrographs is an essential but challenging task in many disciplines. Calibration is traditionally accomplished by imaging the spectrum of a light source containing features that are known to appear at certain wavelengths and mapping them to their location on the sensor. This is typically required in conjunction with each scientific observation to account for mechanical and optical variations of the instrument over time, which may span years for certain projects. The method presented here investigates the usage of color itself instead of spectral features to calibrate a spectrograph. The primary advantage of such a calibration is that any broad-spectrum light source such as the sky or an incandescent bulb is suitable. This method allows for calibration using the full optical pathway of the instrument instead of incorporating separate calibration equipment that may introduce errors. This paper focuses on the potential for color calibration in the field of radial velocity astronomy, in which instruments must be finely calibrated for long periods of time to detect tiny Doppler wavelength shifts. This method is not restricted to radial velocity, however, and may find application in any field requiring calibrated spectrometers such as sea water analysis, cellular biology, chemistry, atmospheric studies, and so on. This paper demonstrates that color sensors have the potential to provide calibration with greatly reduced complexity.

Cosmic ray modulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueno, Hirosachi

1974-01-01

It is important to know the physical state of solar plasma region by the observation of intensity variation of cosmic ray which passed through the solar plasma region, because earth magnetosphere is formed by the interaction between geomagnetic field and solar plasma flow. The observation of cosmic ray intensity is useful to know the average condition of the space of 0.1--3 A.U., and gives the structure of the magnetic field in solar wind affecting the earth magnetosphere. The observation of neutron component in cosmic ray has been carried out at Norikura, Tokyo, Fukushima and Morioka. The lower limit of the energy of incident cosmic ray which can be observed at each station is different, and the fine structure of the variation can be known by comparison. The intensity of meson component in cosmic ray has been measured in underground, and the state of solar plasma region 2--3 A.U. from the earth can be known. The underground measurement has been made at Takeyama and Matsumoto, and a new station at Sakashita is proposed. The measurement at Sakashita will be made by proportional counters at the depth of 100m (water equivalent). Arrangement of detectors is shown. (Kato, T.)

Quantitative imaging through a spectrograph : 2. stoichiometry mapping by Raman scattering

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tolboom, R.A.L.; Dam, N.J.; Meulen, ter J.J.

2004-01-01

The Bayesian deconvolution algorithm described in a preceding paper [Appl. Opt. 43, 5669–5681 (2004)] is applied to measurement of the two-dimensional stoichiometry field in a combustible methane-air mixture by Raman imaging through a spectrograph. Stoichiometry (fuel equivalence ratio) is derived

Development of micro-mirror slicer integral field unit for space-borne solar spectrographs

Science.gov (United States)

Suematsu, Yoshinori; Saito, Kosuke; Koyama, Masatsugu; Enokida, Yukiya; Okura, Yukinobu; Nakayasu, Tomoyasu; Sukegawa, Takashi

2017-12-01

We present an innovative optical design for image slicer integral field unit (IFU) and a manufacturing method that overcomes optical limitations of metallic mirrors. Our IFU consists of a micro-mirror slicer of 45 arrayed, highly narrow, flat metallic mirrors and a pseudo-pupil-mirror array of off-axis conic aspheres forming three pseudo slits of re-arranged slicer images. A prototype IFU demonstrates that the final optical quality is sufficiently high for a visible light spectrograph. Each slicer micro-mirror is 1.58 mm long and 30 μm wide with surface roughness ≤1 nm rms, and edge sharpness ≤ 0.1 μm, etc. This IFU is small size and can be implemented in a multi-slit spectrograph without any moving mechanism and fore optics, in which one slit is real and the others are pseudo slits from the IFU. The IFU mirrors were deposited by a space-qualified, protected silver coating for high reflectivity in visible and near IR wavelength regions. These properties are well suitable for space-borne spectrograph such as the future Japanese solar space mission SOLAR-C. We present the optical design, performance of prototype IFU, and space qualification tests of the silver coating.

Cosmic Humanity: Utopia, Realities, Prospects

OpenAIRE

Sergey Krichevsky

2017-01-01

The philosophical foundations of the theory and practice of the creation of cosmic humanity as a process of the evolution of human civilization, the emergence into space, with the prospect of resettlement outside the Earth are considered. There is a connection between myths, fantasies, ideas, concepts and projects aimed at the exploration of outer space, the creation of cosmic humanity. A new and voluminous definition of cosmic humanity in the evolutionary paradigm is given. Cosmic humanity i...

Cosmic-ray-veto detector system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, D.W.; Menlove, H.O.

1992-12-01

To reduce the cosmic-ray-induced neutron background, we are testing a cosmic-ray veto option with a neutron detector system that uses plastic scintillator slabs mounted on the outside of a 3 He-tube detector. The scintillator slabs eliminate unwanted cosmic-ray events, enabling the detector to assay low-level plutonium samples, for which a low-background coincident signature is critical. This report describes the design and testing of the prototype cosmic-ray-veto detector system

COSMIC-RAY SPALLATION IN RADIO-QUIET ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI: A CASE STUDY OF NGC 4051

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, T. J.; Miller, L.

2010-01-01

We investigate conditions for and consequences of spallation in radio-quiet Seyfert galaxies. The work is motivated by the recent discovery of significant line emission at 5.44 keV in Suzaku data from NGC 4051. The energy of the new line suggests an identification as Cr I Kα emission; however, the line is much stronger than would be expected from material with cosmic abundances, leading to a suggestion of enhancement owing to nuclear spallation of Fe by low-energy cosmic rays from the active nucleus. We find that the highest abundance enhancements are likely to take place in gas out of the plane of the accretion disk and that timescales for spallation could be as short as a few years. The suggestion of a strong nuclear flux of cosmic rays in a radio-quiet active Seyfert galaxy is of particular interest in light of the recent suggestion from Pierre Auger Observatory data that ultra-high-energy cosmic rays may originate in such sources.

Study of airborne particles by emission spectrographic method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chao, C N; Lee, S L; Tsai, H T; Wu, S C

1975-03-01

A rapid spectrographic method was developed to analyze cadmium, lead, nickel, zinc, tin, titanium, and vanadium collected in glass fiber air filters. A direct excitation method is used for volatile elements, while graphite powder is added for determining involatile elements, such as Ti and V in a dc arc source. Limits of detection for analyzed elements are between 0.01-0.1 micrograms. This simple and sensitive method was used to analyze samples from 15 air sampling stations in different areas of Taiwan.

Performance testing of an off-plane reflection grating and silicon pore optic spectrograph at PANTER

Science.gov (United States)

Marlowe, Hannah; McEntaffer, Randall L.; Allured, Ryan; DeRoo, Casey T.; Donovan, Benjamin D.; Miles, Drew M.; Tutt, James H.; Burwitz, Vadim; Menz, Benedikt; Hartner, Gisela D.; Smith, Randall K.; Cheimets, Peter; Hertz, Edward; Bookbinder, Jay A.; Günther, Ramses; Yanson, Alex; Vacanti, Giuseppe; Ackermann, Marcelo

2015-10-01

An x-ray spectrograph consisting of aligned, radially ruled off-plane reflection gratings and silicon pore optics (SPO) was tested at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics PANTER x-ray test facility. SPO is a test module for the proposed Arcus mission, which will also feature aligned off-plane reflection gratings. This test is the first time two off-plane gratings were actively aligned to each other and with an SPO to produce an overlapped spectrum. We report the performance of the complete spectrograph utilizing the aligned gratings module and plans for future development.

Spectrographic Determination of Trace Constituents in Rare Earths; Determinacion espectrografica de impurezas en tierras raras

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Capdevila, C; Alvarez, F

1962-07-01

A spectrographic method was developed for the determination of 18 trace elements in lanthanum, cerium, praseodimium, neodimium and samarium compounds. The concentrations of the impurities cover the range of 0,5 to 500 ppm. Most of these impurities are determined by the carrier distillation method. Several more refractory elements have been determined by total burning of the sample with a direct current arc or by the conduction briquet excitation technique with a high voltage condensed spark. The work has been carried out with a Hilger Automatic Large Quartz Spectrograph. (Author) 5 refs.

Sensitivity Calibration of Far-Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. -J. Kim

2004-12-01

Full Text Available We describe the in-flight sensitivity calibration of the Far ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (FIMS, also known as SPEAR onboard the first Korean science satellite, STSAT-1, which was launched in September 2003. The sensitivity calibration is based on a comparison of the FIMS observations of the hot white dwarf G191B2B, and two O-type stars Alpha-Cam, HD93521 with the HUT (Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope observations. The FIMS observations for the calibration targets have been conducted from November 2003 through May 2004. The effective areas calculated from the targets are compared with each other.

The origin of the universe. Chapter 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sciama, D.W.

1980-01-01

The observational and theoretical evidence in favour of the Big Bang origin, and the question whether an actually singular origin of the universe can be avoided, are discussed. Sections are headed: the world of galaxies (main facts about galaxies); the recession of the galaxies (red-shift, Hubble's law); the cosmic black body background (behaviour of the Universe in its hot early epochs, nuclear reactions, abundance of hydrogen, helium and deuterium). (U.K.)

Test particle trajectories near cosmic strings

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

We present a detailed analysis of the motion of test particle in the gravitational field of cosmic strings in different situations using the Hamilton–Jacobi (H–J) formalism. We have discussed the trajectories near static cosmic string, cosmic string in Brans–Dicke theory and cosmic string in dilaton gravity.

Department of Cosmic Radiation Physics: Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gawin, J.

1999-01-01

Full text: The Department of Cosmic Ray Physics in Lodz is involved in basic research in the area of high energy physics and cosmic ray physics related to: - Studies of asymptotic properties of hadronic interactions based on the analysis of cosmic ray propagation in the atmosphere. - Experimental and phenomenological studies of Extensive Air Showers induced by cosmic ray particles. - Search for point sources of high energy cosmic rays. - Studies of cosmic ray propagation in the Galaxy and mechanisms of particle acceleration. - Studies of mass composition of cosmic rays in the energy range 10 15 - 10 17 eV. Theoretical and experimental studies of Extensive Air Shower properties are performed mostly based on the results obtained by the Lodz Extensive Air Shower Array. We analysed nearly 100,000 events of energies above 10 15 eV registered by the Lodz hodoscope. We have developed the method of data analysis which allows us to verify different models of cosmic ray mass composition. In our research in high energy cosmic rays we also used experimental data from other collaborating experiments in Karlsruhe, Baksan and THEMISTOCLE. The Lodz group collaborates with many foreign institutes and laboratories in construction and data interpretation of cosmic ray experiments. Our most important partners are: Forschungszentrum in Karlsruhe (Germany), College de France, Institute for Nuclear Studies of the Russian Academy of Science, University of Perpignan and Uppsala University (Sweden). (author)

Department of Cosmic Radiation Physics - Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gawin, J.

1997-01-01

Full text: The Department of Cosmic Ray Physics in Lodz is involved in basic research in the area of high energy physics and cosmic ray physics related to: -Studies of the asymptotic properties of hadronic interactions from the analysis of cosmic ray propagation in the atmosphere. -Studies of structure and properties of Extensive Air Showers induced by cosmic ray particles. -Search for point sources of high energy cosmic rays. -Studies of cosmic ray propagation in the Galaxy and mechanisms of particle acceleration. -Studies of the mass composition of cosmic rays in the energy range 10 15 -10 17 eV. Theoretical and experimental studies of nuclear interactions for energies exceeding those obtained by modern particle accelerators are performed employing results obtained by the Lodz Extensive Air Shower Array. The Lodz hodoscope can register electromagnetic components of cosmic ray showers in the atmosphere as well as muons at two energy thresholds. Data collected by the Lodz array are also used to study mass composition of cosmic rays in the energy range 10 15 - 10 17 eV. The Lodz group collaborates with foreign institutes and laboratories on construction and data interpretation of cosmic ray experiments. Our most important partners are: Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany), College de France, the Institute for Nuclear Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the University of Durham, and the University of Perpignan. (author)

Primary cosmic radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, H.R.

1972-01-01

The term cosmic radiation means the charged particle flux that reaches the earth from outside its magnetosphere with energies above the solar wind energy of a few keV. There are two sources of flux. Sporadically the sun produces such particles, generally within the energy range 1--200 MeV, and these solar cosmic rays arrive at the earth for a period ranging from hours to days. There may be a small, rather constant flux from the sun also, but the bulk of the steady flux originates outside the earth's orbit. Although some have conjectured that part of this latter flux may be accelerated in the outer portions of the solar system where the outward flowing interplanetary medium meets the interstellar medium, it is generally thought that most or all of it arises in unique systems such as supernovae, and is distributed throughout the galaxy. These galactic particles range in energy from a few MeV to at least 10 13 MeV and consist primarily of protons with significant numbers of heavier nuclei, positrons and electrons. They are supposed to fill our galaxy, or at least the disc, more or less uniformly. However, the flux with energies below a few GeV that reaches earth's orbit is modulated by the interplanetary medium so that the number at earth varies inversely with solar activity and is always somewhat below the interstellar flux. A discussion is presented of primary galactic radiation at earth, its modulation by solar activity, and its interaction with the geomagnetic field. (U.S.)

MuSICa: the Multi-Slit Image Slicer for the est Spectrograph

Science.gov (United States)

Calcines, A.; López, R. L.; Collados, M.

2013-09-01

Integral field spectroscopy (IFS) is a technique that allows one to obtain the spectra of all the points of a bidimensional field of view simultaneously. It is being applied to the new generation of the largest night-time telescopes but it is also an innovative technique for solar physics. This paper presents the design of a new image slicer, MuSICa (Multi-Slit Image slicer based on collimator-Camera), for the integral field spectrograph of the 4-m aperture European Solar Telescope (EST). MuSICa is a multi-slit image slicer that decomposes an 80 arcsec2 field of view into slices of 50 μm and reorganizes it into eight slits of 0.05 arcsec width × 200 arcsec length. It is a telecentric system with an optical quality at diffraction limit compatible with the two modes of operation of the spectrograph: spectroscopic and spectro-polarimetric. This paper shows the requirements, technical characteristics and layout of MuSICa, as well as other studied design options.

Primary hadron: origin of stars, galaxies and astronomical Universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muradian, R.M.

1979-01-01

The relationship between mass and angular momentum for the known cosmic objects has been examined. It is shown that they are described by the generalized Regge-like dependence of the J=(m/msub(p))sup((1+1)/(n+h/2π)), which connects the maximal spin J, masses of heavy hadrons and the Planck constant h and where n=2 for galaxies, their clusters and superclusters and n=3 for asteroids, planets and stars. It offers the possibility, that Ambartsumyan's superdense protomatter has hadronic nature. This allows to give a realistic and quantitative explanation with a minimum number of arbitrary assumptions for the origin of cosmic angular momenta, cosmic magnetic fields and offers the framework for other cosmogonic implications. This approach incorporates in a natural way the fundamental quantum-mechanical parameters besides the classical parameters and allows to derive simple expressions for masses and spins of cosmic objects through fundamental constants, some of which coincide with Eddington-Dirac's ''Large Number'' relations

Measurements of the cosmic background radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weiss, R.

1980-01-01

Measurements of the attributes of the 2.7-K microwave background radiation (CBR) are reviewed, with emphasis on the analytic phase of CBR studies. Methods for the direct measurement of the CBR spectrum are discussed. Attention is given to receivers, antennas, absolute receiver calibration, atmospheric emission and absorption, the galactic background contribution, the analysis of LF measurements, and recent HF observations of the CBR spectrum. Measurements of the large-angular-scale intensity distribution of the CBR (the most convincing evidence that the radiation is of cosmological origin) are examined, along with limits on the linear polarization of the CBR. A description is given of the NASA-sponsored Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite mission. The results of the COBE mission will be a set of sky maps showing, in the wave number range from 1 to 10,000 kaysers, the galactic background radiation due to synchrotron emission from galactic cosmic rays, to diffuse thermal emission from H II regions, and to diffuse thermal emission from interstellar and interplanetary dust, as well as a residue consisting of the CBR and whatever other cosmological background might exist

NASA's Chandra Reveals Origin of Key Cosmic Explosions

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-01

WASHINGTON -- New findings from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have provided a major advance in understanding a type of supernova critical for studying the dark energy that astronomers think pervades the universe. The results show mergers of two dense stellar remnants are the likely cause of many of the supernovae that have been used to measure the accelerated expansion of the universe. These supernovae, called Type Ia, serve as cosmic mile markers to measure expansion of the universe because they can be seen at large distances, and they follow a reliable pattern of brightness. However, until now, scientists have been unsure what actually causes the explosions. "These are such critical objects in understanding the universe," said Marat Gilfanov of the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Germany and lead author of the study that appears in the Feb. 18 edition of the journal Nature. "It was a major embarrassment that we did not know how they worked. Now we are beginning to understand what lights the fuse of these explosions." Most scientists agree a Type Ia supernova occurs when a white dwarf star -- a collapsed remnant of an elderly star -- exceeds its weight limit, becomes unstable and explodes. Scientists have identified two main possibilities for pushing the white dwarf over the edge: two white dwarfs merging or accretion, a process in which the white dwarf pulls material from a sun-like companion star until it exceeds its weight limit. "Our results suggest the supernovae in the galaxies we studied almost all come from two white dwarfs merging," said co-author Akos Bogdan, also of Max Planck. "This is probably not what many astronomers would expect." The difference between these two scenarios may have implications for how these supernovae can be used as "standard candles" -- objects of a known brightness -- to track vast cosmic distances. Because white dwarfs can come in a range of masses, the merger of two could result in explosions that vary somewhat in

Non-primordial origin of the cosmic background radiation and pregalactic density fluctuations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Froehlich, H.E.; Mueller, V.; Oleak, H.

1984-01-01

Assumptions of a tepid Universe and a smaller primordial contribution to the 3 K background are made to show that Pop III stars may be responsible for the 3 K background and cosmic ray entropy. The 3 K background would be caused by thermalized stellar radiation produced by metallized intergalactic dust formed in first generation stars. A range of mass scales and amplification factors of density perturbations in the early Universe is examined below the Jeans mass for gravitational instabilities. The density perturbations that could have been present at small enough mass scales could have survived and generated sonic modes that propagated through the plasma era and, when combined with additional gravitationally unstable entropy disturbances after recombination, triggered the formation of Pop III stars. 13 references

Observational probes of cosmic acceleration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weinberg, David H.; Mortonson, Michael J.; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Hirata, Christopher; Riess, Adam G.; Rozo, Eduardo

2013-01-01

The accelerating expansion of the universe is the most surprising cosmological discovery in many decades, implying that the universe is dominated by some form of “dark energy” with exotic physical properties, or that Einstein’s theory of gravity breaks down on cosmological scales. The profound implications of cosmic acceleration have inspired ambitious efforts to understand its origin, with experiments that aim to measure the history of expansion and growth of structure with percent-level precision or higher. We review in detail the four most well established methods for making such measurements: Type Ia supernovae, baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), weak gravitational lensing, and the abundance of galaxy clusters. We pay particular attention to the systematic uncertainties in these techniques and to strategies for controlling them at the level needed to exploit “Stage IV” dark energy facilities such as BigBOSS, LSST, Euclid, and WFIRST. We briefly review a number of other approaches including redshift-space distortions, the Alcock–Paczynski effect, and direct measurements of the Hubble constant H 0 . We present extensive forecasts for constraints on the dark energy equation of state and parameterized deviations from General Relativity, achievable with Stage III and Stage IV experimental programs that incorporate supernovae, BAO, weak lensing, and cosmic microwave background data. We also show the level of precision required for clusters or other methods to provide constraints competitive with those of these fiducial programs. We emphasize the value of a balanced program that employs several of the most powerful methods in combination, both to cross-check systematic uncertainties and to take advantage of complementary information. Surveys to probe cosmic acceleration produce data sets that support a wide range of scientific investigations, and they continue the longstanding astronomical tradition of mapping the universe in ever greater detail over ever

Observational probes of cosmic acceleration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weinberg, David H., E-mail: dhw@astronomy.ohio-state.edu [Department of Astronomy, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States); Center for Cosmology and Astro-Particle Physics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States); Mortonson, Michael J. [Center for Cosmology and Astro-Particle Physics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States); Eisenstein, Daniel J. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States); Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, MA (United States); Hirata, Christopher [California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States); Riess, Adam G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (United States); Rozo, Eduardo [Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States)

2013-09-10

The accelerating expansion of the universe is the most surprising cosmological discovery in many decades, implying that the universe is dominated by some form of “dark energy” with exotic physical properties, or that Einstein’s theory of gravity breaks down on cosmological scales. The profound implications of cosmic acceleration have inspired ambitious efforts to understand its origin, with experiments that aim to measure the history of expansion and growth of structure with percent-level precision or higher. We review in detail the four most well established methods for making such measurements: Type Ia supernovae, baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), weak gravitational lensing, and the abundance of galaxy clusters. We pay particular attention to the systematic uncertainties in these techniques and to strategies for controlling them at the level needed to exploit “Stage IV” dark energy facilities such as BigBOSS, LSST, Euclid, and WFIRST. We briefly review a number of other approaches including redshift-space distortions, the Alcock–Paczynski effect, and direct measurements of the Hubble constant H{sub 0}. We present extensive forecasts for constraints on the dark energy equation of state and parameterized deviations from General Relativity, achievable with Stage III and Stage IV experimental programs that incorporate supernovae, BAO, weak lensing, and cosmic microwave background data. We also show the level of precision required for clusters or other methods to provide constraints competitive with those of these fiducial programs. We emphasize the value of a balanced program that employs several of the most powerful methods in combination, both to cross-check systematic uncertainties and to take advantage of complementary information. Surveys to probe cosmic acceleration produce data sets that support a wide range of scientific investigations, and they continue the longstanding astronomical tradition of mapping the universe in ever greater detail over

About cosmic gamma ray lines

Science.gov (United States)

Diehl, Roland

2017-06-01

Gamma ray lines from cosmic sources convey the action of nuclear reactions in cosmic sites and their impacts on astrophysical objects. Gamma rays at characteristic energies result from nuclear transitions following radioactive decays or high-energy collisions with excitation of nuclei. The gamma-ray line from the annihilation of positrons at 511 keV falls into the same energy window, although of different origin. We present here the concepts of cosmic gamma ray spectrometry and the corresponding instruments and missions, followed by a discussion of recent results and the challenges and open issues for the future. Among the lessons learned are the diffuse radioactive afterglow of massive-star nucleosynthesis in 26Al and 60Fe gamma rays, which is now being exploited towards the cycle of matter driven by massive stars and their supernovae; large interstellar cavities and superbubbles have been recognised to be of key importance here. Also, constraints on the complex processes making stars explode as either thermonuclear or core-collapse supernovae are being illuminated by gamma-ray lines, in this case from shortlived radioactivities from 56Ni and 44Ti decays. In particular, the three-dimensionality and asphericities that have recently been recognised as important are enlightened in different ways through such gamma-ray line spectroscopy. Finally, the distribution of positron annihilation gamma ray emission with its puzzling bulge-dominated intensity disctribution is measured through spatially-resolved spectra, which indicate that annihilation conditions may differ in different parts of our Galaxy. But it is now understood that a variety of sources may feed positrons into the interstellar medium, and their characteristics largely get lost during slowing down and propagation of positrons before annihilation; a recent microquasar flare was caught as an opportunity to see positrons annihilate at a source.

E parallel B energy-mass spectrograph for measurement of ions and neutral atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Funsten, H.O.; McComas, D.J.; Scime, E.E.

1997-01-01

Real-time measurement of plasma composition and energy is an important diagnostic in fusion experiments. The Thomson parabola spectrograph described here utilizes an electric field parallel to a magnetic field (E parallel B) and a two-dimensional imaging detector to uniquely identify the energy-per-charge and mass-per-charge distributions of plasma ions. An ultrathin foil can be inserted in front of the E parallel B filter to convert neutral atoms to ions, which are subsequently analyzed using the E parallel B filter. Since helium exiting an ultrathin foil does not form a negative ion and hydrogen isotopes do, this spectrograph allows unique identification of tritium ions and neutrals even in the presence of a large background of 3 He. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Department of Cosmic Radiation Physics: Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabelski, J.

2000-01-01

Full text: Department of Cosmic Ray Physics in Lodz is involved in basic research in the area of high-energy physics and cosmic ray physics related to: -Studies of asymptotic properties of hadronic interactions based on the analysis of cosmic ray propagation through the atmosphere. -Experimental and phenomenological studies of Extensive Air Showers induced by cosmic ray particles. - Search for high-energy cosmic ray point sources. - Studies of cosmic ray propagation in the Galaxy and particle acceleration mechanisms. -Studies of mass composition of cosmic rays in the energy range 10 15 -10 17 eV. Theoretical and experimental studies of Extensive Air Shower properties are performed mainly on the basis of the results obtained by the Lodz Extensive Air Shower Array. We have analysed nearly 100,000 events of energies above 10 15 eV registered in the Lodz hodoscope. We have developed a method to verify different models of cosmic ray mass composition. The Lodz group collaborates with many foreign institutes and laboratories in construction and data interpretation of cosmic ray experiments. Our most important partners are: Forschungszentrum in Karlsruhe (Germany), College de France, Institute for Nuclear Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Uppsala University (Sweden). (author)

Robust constraint on cosmic textures from the cosmic microwave background.

Science.gov (United States)

Feeney, Stephen M; Johnson, Matthew C; Mortlock, Daniel J; Peiris, Hiranya V

2012-06-15

Fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) contain information which has been pivotal in establishing the current cosmological model. These data can also be used to test well-motivated additions to this model, such as cosmic textures. Textures are a type of topological defect that can be produced during a cosmological phase transition in the early Universe, and which leave characteristic hot and cold spots in the CMB. We apply bayesian methods to carry out a rigorous test of the texture hypothesis, using full-sky data from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe. We conclude that current data do not warrant augmenting the standard cosmological model with textures. We rule out at 95% confidence models that predict more than 6 detectable cosmic textures on the full sky.

Proposal for the ion optics and for the kinematical fitting at the magnetic spectrograph BIG KARL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinterberger, F.

1986-01-01

For the magnetic spectrograph BIG KARL the installation of an additional quadrupole lens is purposed. From this the possibility of a telescopic ion optic results. For future experiments a standard focusing with a spatial dispersion of 6.6 m and vanishing angular dispersion is proposed. The D/M ratio (dispersion/magnification) extends to 14.0 m, the maximal spatial angle lies at 3 msr. The energy range extends at a focal plane length of 0.66 m to 20%. For the kinematical fitting of the spectrograph the focal plane is shifted. This shift can be simply and rapidly realized for different K values by means of a software correction, if generally two spatial spectra in the focal plane are taken up. By this additionally for each event the actual scattering angle can be determined with relatively good resolution. The dispersion fit is completely decoupled from the kinematical fitting of the magnetic spectrograph. (orig.) [de

Origin of irradiations by ionizing radiations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metivier, H.

1998-01-01

Irradiations by ionizing radiations proceed from two main sources: the natural radiations from the environment and the sources of 'human' origin, i.e. linked with modern technology. In most countries the irradiation by natural sources remains the most important. The irradiations for medical purposes comes in second position and depends on the degree of technological evolution of the country, and in the last position are the irradiations linked with nuclear industry. The inventory of these irradiations is regularly updated by the Scientific Committee of the United Nations for the study of ionizing radiation effects (UNSCEAR). In France the mean individual irradiation due to natural radioactivity is of 2 mSv per year of efficient dose and can vary with a factor 3 from one region to the other. Irradiation of medical diagnosis origin is of about 1 mSv per year. This paper presents successively: the natural irradiation sources (cosmic radiation, cosmic rays and cosmogenic radionuclides, the Earth's radiations, primary radionuclides and radon), the natural sources modified by the technology (extraction industries, fossil fuels and phosphated ores, aerial transports and space activities, consumer products), the irradiation sources of technological origin (nuclear weapons, electric power production, major accidents, occupational irradiations), and the medical irradiations (diagnosis techniques, radiology, nuclear medicine and therapeutic uses). (J.S.)

Department of Cosmic Radiation Physics: Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gawin, J.

1998-01-01

(full text) The Department of Cosmic Ray Physics in Lodz is involved in basic research in the area of high energy physics and cosmic ray physics related to: -Studies of asymptotic properties of hadronic interactions based on the analysis of cosmic ray propagation in the atmosphere. -Studies of the structure and properties of Extensive Air Showers induced by cosmic ray particles. - Search for point sources of high energy cosmic rays. - Studies of cosmic ray propagation in the Galaxy and mechanisms of particle acceleration. - Studies of mass composition of cosmic rays in the energy range l0 15 -10 17 eV. Theoretical and experimental studies of nuclear interactions for energies exceeding those obtained by modern particle accelerators are performed based on the results obtained by the Lodz Extensive Air Shower Array. The Lodz hodoscope can register the electromagnetic component of cosmic ray showers developing in the atmosphere as well as muons of two energy thresholds. Data collected by the Lodz array are also used to study the mass composition of cosmic rays in the energy range 10 15 -10 17 eV. The Lodz group collaborates with many foreign institutes and laboratories in construction and data interpretation of cosmic ray experiments. Our most important partners are: Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany), College de' France, the Institute for Nuclear Studies of the Russian Academy of Science, the University of Perpignan (France) and Uppsala University (Sweden). (author)

Origin of the ankle in the ultrahigh energy cosmic ray spectrum, and of the extragalactic protons below it

Science.gov (United States)

Unger, Michael; Farrar, Glennys R.; Anchordoqui, Luis A.

2015-12-01

The sharp change in slope of the ultrahigh energy cosmic ray (UHECR) spectrum around 1 018.6 eV (the ankle), combined with evidence of a light but extragalactic component near and below the ankle and intermediate composition above, has proved exceedingly challenging to understand theoretically, without fine-tuning. We propose a mechanism whereby photo-disintegration of ultrahigh energy nuclei in the region surrounding a UHECR accelerator accounts for the observed spectrum and inferred composition at Earth. For suitable source conditions, the model reproduces the spectrum and the composition over the entire extragalactic cosmic ray energy range, i.e. above 1 017.5 eV . Predictions for the spectrum and flavors of neutrinos resulting from this process are also presented.

Cosmic Rays Report from the Structure of Space

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Annila

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Spectrum of cosmic rays follows a broken power law over twelve orders of magnitude. Since ubiquitous power laws are manifestations of the principle of least action, we interpret the spectrum accordingly. Our analysis complies with understanding that low-energy particles originate mostly from rapidly receding sources throughout the cosmos. The flux peaks about proton rest energy whereafter it decreases because fewer and fewer receding sources are energetic enough to provide particles with high enough velocities to compensate for the recessional velocities. Above 1015.6 eV the flux from the expanding Universe diminishes below the flux from the nearby nonexpanding part of the Universe. In this spectral feature, known as the “knee,” we relate to a distance of about 1.3 Mpc where the gravitational potential tallies the energy density of free space. At higher energies particles decelerate in a dissipative manner to attain thermodynamic balance with the vacuum. At about 1017.2 eV a distinct dissipative mechanism opens up for protons to slow down by electron-positron pair production. At about 1019.6 eV a more effective mechanism opens up via pion production. All in all, the universal principle discloses that the broad spectrum of cosmic rays probes the structure of space from cosmic distances down to microscopic details.

Acceleration and propagation of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemoine, Martin

2013-01-01

The origin of the highest energy cosmic rays represents one of the most conspicuous enigmas of modern astrophysics, in spite of gigantic experimental efforts in the past fifty years, and of active theoretical research. The past decade has known exciting experimental results, most particularly the detection of a cut-off at the expected position for the long sought Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin suppression as well as evidence for large scale anisotropies. This paper summarizes and discusses recent achievements in this field.

Acceleration and propagation of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays

Science.gov (United States)

Lemoine, Martin

2013-02-01

The origin of the highest energy cosmic rays represents one of the most conspicuous enigmas of modern astrophysics, in spite of gigantic experimental efforts in the past fifty years, and of active theoretical research. The past decade has known exciting experimental results, most particularly the detection of a cut-off at the expected position for the long sought Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin suppression as well as evidence for large scale anisotropies. This paper summarizes and discusses recent achievements in this field.

MEASUREMENTS OF COSMIC-RAY HYDROGEN AND HELIUM ISOTOPES WITH THE PAMELA EXPERIMENT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adriani, O.; Bongi, M.; Barbarino, G. C.; Bazilevskaya, G. A.; Bellotti, R.; Bruno, A.; Boezio, M.; Bonvicini, V.; Formato, V.; Bogomolov, E. A.; Bottai, S.; Cafagna, F.; Campana, D.; Carlson, P.; Casolino, M.; Santis, C. De; Castellini, G.; Donato, C. De; Simone, N. De; Felice, V. Di

2016-01-01

The cosmic-ray hydrogen and helium ( 1 H, 2 H, 3 He, 4 He) isotopic composition has been measured with the satellite-borne experiment PAMELA, which was launched into low-Earth orbit on board the Resurs-DK1 satellite on 2006 June 15. The rare isotopes 2 H and 3 He in cosmic rays are believed to originate mainly from the interaction of high-energy protons and helium with the galactic interstellar medium. The isotopic composition was measured between 100 and 1100 MeV/n for hydrogen and between 100 and 1400 MeV/n for helium isotopes using two different detector systems over the 23rd solar minimum from 2006 July to 2007 December

Super-TIGER-2: A Very-Large-Area, High-Resolution Trans-Iron Cosmic Ray Investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Binns, Walter

This is the lead proposal of a multi-institution proposal. We propose to continue the highly successful Super-TIGER (Super Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder) program and to extend its scientific reach. Super-TIGER is a large-area instrument designed to make precision measurements of the elemental composition of ultra-heavy cosmic rays (UHCR) with atomic number Z greater than or equal to 30. The principal objective of the first phase of the Super- TIGER program was to measure the abundances of nuclei with 30 less than or equal to Z less than or equal to 42 with clear individual element resolution and high statistical precision. A secondary objective was to accurately measure the energy spectra of the more abundant light elements with 12 less than or equal to Z less than or equal to 28. Super-TIGER-1 was flown during the 2012-2013 Austral Summer, returning data on over 50 million cosmic ray (CR) nuclei in 55 days at float. The excellent data from this flight should enable us to achieve the initial goals of the program, and the high performance of the instrument makes it possible to expand our primary objective for further flights to include heavier UHCR. This is a 1-year proposal with two objectives: First to complete analysis of the data from the Super-TIGER-1 flight, and second to begin preparations to extend UHCR measurements with individual element resolution through barium (Z=56) and to greatly increase the number of Z greater than or equal to 30 nuclei measured. The abundance measurements provide sensitive tests and clarification of the OB-association model of galactic cosmic-ray origins, and will test models for atomic processes by which nuclei are selected for acceleration to cosmic ray energies. Additionally, measurements of individual element abundances from Z=40 to 56 will enable us to determine the extent of r-process enhancement since Zr (Z=40), Sn (Z=50) and Ba (Z=56) are predominately s-process and Ru (Z=44), Pd (Z=46), Te (Z=52) and Xe (Z=54)are

Spectrographic analysis of thorium and its compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grampurohit, S.V.; Saksena, M.D.; Kaimal, V.N.P.; Kapoor, S.K.; Murty, P.S.

1980-01-01

A spectrographic method, which employs the principle of carrier-distillation technique, is described for the analysis of high purity thoria. Two carriers, AgCl and NaF were used in determining 27 trace elements in ThO 2 . The elements were divided into three groups, A, B and C. In group A, 15 elements, viz. Al, B, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Si and Sn were included since it was possible to choose sensitive lines of these elements in one spectral region, 220 - 285 nm. Group B covered 8 elements, viz. Ag, Bi, Ca, Ga, Mo, Ti, V and Zn, which could be determined in the spectral region 290 - 352.5 nm. Group C consisted 4 elements, viz. Ba, K, Li and Na which could be determined in the spectral region 440 - 820 nm. 5% AgCl was used as the carrier for the determination of groups A and C elements and 4% NaF was used as the carrier for the estimation of group B elements. One hundred milligrammes of the sample (in the form of ThO 2 ) containing the carrier were taken in a carrier-distillation electrode and excited in a d.c. arc (10 amps for groups A and C; 15 amps for group B). The spectra of sample and synthetic standards were photographed on Hilger's large quartz, JACO 3.4 m Ebert plane grating and Higler's large glass spectrographs respectively for determining group A, B and C elements. The detection limit obtained for B and Cd was 0.1 ppm. Thorium metal and thorium nitrate samples were converted to ThO 2 prior to analysis. (auth.)

Search for positron anisotropies in cosmic rays with AMS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Machate, Fabian [1. Physikalisches Institut B, RWTH Aachen University (Germany)

2016-07-01

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) on the International Space Station has observed a significant excess of cosmic ray positrons over the background expected from secondary production at energies above 10 GeV. Nearby pulsars and annihilating dark matter particles as a primary source of electrons and positrons have been discussed as an explanation. A possible way of distinguishing between pulsar and dark matter origin is the measurement of dipole anisotropies in the positron flux or the positron to electron ratio. Any anisotropy will be reduced by diffusion in galactic magnetic fields to below the percent level. AMS-02 is the leading space-based experiment for cosmic ray detection and well suited for this search. A new analysis procedure for anisotropies using an event sample with large acceptance is presented. It relies on the ability of the Transition Radiation Detector (TRD) to separate positrons from the proton background.

Observations of the radial velocity of the Sun as measured with the novel SONG spectrograph

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pallé, P. L.; Grundahl, F.; Hage, A. Triviño

2013-01-01

Deployment of the prototype node of the SONG project took place in April 2012 at Observatorio del Teide (Canary Islands). Its key instrument (echelle spectrograph) was installed and operational a few weeks later while its 1 m feeding telescope suffered a considerable delay to meet the required...... specifications. Using a fibre-feed, solar light could be fed to the spectrograph and we carried out a 1-week observing campaign in June 2012 to evaluate its performance for measuring precision radial velocities. In this work we present the first results of this campaign by comparing the sensitivity of the SONG...

Cosmic Ether

CERN Document Server

Tomaschitz, R

1998-01-01

A prerelativistic approach to particle dynamics is explored in an expanding Robertson-Walker cosmology. The receding galactic background provides a distinguished frame of reference and a unique cosmic time. In this context the relativistic, purely geometric space-time concept is criticized. Physical space is regarded as a permeable medium, the cosmic ether, which effects the world-lines of particles and rays. We study in detail a Robertson-Walker universe with linear expansion factor and negatively curved, open three-space; we choose the permeability tensor of the ether in such a way that the semiclassical approximation is exact. Galactic red-shifts depend on the refractive index of the ether. In the local Minkowskian limit the ether causes a time variation of mass, which scales inversely proportional to cosmic time. In the globally geodesic rest frames of galactic observers the ether manifests itself in an unbounded speed of signal transfer, in bifurcations of world-lines, and in time inversion effects.

Spectrographic determination of niobium in uranium - niobium alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charbel, M.Y.; Lordello, A.R.

1984-01-01

A method for the spectrographic determination of niobium in uranium-niobium alloys in the concentration range 1-10% has been developed. The metallic sample is converted to oxide by calcination in a muffle furnace at 800 0 C for two hours. The standards are prepared synthetically by dry-mixing. One part of the sample or standard is added to nineteen parts of graphite powder and the mixture is excited in a DC arc. Hafnium has been used as internal standard. The precision of the method is + - 4.8%. (Author) [pt

Rapid spectrographic method for determining microcomponents in solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karpenko, L.I.; Fadeeva, L.A.; Gordeeva, A.N.; Ermakova, N.V.

1984-01-01

Rapid spectrographic method foe determining microcomponents (Cd, V, Mo, Ni, rare earths and other elements) in industrial and natural solutions has been developed. The analyses were conducted in argon medium and in the air. Calibration charts for determining individual rare earths in solutions are presented. The accuracy of analysis (Sr) was detection limit was 10 -3 -10 -4 mg/ml, that for rare earths - 1.10 -2 mg/ml. The developed method enables to rapidly analyze solutions (sewages and industrialllwaters, wine products) for 20 elements including 6 rare earths, using strandard equipment

Limits for an inverse bremsstrahlung origin of the diffuse Galactic soft gamma-ray emission

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pohl, M.

1998-01-01

origin of the soft Galactic gamma-ray continuum through inverse bremsstrahlung. A flux of low-energy cosmic rays strong enough to produce the observed spectrum of gamma-rays implies substantial gamma-ray emission at a few MeV through nuclear de-excitation. It is shown that the existing limits on excess 3......-7 MeV emission from the Galactic plane, in concert with the constraints from pi(0)-decay gamma-ray emission at higher energies, are in serious conflict with an inverse bremsstrahlung origin of the Galactic soft gamma-ray emission for any physically plausible low-energy cosmic ray spectrum. While...

Using an integral-field unit spectrograph to study radical species in cometary coma

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Benjamin; Pierce, Donna M.; Vaughan, Charles M.; Cochran, Anita

2015-01-01

We have observed several comets using an integral-field unit spectrograph (the George and Cynthia Mitchell Spectrograph) on the 2.7m Harlan J. Smith telescope at McDonald Observatory. Full-coma spectroscopic images were obtained for various radical species (C2, C3, CN, NH2). Various coma enhancements were used to identify and characterize coma morphological features. The azimuthal average profiles and the Haser model were used to determine production rates and possible parent molecules. Here, we present the work completed to date, and we compare our results to other comet taxonomic surveys. This work was funded by the National Science Foundation Graduate K-12 (GK-12) STEM Fellows program (Award No. DGE-0947419), NASA's Planetary Atmospheres program (Award No. NNX14AH18G), and the Fund for Astrophysical Research, Inc.

FK Comae Berenices, King of Spin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ayres, Thomas R.; Kashyap, V.; Saar, S.

2016-01-01

COCOA-PUFS is an energy-diverse, time-domain study of the ultra-fast spinning, heavily spotted, yellow giant FK Comae Berenices (FK Com: HD117555; G4 III). This single star is thought to be a recent binary merger, and is exceptionally active by measure of its intense ultraviolet (UV) and X......-ray emissions, and proclivity to flare. COCOA-PUFS was carried out with the Hubble Space Telescope in the UV (1200-3000 Å), using mainly its high-performance Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, but also high precision Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph; Chandra X-ray Observatory in the soft X-rays (0.5-10 ke......V), utilizing its High-Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer; together with supporting photometry and spectropolarimetry in the visible from the ground. This is an introductory report on the project. FK Com displayed variability on a wide range of timescales over all wavelengths during the week-long main...

Closing CMS to hunt cosmic rays

CERN Multimedia

Claudia Marcelloni

2006-01-01

Every second the Earth is bombarded by billions of cosmic rays and occasionally one of these cosmic particles will collide with the Earth's atmosphere generating a shower of particles known as an 'air shower'. This is similiar to the collisions and subsequent particle showers observed in accelerators such as the LHC. Here the CMS detector is closed so that systems can be tested using muon cosmic rays in the 'Cosmic Challenge'.

Superconducting cosmic string loops as sources for fast radio bursts

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Xiao-Feng; Yu, Yun-Wei

2018-01-01

The cusp burst radiation of superconducting cosmic string (SCS) loops is thought to be a possible origin of observed fast radio bursts with the model-predicted radiation spectrum and the redshift- and energy-dependent event rate, we fit the observational redshift and energy distributions of 21 Parkes fast radio bursts and constrain the model parameters. It is found that the model can basically be consistent with the observations, if the current on the SCS loops has a present value of ˜1016μ179 /10 esu s-1 and evolves with redshift as an empirical power law ˜(1 +z )-1.3 , where μ17=μ /1017 g cm-1 is the string tension. This current evolution may provide a clue to probe the evolution of the cosmic magnetic fields and the gathering of the SCS loops to galaxy clusters.

Interplanetary cosmic-ray scintillations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toptygin, I N; Vasiliev, V N [Kalininskij Sel' skokhozyajstvennyj Inst. (USSR)

1977-05-01

The equation for the two-particles cosmic-ray distribution function is derived by means of the Boltzmann kinetic equation averaging. This equation is valid for arbitrary ratio of regular and random parts of the magnetic field. For small energy particles the guiding-center approximation is used. On the basis of the derived equation the dependence between power spectra of cosmic-ray intensity and random magnetic field is obtained. If power spectra are degree functions for high energy particles (approximately 10 GeV nucleon/sup -1/), then the spectral exponent ..gamma.. of magnetic field lies between rho and rho-2, where rho is the spectral exponent of cosmic-ray power spectra. The experimental data concerning moderate energy particles are in accordance with ..gamma..=rho, which demonstrates that the magnetic fluctuations are isotropic or cosmic-ray space gradient is small near the Earth orbit.

A CCD fitted to the UV Prime spectrograph: Performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boulade, O.

1986-10-01

A CCD camera was fitted to the 3.6 m French-Canadian telescope in Hawai. Performance of the system and observations of elliptic galaxies (stellar content and galactic evolution in a cluster) and quasars (absorption lines in spectra) are reported. In spite of its resolution being only average, the extremely rapid optics of the UV spectrograph gives good signal to noise ratios enabling redshifts and velocity scatter to be calculated with an accuracy better than 30 km/sec [fr

ALICE Cosmic Ray Detector

CERN Multimedia

Fernandez Tellez, A; Martinez Hernandez, M; Rodriguez Cahuantzi, M

2013-01-01

The ALICE underground cavern provides an ideal place for the detection of high energy atmospheric muons coming from cosmic ray showers. ACORDE detects cosmic ray showers by triggering the arrival of muons to the top of the ALICE magnet.

The science case of the PEPSI high-resolution echelle spectrograph and polarimeter for the LBT

Science.gov (United States)

Strassmeier, K. G.; Pallavicini, R.; Rice, J. B.; Andersen, M. I.

2004-05-01

We lay out the scientific rationale for and present the instrumental requirements of a high-resolution adaptive-optics Echelle spectrograph with two full-Stokes polarimeters for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) in Arizona. Magnetic processes just like those seen on the Sun and in the space environment of the Earth are now well recognized in many astrophysical areas. The application to other stars opened up a new field of research that became widely known as the solar-stellar connection. Late-type stars with convective envelopes are all affected by magnetic processes which give rise to a rich variety of phenomena on their surface and are largely responsible for the heating of their outer atmospheres. Magnetic fields are likely to play a crucial role in the accretion process of T-Tauri stars as well as in the acceleration and collimation of jet-like flows in young stellar objects (YSOs). Another area is the physics of active galactic nucleii (AGNs) , where the magnetic activity of the accreting black hole is now believed to be responsible for most of the behavior of these objects, including their X-ray spectrum, their notoriously dramatic variability, and the powerful relativistic jets they produce. Another is the physics of the central engines of cosmic gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the universe, for which the extreme apparent energy release are explained through the collimation of the released energy by magnetic fields. Virtually all the physics of magnetic fields exploited in astrophysics is somehow linked to our understanding of the Sun's and the star's magnetic fields.

Superconducting cosmic string evolution of quasars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Yulin.

1988-09-01

The quasars may have been undergoing two evolutionary processes after they formed. As a result of the string loops shrinking at the first stage, the luminosities of the quasars increased gradually up to their maximum value at the redshift z ∼ 2, after then the second evolutionary stage began and the luminosity reduced. This result can be fitted by luminosity counting of quasars. Observable limit of quasars can be obtained naturally. Many phenomena, such as radiomorphology, density distribution between fuzz structure and broad line region and rotational curve may also originate from the first evolutionary stage of quasars as cosmic string. (author). 10 refs

Key scientific problems from Cosmic Ray History

Science.gov (United States)

Lev, Dorman

2016-07-01

young scientist from the Graz University, started to investigate how γ-radiations change their intensity with the distance from their sources, i.e. from the ground. When he performed his historical experiments on balloons in 1911-1912, it was found that at the beginning (up to approximately one km) ionization did not change, but with increase of the altitude for up to 4 - 5 km, the ionization rate escalates several times. Victor Hess drew a conclusion that some new unknown source of ionization of extra terrestrial origin exists. He named it 'high altitude radiation'. 5. Many scientists did not agree with this conclusion and tried to prove that the discovered new radiation has terrestrial origin (e.g., radium and other emanations from radioactive substances in the ground, particle acceleration up to high energies during thunderstorms, and so on). However, a lot of experiments showed that Victor Hess's findings are right: the discovered new radiation has extra terrestrial origin. 6. In 1926 the great American scientist Robert Millikan named them 'cosmic rays': cosmic as coming from space, and rays because it was generally wrongly accepted at those time that the new radiation mostly consisted of γ-rays. Robert Millikan believed that God exists and continues to work: in space God has creates He atoms from four atoms of H with the generation high energy gamma rays (in contradiction with physical laws, as this reaction can occur only at very high temperature and great density, e.g., as inside stars). 7. On this problem, interesting to many people, there was a famous public discussion between two Nobel laureates Arthur Compton and Robert Millikan, widely reported in newspapers. Only after a lot of latitude surveys in the 1930s, organized mostly by Compton and Millikan, it became clear that 'cosmic rays' are mostly not γ-rays, but rather charged particles (based on Störmer's theory about behavior of charged energetic particles in the geomagnetic field, developed in 1910

Cosmic Connections:. from Cosmic Rays to Gamma Rays, Cosmic Backgrounds and Magnetic Fields

Science.gov (United States)

Kusenko, Alexander

2013-12-01

Combined data from gamma-ray telescopes and cosmic-ray detectors have produced some new surprising insights regarding intergalactic and galactic magnetic fields, as well as extragalactic background light. We review some recent advances, including a theory explaining the hard spectra of distant blazars and the measurements of intergalactic magnetic fields based on the spectra of distant sources. Furthermore, we discuss the possible contribution of transient galactic sources, such as past gamma-ray bursts and hypernova explosions in the Milky Way, to the observed ux of ultrahigh-energy cosmicrays nuclei. The need for a holistic treatment of gamma rays, cosmic rays, and magnetic fields serves as a unifying theme for these seemingly unrelated phenomena.

Fitting cosmic microwave background data with cosmic strings and inflation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bevis, Neil; Hindmarsh, Mark; Kunz, Martin; Urrestilla, Jon

2008-01-18

We perform a multiparameter likelihood analysis to compare measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) power spectra with predictions from models involving cosmic strings. Adding strings to the standard case of a primordial spectrum with power-law tilt ns, we find a 2sigma detection of strings: f10=0.11+/-0.05, where f10 is the fractional contribution made by strings in the temperature power spectrum (at l=10). CMB data give moderate preference to the model ns=1 with cosmic strings over the standard zero-strings model with variable tilt. When additional non-CMB data are incorporated, the two models become on a par. With variable ns and these extra data, we find that f10<0.11, which corresponds to Gmicro<0.7x10(-6) (where micro is the string tension and G is the gravitational constant).

Measurements of Cosmic-Ray Proton and Helium Spectra from the BESS-Polar Long-Duration Balloon Flights Over Antarctica

Science.gov (United States)

Abe, K.; Fuke, H.; Haino, S.; Hams, T.; Hasegawa, M.; Horikoshi, A.; Itazaki, A.; Kim, K. C.; Kumazawa, T.; Kusumoto, A.;

MEASUREMENTS OF COSMIC-RAY HYDROGEN AND HELIUM ISOTOPES WITH THE PAMELA EXPERIMENT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adriani, O.; Bongi, M. [University of Florence, Department of Physics, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence (Italy); Barbarino, G. C. [University of Naples “Federico II,” Department of Physics, I-80126 Naples (Italy); Bazilevskaya, G. A. [Lebedev Physical Institute, RU-119991, Moscow (Russian Federation); Bellotti, R.; Bruno, A. [University of Bari, Department of Physics, I-70126 Bari (Italy); Boezio, M.; Bonvicini, V.; Formato, V. [INFN, Sezione di Trieste, I-34149 Trieste (Italy); Bogomolov, E. A. [Ioffe Physical Technical Institute, RU-194021 St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Bottai, S. [INFN, Sezione di Florence, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence (Italy); Cafagna, F. [INFN, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari (Italy); Campana, D. [INFN, Sezione di Naples, I-80126 Naples (Italy); Carlson, P. [KTH, Department of Physics, and the Oskar Klein Centre for Cosmoparticle Physics, AlbaNova University Centre, SE-10691 Stockholm (Sweden); Casolino, M.; Santis, C. De [University of Rome “Tor Vergata,” Department of Physics, I-00133 Rome (Italy); Castellini, G. [IFAC, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence (Italy); Donato, C. De; Simone, N. De; Felice, V. Di [INFN, Sezione di Rome “Tor Vergata,” I-00133 Rome (Italy); and others

2016-02-10

The cosmic-ray hydrogen and helium ({sup 1}H, {sup 2}H, {sup 3}He, {sup 4}He) isotopic composition has been measured with the satellite-borne experiment PAMELA, which was launched into low-Earth orbit on board the Resurs-DK1 satellite on 2006 June 15. The rare isotopes {sup 2}H and {sup 3}He in cosmic rays are believed to originate mainly from the interaction of high-energy protons and helium with the galactic interstellar medium. The isotopic composition was measured between 100 and 1100 MeV/n for hydrogen and between 100 and 1400 MeV/n for helium isotopes using two different detector systems over the 23rd solar minimum from 2006 July to 2007 December.

The Cosmic Sources of Religious Feeling (a possible hypothesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor F. Petrenko

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to the relationship between science and religion, as an important component of human culture and human mentality. The science is considered to have become closely connected with consciousness and is described in the language of rigid formalisms. Religious language is metaphorical and belongs to a “soft” language that is closely related to the images and archetypes of the collective unconscious. In terms of worldview, science and religion are complementary. The values of forms of “religious diversity” of human culture are noted. It is noted that due to ESR phenomenon (or quantum teleportation, it is possible to transfer (it does not concern the information, the possibility of which is limited due to the huge cosmic distances quantum states in synchrony. It is hypothesized that the source of religious feeling is the cosmic collective unconscious of extraterrestrial civilizations that are ahead of the Earth regarding the origin and affect the Earth’s evolution implicitly

On the Non-Thermal Energy Content of Cosmic Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franco Vazza

2016-11-01

Full Text Available (1 Background: the budget of non-thermal energy in galaxy clusters is not well constrained, owing to the observational and theoretical difficulties in studying these diluted plasmas on large scales; (2 Method: we use recent cosmological simulations with complex physics in order to connect the emergence of non-thermal energy to the underlying evolution of gas and dark matter; (3 Results: the impact of non-thermal energy (e.g., cosmic rays, magnetic fields and turbulent motions is found to increase in the outer region of galaxy clusters. Within numerical and theoretical uncertainties, turbulent motions dominate the budget of non-thermal energy in most of the cosmic volume; (4 Conclusion: assessing the distribution non-thermal energy in galaxy clusters is crucial to perform high-precision cosmology in the future. Constraining the level of non-thermal energy in cluster outskirts will improve our understanding of the acceleration of relativistic particles and of the origin of extragalactic magnetic fields.

Department of Cosmic Ray Physics: Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabelski, J.

2001-01-01

Full text: The Department of Cosmic Ray Physics in Lodz is involved in basic research in the area of high-energy physics and cosmic ray physics related to: Experimental and phenomenological studies of Extensive Air Showers induced by cosmic ray particles. Studies of ultra-high energy (above 10 19 eV) cosmic rays: determination of energy and primary particle mass composition. Studies of asymptotic properties of hadronic interactions based on the analysis of cosmic ray propagation through the atmosphere. Studies of mass composition of cosmic rays in the energy range 10 15 -10 17 eV. Registration of cosmic ray intensity variation correlated with solar activity. Theoretical and experimental studies of Extensive Air Shower properties are performed mostly based on the results obtained by the Lodz Extensive Air Shower Array. We have noticed unexplainable delayed signals registered about 500-900 microseconds after the main EAS pulse. We prepared hardware for further experimental study of this effect. In September we have started registration of 5 GeV muon flux with the underground muon telescope. We registered 3 decreases of muon intensity correlated with Forbush decreases registered at lower energies. Variations of primary cosmic ray of energies up to about 100 GeV were responsible for our registrations. These set the upper limits for geometrical size of geomagnetic disturbances in interplanetary space. In construction and data interpretation of cosmic ray experiments, the Lodz group collaborates with many foreign institutes and laboratories: Forschungszentrum in Karlsruhe (Germany), College de France, Institute for Nuclear Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Uppsala University (Sweden). We have organised (together with the Physics Department of the University of Lodz) the 17 th European Cosmic Ray Symposium (24-?8 July 2000) in which about 150 physicists participated (about 100 from abroad). (author)

Mupasi as cosmic s(Spirit: The universe as a community of life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuzipa M.B. Nalwamba

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Mupasi recalls the belief that humans form part of the community of life within the realm of the cosmic spirit. The assertion seems like a truism that requires no further enunciation. However, belief in the Creator-Spirit, a pneuma-theological understanding of creation, is relatively young in the Christian tradition. In Colossians 1:15-20, Christ is presented as instrumental to creation. Christian tradition therefore tends to present creation in Christological terms. The foundational belief in Spirit-Creator-God has not historically undergirded Christian belief about creation. The Christian faith could therefore benefit from ‘companion’ views of creation in terms of the cosmic spirit. Mupasi is understood as cosmic spirit, the axis of the universe apprehended as an organic whole. The web of life was brought into being, is sustained by, and inhabited by Mupasi. This retrieval has continuities and discontinuities with Christian belief as Spirit-Creator-God. It is presented here as a notion that calls the Christian faith back to its originating intuitions about creation. Mupasi is appropriated within a pneuma-theological framework that addressed a pressing issue of our time, the global ecological crisis. Mupasi presents an ecological critique that is meaningful for a renewed appreciation of community beyond an anthropocentric focus. The cosmic relatedness brings a renewed vision of the universe as a cosmic community of the s(Spirit. The cultural and intellectual milieu of Mupasi is undergirded by a relational conception of reality. It provides a critical lens with implications for ecclesiology that challenges the church’s self-understanding and ways of being.

Science with Future Cosmic Microwave Background Observations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bernardis, P. de; Calvo, M.; Giordano, C.; Masi, S.; Nati, F.; Piacentini, F.; Schillaci, A. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Roma La Sapienza, P.le A. Moro 2, 00185 Roma (Italy)

2009-10-15

After the successful measurements of many ground based, balloon-borne and satellite experiments, which started the era of 'Precision Cosmology', Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) observations are now focusing on two targets: the precision measurement of B-modes in the polarization field, and the measurement of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect in distant clusters of galaxies. Polarization measurements represent the best way to probe the very early universe, and the energy scale of inflation. Fine-scale anisotropy measurements, possibly with spectral capabilities, can provide important information on dark matter and dark energy. Here we describe original approaches to these measurements.

Science with Future Cosmic Microwave Background Observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernardis, P. de; Calvo, M.; Giordano, C.; Masi, S.; Nati, F.; Piacentini, F.; Schillaci, A.

2009-01-01

After the successful measurements of many ground based, balloon-borne and satellite experiments, which started the era of 'Precision Cosmology', Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) observations are now focusing on two targets: the precision measurement of B-modes in the polarization field, and the measurement of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect in distant clusters of galaxies. Polarization measurements represent the best way to probe the very early universe, and the energy scale of inflation. Fine-scale anisotropy measurements, possibly with spectral capabilities, can provide important information on dark matter and dark energy. Here we describe original approaches to these measurements.

Cosmic history and a candidate parent asteroid for the quasicrystal-bearing meteorite Khatyrka

Science.gov (United States)

Meier, Matthias M. M.; Bindi, Luca; Heck, Philipp R.; Neander, April I.; Spring, Nicole H.; Riebe, My E. I.; Maden, Colin; Baur, Heinrich; Steinhardt, Paul J.; Wieler, Rainer; Busemann, Henner

2018-05-01

The unique CV-type meteorite Khatyrka is the only natural sample in which "quasicrystals" and associated crystalline Cu, Al-alloys, including khatyrkite and cupalite, have been found. They are suspected to have formed in the early Solar System. To better understand the origin of these exotic phases, and the relationship of Khatyrka to other CV chondrites, we have measured He and Ne in six individual, ∼40-μm-sized olivine grains from Khatyrka. We find a cosmic-ray exposure age of about 2-4 Ma (if the meteoroid was family), and its location close to strong orbital resonances, so that the Khatyrka meteoroid could plausibly have reached Earth within its rather short cosmic-ray exposure age.

Cosmic physics: the high energy frontier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stecker, F W

2003-01-01

Cosmic rays have been observed up to energies 10 8 times larger than those of the best particle accelerators. Studies of astrophysical particles (hadrons, neutrinos and photons) at their highest observed energies have implications for fundamental physics as well as astrophysics. Thus, the cosmic high energy frontier is the nexus to new particle physics. This overview discusses recent advances being made in the physics and astrophysics of cosmic rays and cosmic γ-rays at the highest observed energies as well as the related physics and astrophysics of very high energy cosmic neutrinos. These topics touch on questions of grand unification, violations of Lorentz invariance as well as Planck scale physics and quantum gravity. (topical review)

Cosmic rays and global warming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erlykin, A.D. [P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute, Moscow (Russian Federation); Sloan, T. [Lancaster University (United Kingdom); Wolfendale, A.W. [Durham University (United Kingdom)

2010-07-01

The possible effects of cosmic rays on clouds could contribute to global warming. The argument is that the observed increased solar activity during the last century caused a decrease in the ionization due to cosmic rays since the lower energy cosmic particles are deflected by the magnetic field created by the increasing solar wind. This would lead to a decrease in cloud cover allowing more heating of the earth by the sun. Meteorological data combined to solar activity observations and simulations show that any effect of solar activity on clouds and the climate is likely to be through irradiance rather than cosmic rays. Since solar irradiance transfers 8 orders of magnitude more energy to the atmosphere than cosmic rays it is more plausible that this can produce a real effect. The total contribution of variable solar activity to global warming is shown to be less than 14% of the total temperature rise. (A.C.)

Impact of Cosmic-Ray Transport on Galactic Winds

Science.gov (United States)

Farber, R.; Ruszkowski, M.; Yang, H.-Y. K.; Zweibel, E. G.

2018-04-01

The role of cosmic rays generated by supernovae and young stars has very recently begun to receive significant attention in studies of galaxy formation and evolution due to the realization that cosmic rays can efficiently accelerate galactic winds. Microscopic cosmic-ray transport processes are fundamental for determining the efficiency of cosmic-ray wind driving. Previous studies modeled cosmic-ray transport either via a constant diffusion coefficient or via streaming proportional to the Alfvén speed. However, in predominantly cold, neutral gas, cosmic rays can propagate faster than in the ionized medium, and the effective transport can be substantially larger; i.e., cosmic rays can decouple from the gas. We perform three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamical simulations of patches of galactic disks including the effects of cosmic rays. Our simulations include the decoupling of cosmic rays in the cold, neutral interstellar medium. We find that, compared to the ordinary diffusive cosmic-ray transport case, accounting for the decoupling leads to significantly different wind properties, such as the gas density and temperature, significantly broader spatial distribution of cosmic rays, and higher wind speed. These results have implications for X-ray, γ-ray, and radio emission, and for the magnetization and pollution of the circumgalactic medium by cosmic rays.

Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays

CERN Document Server

Dova, M.T.

2015-05-22

The origin of the ultra high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) with energies above E > 10 17 eV, is still unknown. The discovery of their sources will reveal the engines of the most energetic astrophysical accelerators in the universe. This is a written version of a series of lectures devoted to UHECR at the 2013 CERN-Latin-American School of High-Energy Physics. We present anintroduction to acceleration mechanisms of charged particles to the highest energies in astrophysical objects, their propagation from the sources to Earth, and the experimental techniques for their detection. We also discuss some of the relevant observational results from Telescope Array and Pierre Auger Observatory. These experiments deal with particle interactions at energies orders of magnitude higher than achieved in terrestrial accelerators.

Cosmic Topology

Science.gov (United States)

Luminet, Jean-Pierre

2015-08-01

Cosmic Topology is the name given to the study of the overall shape of the universe, which involves both global topological features and more local geometrical properties such as curvature. Whether space is finite or infinite, simply-connected or multi-connected like a torus, smaller or greater than the portion of the universe that we can directly observe, are questions that refer to topology rather than curvature. A striking feature of some relativistic, multi-connected "small" universe models is to create multiples images of faraway cosmic sources. While the most recent cosmological data fit the simplest model of a zero-curvature, infinite space model, they are also consistent with compact topologies of the three homogeneous and isotropic geometries of constant curvature, such as, for instance, the spherical Poincaré Dodecahedral Space, the flat hypertorus or the hyperbolic Picard horn. After a "dark age" period, the field of Cosmic Topology has recently become one of the major concerns in cosmology, not only for theorists but also for observational astronomers, leaving open a number of unsolved issues.

Simulating the physical properties of dark matter and gas inside the cosmic web

Science.gov (United States)

Dolag, K.; Meneghetti, M.; Moscardini, L.; Rasia, E.; Bonaldi, A.

2006-08-01

Using the results of a high-resolution, cosmological hydrodynamical re-simulation of a supercluster-like region, we investigate the physical properties of the gas located along the filaments and bridges which constitute the so-called cosmic web. First, we analyse the main characteristics of the density, temperature and velocity fields, which have quite different distributions, reflecting the complex dynamics of the structure-formation process. Then we quantify the signals which originate from the matter in the filaments by considering different observables. Inside the cosmic web, we find that the halo density is about 10-14 times larger than cosmic mean; the bremsstrahlung X-ray surface brightness reaches at most 10-16 erg s-1 cm-2 arcmin-2 the Compton-y parameter due to the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect is about 10-6 the reduced shear produced by the weak lensing effect is ~0.01-0.02. These results confirm the difficulty of an observational detection of the cosmic web. Finally, we find that projection effects of the filamentary network can affect the estimates of the properties of single clusters, increasing their X-ray luminosity by less than 10 per cent and their central Compton-y parameter by up to 30 per cent.

Cosmic ray physics goes to school

CERN Multimedia

2002-01-01

With the help of a CERN physicist, German Schools bring the Largest Cosmic Ray Detector in Europe one step closer to reality   Eric Berthier and Robert Porret (CERN, ST/HM), Frej Torp and Christian Antfolk from the Polytechnics Arcada in Finland, and Karsten Eggert, physicist at CERN who initiated this project, during the installation of cosmic ray detectors in the Pays de Gex, at point 4. Niina Patrikainen and Frej Torp, Finnish students from Rovaniemi and Arcada Polytechnics, installing cosmic ray counters at the Fachhochschule in Duesseldorf. The science of cosmic ray detection is growing, literally. Cosmic rays, energetic particles from space, strike our planet all the time. They collide with the air molecules in our upper atmosphere and initiate large showers of elementary particles (mainly electrons, photons, hadrons and muons) which rain down upon the earth. The shower size and the particle density in the showers reflect the initial energy of the cosmic ray particle, a detail which makes d...

A UV prime focus spectrograph for the CFHT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boulade, O.; Vigroux, L.

1986-03-01

The UV prime spectrograph at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope is the first instrument to be designed with an aspherized diffraction grating. This technique leads to all reflective Schmidt designs with a very small amount of optical surface on fast aperture ratio. A thin backside illuminated RCA CCD is now used as the detector. Since the detector is at the focus of an f/1 mounting, within the optical path, a minicryostat (5 cm x 5 cm x 3 cm) was designed to minimize the central obscuration. This paper describes this new instrument and its performances

Performance testing of a novel off-plane reflection grating and silicon pore optic spectrograph at PANTER

Science.gov (United States)

Marlowe, Hannah; McEntaffer, Randall L.; Allured, Ryan; DeRoo, Casey; Miles, Drew M.; Donovan, Benjamin D.; Tutt, James H.; Burwitz, Vadim; Menz, Benedikt; Hartner, Gisela D.; Smith, Randall K.; Günther, Ramses; Yanson, Alex; Vacanti, Giuseppe; Ackermann, Marcelo

2015-05-01

An X-ray spectrograph consisting of aligned, radially ruled off-plane reflection gratings and silicon pore optics (SPO) was tested at the Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics PANTER X-ray test facility. The SPO is a test module for the proposed Arcus mission, which will also feature aligned off-plane reflection gratings. This test is the first time two off-plane gratings were actively aligned to each other and with a SPO to produce an overlapped spectrum. We report the performance of the complete spectrograph utilizing the aligned gratings module and plans for future development.

Separation of gravitational-wave and cosmic-shear contributions to cosmic microwave background polarization.

Science.gov (United States)

Kesden, Michael; Cooray, Asantha; Kamionkowski, Marc

2002-07-01

Inflationary gravitational waves (GW) contribute to the curl component in the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Cosmic shear--gravitational lensing of the CMB--converts a fraction of the dominant gradient polarization to the curl component. Higher-order correlations can be used to map the cosmic shear and subtract this contribution to the curl. Arcminute resolution will be required to pursue GW amplitudes smaller than those accessible by the Planck surveyor mission. The blurring by lensing of small-scale CMB power leads with this reconstruction technique to a minimum detectable GW amplitude corresponding to an inflation energy near 10(15) GeV.

Origins Space Telescope: Study Plan

Science.gov (United States)

Nayyeri, Hooshang; Cooray, Asantha; Origins Space Telescope Study Team

2018-01-01

The Origins Space Telescope (OST) is the mission concept for the Far-Infrared Surveyor, a study in development by NASA in preparation for the 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey. Origins is planned to be a large aperture, actively-cooled telescope covering a wide span of the mid- to far-infrared spectrum. Its spectrographs will enable 3D surveys of the sky that will discover and characterize the most distant galaxies, Milky-Way, exoplanets, and the outer reaches of our Solar system. Origins will enable flagship-quality general observing programs led by the astronomical community in the 2030s. The Science and Technology Definition Team (STDT) would like to hear your science needs and ideas for this mission. The team can be contacted at firsurveyor_info@lists.ipac.caltech.edu. This presentation will provide a summary of the OST STDT, the OST Study Team based at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, study partners, and the advisory panel to the study. This presentation will also summarize recent activities, including the process used to reach a decision on the mission architecture, the identification of key science drivers, and the key study milestones between 2017 and 2020.

Cosmic rays and the interstellar medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolfendale, A.W.

1986-01-01

It is inevitable that there is a close connection between cosmic rays and the ISM insofar as the propagation of cosmic rays is conditioned by the magnetic field in the ISM and the cosmic rays interact with the gas (and photon fluxes) in this medium. This paper deals with both topics. Propagation effects manifest themselves as an anisotropy in arrival directions and a review is given of anisotropy measurements and their interpretation. The status of studies of cosmic ray interactions is examined whit particular reference to the information about the ISM itself which comes from observations of the flux of secondary γ-rays produced by cosmic ray interactions with gas, the situation regarding molecular as in the Inner Galaxy being of particular concern

Looking for Cosmic Neutrino Background

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chiaki eYanagisawa

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Since the discovery of neutrino oscillation in atmospheric neutrinos by the Super-Kamiokande experiment in 1998, study of neutrinos has been one of exciting fields in high-energy physics. All the mixing angles were measured. Quests for 1 measurements of the remaining parameters, the lightest neutrino mass, the CP violating phase(s, and the sign of mass splitting between the mass eigenstates m3 and m1, and 2 better measurements to determine whether the mixing angle theta23 is less than pi/4, are in progress in a well-controlled manner. Determining the nature of neutrinos, whether they are Dirac or Majorana particles is also in progress with continuous improvement. On the other hand, although the ideas of detecting cosmic neutrino background have been discussed since 1960s, there has not been a serious concerted effort to achieve this goal. One of the reasons is that it is extremely difficult to detect such low energy neutrinos from the Big Bang. While there has been tremendous accumulation of information on Cosmic Microwave Background since its discovery in 1965, there is no direct evidence for Cosmic Neutrino Background. The importance of detecting Cosmic Neutrino Background is that, although detailed studies of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis and Cosmic Microwave Background give information of the early Universe at ~a few minutes old and ~300 k years old, respectively, observation of Cosmic Neutrino Background allows us to study the early Universe at $sim$ 1 sec old. This article reviews progress made in the past 50 years on detection methods of Cosmic Neutrino Background.

Field Raman spectrograph for environmental analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haas, J.W. III; Forney, R.W.; Carrabba, M.M.; Rauh, R.D.

1995-01-01

The enormous cost for chemical analysis at DOE facilities predicates that cost-saving measures be implemented. Many approaches, ranging from increasing laboratory sample throughput by reducing preparation time to the development of field instrumentation, are being explored to meet this need. Because of the presence of radioactive materials at many DOE sites, there is also a need for methods that are safer for site personnel and analysts. This project entails the development of a compact Raman spectrograph for field screening and monitoring of a wide variety of wastes, pollutants, and corrosion products in storage tanks, soils, and ground and surface waters. Analytical advantages of the Raman technique include its ability to produce a unique, spectral fingerprint for each contaminant and its ability to analyze both solids and liquids directly, without the need for isolation or cleanup

Non-universal spectra of ultra-high energy cosmic ray primaries and secondaries in a structured universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sigl, Guenter

2007-01-01

Analytical calculations of extra-galactic cosmic ray spectra above ∼ 10 17 eV are often performed assuming continuous source distributions, giving rise to spectra that depend little on the propagation mode, be it rectilinear or diffusive. We perform trajectory simulations for proton primaries in the probably more realistic case of discrete sources with a density of ∼ 10 -5 Mpc -3 . We find two considerable non-universal effects that depend on source distributions and magnetic fields: First, the primary extra-galactic cosmic ray flux can become strongly suppressed below a few 10 18 eV due to partial confinement in magnetic fields surrounding sources. Second, the secondary photon to primary cosmic ray flux ratio between ≅ 3 x 10 18 eV and ≅ 10 20 eV decreases with decreasing source density and increasing magnetization. As a consequence, in acceleration scenarios for the origin of highest energy cosmic rays the fraction of secondary photons may be difficult to detect even for experiments such as Pierre Auger. The cosmogenic neutrino flux does not significantly depend on source density and magnetization. (author)

Observation of cosmic-ray anisotropy in the decade below 1 PeV with a pentagon array

Science.gov (United States)

Moghaddam, S. Mortazavi; Bahmanabadi, M.

2018-03-01

The study of the anisotropy of the arrival directions is an essential tool to investigate the origin and propagation of cosmic rays primaries. A pentagon array has been designed to collect data around the knee region of cosmic ray spectrum. The experimental results of this array obtained from October 2016 to October 2017. During this period, more than 5.3 ×105 extensive air shower events at energies in the decade below 1 PeV has been accumulated by this array at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran (3 5 ° 4 3'N , 5 1 ° 2 0'E , 1200m a .s .l =890 g cm-2 ). In analyzing the data set, we have used appropriate techniques of analysis and considered environmental effects. We report the analysis of the sidereal anisotropy of Galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). In this analysis, in addition to the Compton- Getting effect due to the motion of the earth in the Galaxy, an anisotropy has been observed which is due to a unidirectional anisotropy of cosmic ray flow along the Galactic arms.

The cosmic spiderweb: equivalence of cosmic, architectural and origami tessellations

Science.gov (United States)

Neyrinck, Mark C.; Hidding, Johan; Konstantatou, Marina; van de Weygaert, Rien

2018-04-01

For over 20 years, the term `cosmic web' has guided our understanding of the large-scale arrangement of matter in the cosmos, accurately evoking the concept of a network of galaxies linked by filaments. But the physical correspondence between the cosmic web and structural engineering or textile `spiderwebs' is even deeper than previously known, and also extends to origami tessellations. Here, we explain that in a good structure-formation approximation known as the adhesion model, threads of the cosmic web form a spiderweb, i.e. can be strung up to be entirely in tension. The correspondence is exact if nodes sampling voids are included, and if structure is excluded within collapsed regions (walls, filaments and haloes), where dark-matter multistreaming and baryonic physics affect the structure. We also suggest how concepts arising from this link might be used to test cosmological models: for example, to test for large-scale anisotropy and rotational flows in the cosmos.

The cosmic spiderweb: equivalence of cosmic, architectural and origami tessellations.

Science.gov (United States)

Neyrinck, Mark C; Hidding, Johan; Konstantatou, Marina; van de Weygaert, Rien

2018-04-01

For over 20 years, the term 'cosmic web' has guided our understanding of the large-scale arrangement of matter in the cosmos, accurately evoking the concept of a network of galaxies linked by filaments. But the physical correspondence between the cosmic web and structural engineering or textile 'spiderwebs' is even deeper than previously known, and also extends to origami tessellations. Here, we explain that in a good structure-formation approximation known as the adhesion model, threads of the cosmic web form a spiderweb, i.e. can be strung up to be entirely in tension. The correspondence is exact if nodes sampling voids are included, and if structure is excluded within collapsed regions (walls, filaments and haloes), where dark-matter multistreaming and baryonic physics affect the structure. We also suggest how concepts arising from this link might be used to test cosmological models: for example, to test for large-scale anisotropy and rotational flows in the cosmos.

The cosmic spiderweb: equivalence of cosmic, architectural and origami tessellations

Science.gov (United States)

Hidding, Johan; Konstantatou, Marina; van de Weygaert, Rien

2018-01-01

For over 20 years, the term ‘cosmic web’ has guided our understanding of the large-scale arrangement of matter in the cosmos, accurately evoking the concept of a network of galaxies linked by filaments. But the physical correspondence between the cosmic web and structural engineering or textile ‘spiderwebs’ is even deeper than previously known, and also extends to origami tessellations. Here, we explain that in a good structure-formation approximation known as the adhesion model, threads of the cosmic web form a spiderweb, i.e. can be strung up to be entirely in tension. The correspondence is exact if nodes sampling voids are included, and if structure is excluded within collapsed regions (walls, filaments and haloes), where dark-matter multistreaming and baryonic physics affect the structure. We also suggest how concepts arising from this link might be used to test cosmological models: for example, to test for large-scale anisotropy and rotational flows in the cosmos. PMID:29765637

Dosimetry of environmental radiations (cosmic ray)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamasaki, Keizo

1978-01-01

Cosmic ray is dominant as environmental radiation, though the experimental determination made on cosmic ray doses is few in Japan. The free air ionization intensity at sea level due to cosmic ray has been estimated in the Bay of Wakasa, Japan, at middle geomagnetic latitude (25 deg. N), in October 1977. The ionization chambers used were two air and one argon types. Where the responses to cosmic and terrestrial gamma rays were equal, the ionization intensity due to cosmic ray was obtained by subtracting the ionization intensity due to terrestrial gamma ray from the total ionization intensity. As the terrestrial gamma ray, (1) U-238 series, Th-232 series, and K-40 in seawater, (2) K-40 in the material of a wooden ship, and (3) Rn-222 and its daughter products in the atmosphere were considered. The result of free air ionization due to cosmic ray with the argon chamber was slightly smaller than those with the other two air chambers; however, both were in good agreement within standard errors. (JPN.)

Department of Cosmic Ray Physics - Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabelski, J.

2010-01-01

Full text: The 31 st International Cosmic Ray Conference (31.ICRC) was held in Lodz on 7-15 July 2009. The Conference was organized by the University of Lodz (Department of High Energy Astrophysics and Department of Astrophysics) and IPJ (Department of Cosmic Ray Physics). ICRCs are held every two years and are the largest forums to present and discuss the current status of Cosmic Ray studies. The Conference we co-organized gathered about 750 scientists (including about 50 from Poland). This was a remarkable event. The Department of Cosmic Ray Physics in Lodz is involved in basic research in the field of high energy Cosmic Rays. Cosmic Rays are energetic panicles from outside the Solar System. Most studies of Cosmic Rays address fundamental problems: - the nature of the physical and astrophysical processes responsible for the high energies of the particles. - experimental search for sources of Cosmic Rays, - studies of the astrophysical conditions at the acceleration sites, - properties of particle interactions at very high energies. Presentation of Cosmic Ray registration to high school students has become a popular way to introduce panicle physics detectors and elementary particle detection techniques to young people, in Lodz and Poznan we organize workshops on particle physics for high school students. This is part of the European activity: EPPOG Masterclass - Hands on CERN. Energetic Cosmic Ray particles produce cascades of panicles in the atmosphere, called Extensive Air Showers (EAS). Registering EASs and their properties is the main means of studying experimentally high energy Cosmic Rays: · The satellite experiment JEM-EUSO will observe EASs from the International Space Station. The main target is to find Cosmic Ray Sources for the highest energy Cosmic Rays. JEM-EUSO will collect a large number of events since it will observe a large area of the atmosphere. We are participating in the preparation of this mission. · The KASCADE-Grande addresses

The Star-grazing Bodies in the HD 172555 System

Science.gov (United States)

Grady, C. A.; Brown, Alexander; Welsh, Barry; Roberge, Aki; Kamp, Inga; Rivière Marichalar, P.

2018-06-01

Kiefer et al. reported the detection of infalling Ca II absorption in HD 172555, a member of the β Pictoris Moving Group (βPMG). We obtained HST Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph and Cosmic Origins Spectrograph spectroscopy of this star at 2 epochs separated by a week, and we report the discovery of infalling gas in resonant transitions of Si III and IV, C II and IV, and neutral atomic oxygen. Variable absorption is seen in the C II transitions and is optically thick, with covering factors which range between 58% and 68%, similar to features seen in β Pictoris. The O I spectral profile resembles that of C II, showing a strong low-velocity absorption to +50 km s‑1 in the single spectral segment obtained during orbital night, as well as what may be higher-velocity absorption. Studies of the mid-IR spectrum of this system have suggested the presence of silica. The O I absorption differs from that seen in Si III, suggesting that the neutral atomic oxygen does not originate in SiO dissociation products but in a more volatile parent molecule such as CO.

Model-independent test for scale-dependent non-Gaussianities in the cosmic microwave background.

Science.gov (United States)

Räth, C; Morfill, G E; Rossmanith, G; Banday, A J; Górski, K M

2009-04-03

We present a model-independent method to test for scale-dependent non-Gaussianities in combination with scaling indices as test statistics. Therefore, surrogate data sets are generated, in which the power spectrum of the original data is preserved, while the higher order correlations are partly randomized by applying a scale-dependent shuffling procedure to the Fourier phases. We apply this method to the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe data of the cosmic microwave background and find signatures for non-Gaussianities on large scales. Further tests are required to elucidate the origin of the detected anomalies.

The application of nuclear cross section measurements to spallation reactions in cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raisbeck, G.M.; Yiou, F.

1976-01-01

The effects and implications of nuclear transformations of the comic ray particles themselves, and how those transformations are simulated in the laboratory are dealt with. Thus, although the majority of cosmic rays are protons and alpha particles, it is the small fraction of heavier species that is the main concern here. These nuclides interact with the interstellar matter (again mostly hydrogen and helium) in which they propagate, and thus can undergo nuclear reactions. For the cosmic ray physicist the effects of these reactions are both favourable and unfavourable. The unfavourable aspect arises from the fact that the composition of the cosmic ray is significantly altered, thus tending to mask an important indication as to their origin. Counterbalancing this is the fact that the effects left by the nuclear reactions are one of the most valuable links with the propagation process itself. A careful unravelling of these effects can thus reveal important information on where and how this propagation takes place. The type of nuclear information needed and techniques that are used to obtain it are considered. (Auth.)

MOONS: a multi-object optical and near-infrared spectrograph for the VLT

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cirasuolo, M.; Afonso, J.; Bender, R.; Bonifacio, P.; Evans, C.; Kaper, L.; Oliva, Ernesto; Vanzi, Leonardo; Abreu, Manuel; Atad-Ettedgui, Eli; Babusiaux, Carine; Bauer, Franz E.; Best, Philip; Bezawada, Naidu; Bryson, Ian R.; Cabral, Alexandre; Caputi, Karina; Centrone, Mauro; Chemla, Fanny; Cimatti, Andrea; Cioni, Maria-Rosa; Clementini, Gisella; Coelho, João.; Daddi, Emanuele; Dunlop, James S.; Feltzing, Sofia; Ferguson, Annette; Flores, Hector; Fontana, Adriano; Fynbo, Johan; Garilli, Bianca; Glauser, Adrian M.; Guinouard, Isabelle; Hammer, Jean-François; Hastings, Peter R.; Hess, Hans-Joachim; Ivison, Rob J.; Jagourel, Pascal; Jarvis, Matt; Kauffman, G.; Lawrence, A.; Lee, D.; Li Causi, G.; Lilly, S.; Lorenzetti, D.; Maiolino, R.; Mannucci, F.; McLure, R.; Minniti, D.; Montgomery, D.; Muschielok, B.; Nandra, K.; Navarro, R.; Norberg, P.; Origlia, L.; Padilla, N.; Peacock, J.; Pedicini, F.; Pentericci, L.; Pragt, J.; Puech, M.; Randich, S.; Renzini, A.; Ryde, N.; Rodrigues, M.; Royer, F.; Saglia, R.; Sánchez, A.; Schnetler, H.; Sobral, D.; Speziali, R.; Todd, S.; Tolstoy, E.; Torres, M.; Venema, L.; Vitali, F.; Wegner, M.; Wells, M.; Wild, V.; Wright, G.

MOONS is a new conceptual design for a Multi-Object Optical and Near-infrared Spectrograph for the Very Large Telescope (VLT), selected by ESO for a Phase A study. The baseline design consists of ~1000 fibers deployable over a field of view of ~500 square arcmin, the largest patrol field offered by

Spectrographic determination of impurities in beryllium oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paula Reino, L.C. de; Lordello, A.R.; Pereira, A.S.A.

1986-03-01

A method for the spectrographic determination of Al, B, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mg, NaNi, Si and Zn in nuclear grade beryllium oxide has been developed. The determination of Co, Al, Na and Zn is besed upon a carrier distillation technique. Better results were obtained with 2% Ga 2 O 3 as carrier in beryllium oxide. For the elements B, Cd, Cu, Fe, Cr, Mg, Ni and Si the sample is loaded in a Scribner-Mullin shallow cup electrode, covered with graphite powder and excited in DC arc. The relative standard deviation values for different elements are in the range of 10 to 20%. The method fulfills requirements of precision and sensitivity for specification analysis of nuclear grade beryllium oxide.(Author) [pt

Cosmic antimatter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarle, G.; Swordy, S.

1998-01-01

In 1928 Paul Dirac forecasted the existence of antimatter and 4 years later Carl Anderson detected the first antiparticle: the positron in a cloud chamber while studying cosmic radiation. Antiprotons were more difficult to find but in 1955 physicists from Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory got some in a particle accelerator. In 1995 a team from the CERN synthesized atoms of anti-hydrogen by binding positrons to antiprotons in a particle accelerator. Astrophysicists have built more and more complex detectors to study cosmic rays. The detector HEAT (high energy antimatter telescope) has been designed to study positrons above the atmosphere. This detector has been launched for the first time in 1994 and has measured cosmic radiation for 32 hours at an altitude of 37000 meters. The results were challenging: whereas the number of low energy positrons detected agrees with the theory, the number of high energy positrons is too important. It suggests the existence of unknown sources of positrons somewhere in the universe. The massive particles that interact weakly (WIMP) could be such sources. This article draws the history of the quest for antimatter and its implications in cosmology, the detector HEAT is described. (A.C.)

Primary cosmic ray flux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stanev, Todor

2001-05-01

We discuss the primary cosmic ray flux from the point of view of particle interactions and production of atmospheric neutrinos. The overall normalization of the cosmic ray flux and its time variations and site dependence are major ingredients of the atmospheric neutrino predictions and the basis for the derivation of the neutrino oscillation parameters.

The TUS Detector of Extreme Energy Cosmic Rays on Board the Lomonosov Satellite

Science.gov (United States)

Klimov, P. A.; Panasyuk, M. I.; Khrenov, B. A.; Garipov, G. K.; Kalmykov, N. N.; Petrov, V. L.; Sharakin, S. A.; Shirokov, A. V.; Yashin, I. V.; Zotov, M. Y.; Biktemerova, S. V.; Grinyuk, A. A.; Grebenyuk, V. M.; Lavrova, M. V.; Tkachev, L. G.; Tkachenko, A. V.; Park, I. H.; Lee, J.; Jeong, S.; Martinez, O.; Salazar, H.; Ponce, E.; Saprykin, O. A.; Botvinko, A. A.; Senkovsky, A. N.; Puchkov, A. E.

2017-11-01

The origin and nature of extreme energy cosmic rays (EECRs), which have energies above the 5\\cdot10^{19} eV—the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK) energy limit, is one of the most interesting and complicated problems in modern cosmic-ray physics. Existing ground-based detectors have helped to obtain remarkable results in studying cosmic rays before and after the GZK limit, but have also produced some contradictions in our understanding of cosmic ray mass composition. Moreover, each of these detectors covers only a part of the celestial sphere, which poses problems for studying the arrival directions of EECRs and identifying their sources. As a new generation of EECR space detectors, TUS (Tracking Ultraviolet Set-up), KLYPVE and JEM-EUSO, are intended to study the most energetic cosmic-ray particles, providing larger, uniform exposures of the entire celestial sphere. The TUS detector, launched on board the Lomonosov satellite on April 28, 2016 from Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia, is the first of these. It employs a single-mirror optical system and a photomultiplier tube matrix as a photo-detector and will test the fluorescent method of measuring EECRs from space. Utilizing the Earth's atmosphere as a huge calorimeter, it is expected to detect EECRs with energies above 10^{20} eV. It will also be able to register slower atmospheric transient events: atmospheric fluorescence in electrical discharges of various types including precipitating electrons escaping the magnetosphere and from the radiation of meteors passing through the atmosphere. We describe the design of the TUS detector and present results of different ground-based tests and simulations.

MEASUREMENTS OF COSMIC-RAY PROTON AND HELIUM SPECTRA FROM THE BESS-POLAR LONG-DURATION BALLOON FLIGHTS OVER ANTARCTICA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abe, K.; Itazaki, A.; Kusumoto, A.; Matsukawa, Y.; Orito, R. [Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501 (Japan); Fuke, H. [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ISAS/JAXA), Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 (Japan); Haino, S.; Hasegawa, M.; Horikoshi, A.; Kumazawa, T.; Makida, Y.; Matsuda, S.; Matsumoto, K.; Nozaki, M. [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801 (Japan); Hams, T.; Mitchell, J. W. [NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA-GSFC), Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Kim, K. C.; Lee, M. H.; Myers, Z. [IPST, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Nishimura, J., E-mail: Kenichi.Sakai@nasa.gov [The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); and others

2016-05-10

The BESS-Polar Collaboration measured the energy spectra of cosmic-ray protons and helium during two long-duration balloon flights over Antarctica in 2004 December and 2007 December at substantially different levels of solar modulation. Proton and helium spectra probe the origin and propagation history of cosmic rays in the galaxy, and are essential to calculations of the expected spectra of cosmic-ray antiprotons, positrons, and electrons from interactions of primary cosmic-ray nuclei with the interstellar gas, and to calculations of atmospheric muons and neutrinos. We report absolute spectra at the top of the atmosphere for cosmic-ray protons in the kinetic energy range 0.2–160 GeV and helium nuclei in the range 0.15–80 GeV/nucleon. The corresponding magnetic-rigidity ranges are 0.6–160 GV for protons and 1.1–160 GV for helium. These spectra are compared to measurements from previous BESS flights and from ATIC-2, PAMELA, and AMS-02. We also report the ratio of the proton and helium fluxes from 1.1 to 160 GV and compare this to the ratios from PAMELA and AMS-02.

Measurement of cosmic-ray muons with the Distributed Electronic Cosmic-ray Observatory, a network of smartphones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vandenbroucke, J.; Bravo, S.; Karn, P.; Meehan, M.; Plewa, M.; Schultz, D.; Tosi, D.; BenZvi, S.; Jensen, K.; Peacock, J.; Ruggles, T.; Santander, M.; Simons, A.L.

2016-01-01

Solid-state camera image sensors can be used to detect ionizing radiation in addition to optical photons. We describe the Distributed Electronic Cosmic-ray Observatory (DECO), an app and associated public database that enables a network of consumer devices to detect cosmic rays and other ionizing radiation. In addition to terrestrial background radiation, cosmic-ray muon candidate events are detected as long, straight tracks passing through multiple pixels. The distribution of track lengths can be related to the thickness of the active (depleted) region of the camera image sensor through the known angular distribution of muons at sea level. We use a sample of candidate muon events detected by DECO to measure the thickness of the depletion region of the camera image sensor in a particular consumer smartphone model, the HTC Wildfire S. The track length distribution is fit better by a cosmic-ray muon angular distribution than an isotropic distribution, demonstrating that DECO can detect and identify cosmic-ray muons despite a background of other particle detections. Using the cosmic-ray distribution, we measure the depletion thickness to be 26.3 ± 1.4 μm. With additional data, the same method can be applied to additional models of image sensor. Once measured, the thickness can be used to convert track length to incident polar angle on a per-event basis. Combined with a determination of the incident azimuthal angle directly from the track orientation in the sensor plane, this enables direction reconstruction of individual cosmic-ray events using a single consumer device. The results simultaneously validate the use of cell phone camera image sensors as cosmic-ray muon detectors and provide a measurement of a parameter of camera image sensor performance which is not otherwise publicly available

Spectrographic determination of impurities in enriched uranium solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capdevila, C.; Roca, M.

1980-01-01

A spectrographic procedure for the determination of trace amounts of Al, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, L i , Hg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Ru, Sb, Sn, Sr, Ti, V, Zn, and Zr in enriched uranyl nitrate solutions from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels is described. After removal of uranium by either TBP or TNOA solvent extraction, the aqueous phase Is analysed by the graphite spark technique. TBP is adequate for all impurities, excepting boron and phosphorus; both of these elements can sat is factory be determined by using TNOA after the addition of mannitol to avoid boron losses. (Author) 4 refs

The cosmic large-scale structure, dark matter and the origin of galaxies

CERN Document Server

Frenk, Carlos S

1998-01-01

In this series of lectures, I will review the main events and processes which are thought to have led to the build of structure in the Universe. First, I will provide an overview of some basic ideas such as inflation, Big Bang nucleosynthesis, the microwave background radiation and gravitanional instability. I will then dicuss the evidence for dark matter in the universe and current ideas on the nature and amount of this dark matter, including their consequences for the values of the fundamental cosmological parameters. Next, I will review the processes that give rise to the cosmic large-scale structure, starting with a discussion of the main fluctuation damping mechanisms at early times and finishing with a description of the non-linear phases of evolution. I will discuss how these calculations compare with observations and present the current status of competing cosmological models. Finally I will summarize the most recent and very exciting developments in observational and theoretical studies of gala...

Origins and early days of the Bristol school of cosmic-ray physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lock, W.O.

1990-01-01

The founder of the Bristol School was Cecil Frank Powell, Nobel Laureate for Physics in 1950 for his discovery of the pi-meson and sometimes called the father of meson physics. The article describes first his early life and his many years of systematic work to perfect the nuclear emulsion technique. This is followed by a brief description of the circumstances of the discovery of the pi-meson and of the so-called 'strange particles'. An attempt is made to give a portrait of Powell and to explain his success in building up one of the first post-war international research teams, which paved the way for large international laboratories such as CERN. The account concludes with some personal memories of the award of the Nobel Prize and of the happy and creative atmosphere which Powell created around him at one of the most exciting times in the physics of cosmic rays since their discovery just after the beginning of the century. (author)

Towards a large scale high energy cosmic neutrino undersea detector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Azoulay, R.; Berthier, R. [CEA Centre d`Etudes de Cadarache, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France). Direction des Sciences de la Matiere; Arpesella, C. [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 13 - Marseille (France). Centre de Physique Theorique] [and others

1997-06-01

ANTARES collaboration proposes to study high energy cosmic neutrinos by using a deep sea Cherenkov detector. The potential interest of such a study for astrophysicists and particle physicists is developed. The different origins of cosmic neutrinos are reviewed. In order to observe with relevant statistic the flux of neutrinos from extra-galactic sources, a km-scale detector is necessary. The feasibility of such a detector is studied. A variety of technical problems have been solved. Some of them are standard for particle physicists: choice of photo-multipliers, monitoring, trigger, electronics, data acquisition, detector optimization. Others are more specific of sea science engineering particularly: detector deployment in deep sea, data transmission through optical cables, bio-fouling, effect of sea current. The solutions are presented and the sea engineering part involving detector installation will be tested near French coasts. It is scheduled to build a reduced-scale demonstrator within the next 2 years. (A.C.) 50 refs.

Towards a large scale high energy cosmic neutrino undersea detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azoulay, R.; Berthier, R.; Arpesella, C.

1997-06-01

ANTARES collaboration proposes to study high energy cosmic neutrinos by using a deep sea Cherenkov detector. The potential interest of such a study for astrophysicists and particle physicists is developed. The different origins of cosmic neutrinos are reviewed. In order to observe with relevant statistic the flux of neutrinos from extra-galactic sources, a km-scale detector is necessary. The feasibility of such a detector is studied. A variety of technical problems have been solved. Some of them are standard for particle physicists: choice of photo-multipliers, monitoring, trigger, electronics, data acquisition, detector optimization. Others are more specific of sea science engineering particularly: detector deployment in deep sea, data transmission through optical cables, bio-fouling, effect of sea current. The solutions are presented and the sea engineering part involving detector installation will be tested near French coasts. It is scheduled to build a reduced-scale demonstrator within the next 2 years. (A.C.)

Measurements of Cosmic Magnetism with LOFAR and SKA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Beck

2007-06-01

Full Text Available The origin of magnetic fields in stars, galaxies and clusters is an open problem in astrophysics. The next-generation radio telescopes Low Frequency Array (LOFAR and Square Kilometre Array (SKA will revolutionize the study of cosmic magnetism. "The origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism" is a key science project for SKA. The planned all-sky survey of Faraday rotation measures (RM at 1.4 GHz will be used to model the structure and strength of the magnetic fields in the intergalactic medium, the interstellar medium of intervening galaxies, and in the Milky Way. A complementary survey of selected regions at around 200 MHz is planned as a key project for LOFAR. Spectro-polarimetry applied to the large number of spectral channels available for LOFAR and SKA will allow to separate RM components from distinct foreground and background regions and to perform 3-D Faraday tomography of the interstellar medium of the Milky Way and nearby galaxies. – Deep polarization mapping with LOFAR and SKA will open a new era also in the observation of synchrotron emission from magnetic fields. LOFAR's sensitivity will allow to map the structure of weak, extended magnetic fields in the halos of galaxies, in galaxy clusters, and possibly in the intergalactic medium. Polarization observations with SKA at higher frequencies (1–10 GHz will show the detailed magnetic field structure within the disks and central regions of galaxies, with much higher angular resolution than present-day radio telescopes.

Cosmic Ray Physics with ACORDE at LHC

CERN Document Server

Pagliarone, C.

2008-01-01

The use of large underground high-energy physics experiments, for comic ray studies, have been used, in the past, at CERN, in order to measure, precisely, the inclusive cosmic ray flux in the energy range from 2x10^10 - 2x10^12 eV. ACORDE, ALICE Cosmic Rays DEtector, will act as Level 0 cosmic ray trigger and, together with other ALICE apparatus, will provide precise information on cosmic rays with primary energies around 10^15 - 10^17 eV. This paper reviews the main detector features, the present status, commissioning and integration with other apparatus. Finally, we discuss the ACORDE-ALICE cosmic ray physics program.

Cosmic ray physics with ACORDE at LHC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pagliarone, C; Fernandez-Tellez, A

2008-01-01

The use of large underground high-energy physics experiments, for comic ray studies, have been used, in the past, at CERN, in order to measure, precisely, the inclusive cosmic ray flux in the energy range from 2·10 10 to 2· 10 12 eV. ACORDE, ALICE Cosmic Rays DEtector, will act as Level 0 cosmic ray trigger and, together with other ALICE apparatus, will provide precise information on cosmic rays with primary energies around 10 15 to 10 17 eV. This paper reviews the main detector features, the present status, commissioning and integration with other apparatus. Finally, we discuss the ACORDE-ALICE cosmic ray physics program

A High Resolution Solar Spectrograph for the Berkeley Undergraduate Astronomy Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Strickler, R.; Bresloff, C.; Graham, J.

2005-05-01

The discovery of extra-solar planets has stimulated interest amongst undergraduates. The Doppler method for detecting exoplanets requires extraction of signals at the 1/1000 of a pixel level. To illustrate this technique, we used a newly built spectrometer to extract sub-pixel Doppler shifts in the solar photosphere. We have used this spectrograph to measure the velocity gradient across the sun and hence infer the solar radius. The limb-to-limb Doppler shift is only 1.8 km/s. A spectral resolution > 100,000 would be required to manifest this motion. Achieving such high spectral resolution is unnecessary since even a small telescope can record high SNR (> 100) spectra. Within a few seconds it is possible to discern solar rotational Doppler shifts at resolutions as low as 10,000. We must also understand coordinate transformation to convert the Doppler signal along the observed diameter to the equatorial rotation speed assuming solid body rotation. The spectrograph system includes an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain stationary telescope; a 100-micron diameter multi-mode fiber; aspheric f-number reformatting optics; a collimating lens; a 110 mm, 80 grooves/mm, θ blaze = 64.5 degree replica echelle grating; and an Apogee 1024 x 1024 thermo-electrically cooled CCD. The spectrometer optics are mounted on a 5-ft x 3-ft optical bench. Operating the spectrometer remotely using VNC and a wireless laptop, we pointed the telescope so that the fiber scanned across a diameter of the solar disk while the CCD took repeated exposures. Although we were "guinea pigs," using the spectrograph for the first time in a class, it worked remarkably well. Combining measurement of the solar radius with observation of the rotation period from sunspots, the earth-sun distance can be deduced. In the future, students may measure the eccentricity of earth's orbit by measuring the sun's radial velocity over the course of a year. This work was supported by the NSF through award DUE-0311536.

The infrared imaging spectrograph (IRIS) for TMT: latest science cases and simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Shelley A.; Walth, Gregory; Do, Tuan; Marshall, Daniel; Larkin, James E.; Moore, Anna M.; Adamkovics, Mate; Andersen, David; Armus, Lee; Barth, Aaron; Cote, Patrick; Cooke, Jeff; Chisholm, Eric M.; Davidge, Timothy; Dunn, Jennifer S.; Dumas, Christophe; Ellerbroek, Brent L.; Ghez, Andrea M.; Hao, Lei; Hayano, Yutaka; Liu, Michael; Lopez-Rodriguez, Enrique; Lu, Jessica R.; Mao, Shude; Marois, Christian; Pandey, Shashi B.; Phillips, Andrew C.; Schoeck, Matthias; Subramaniam, Annapurni; Subramanian, Smitha; Suzuki, Ryuji; Tan, Jonathan C.; Terai, Tsuyoshi; Treu, Tommaso; Simard, Luc; Weiss, Jason L.; Wincentsen, James; Wong, Michael; Zhang, Kai

2016-07-01

The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) first light instrument IRIS (Infrared Imaging Spectrograph) will complete its preliminary design phase in 2016. The IRIS instrument design includes a near-infrared (0.85 - 2.4 micron) integral field spectrograph (IFS) and imager that are able to conduct simultaneous diffraction-limited observations behind the advanced adaptive optics system NFIRAOS. The IRIS science cases have continued to be developed and new science studies have been investigated to aid in technical performance and design requirements. In this development phase, the IRIS science team has paid particular attention to the selection of filters, gratings, sensitivities of the entire system, and science cases that will benefit from the parallel mode of the IFS and imaging camera. We present new science cases for IRIS using the latest end-to-end data simulator on the following topics: Solar System bodies, the Galactic center, active galactic nuclei (AGN), and distant gravitationally-lensed galaxies. We then briefly discuss the necessity of an advanced data management system and data reduction pipeline.

Department of Cosmic Ray Physics; Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabelski, J.

2003-01-01

Full text: Department of Cosmic Ray Physics in Lodz is involved in basic research in the area of high-energy physics and cosmic ray physics related to: - Experimental and phenomenological studies of Extensive Air Showers induced by cosmic ray particles. - Studies of ultra-high energy (above 10 19 eV) cosmic rays: determination of energy spectrum and mass composition of primary particles - Studies of asymptotic properties of hadronic interactions based on the analysis of cosmic ray propagation through the atmosphere. - Studies of mass composition of cosmic rays in the energy range 10 15 - 10 17 eV. - Registration of cosmic ray intensity variation correlated with solar activity. Theoretical and experimental studies of Extensive Air Shower properties are performed mostly basing on the results obtained by the Lodz Extensive Air Shower Array. We have noticed unexplainable delayed signals registered about 500-900 microseconds after the main EAS pulse. Neutron transport simulations were performed in collaboration with JINR in Dubna. We prepared hardware for further experimental study of this effect. Continuous registrations of 5 GeV muon flux with the underground muon telescope have been carried on over the year 2001. We have detected several changes of muon intensity correlated with Forbush decreases registered at lower energies. We have also started registrations of muon counting rate in the on-surface scintillation detectors. These measurements will be included to the analysis of the disturbed energy spectrum of primary cosmic rays and its dependence on interplanetary disturbances related to the solar activity. In construction and data interpretation of cosmic ray experiments the Lodz group collaborates with many foreign institutes and laboratories: Forschungszentrum in Karlsruhe (Germany), College de France, Institute for Nuclear Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, JINR in Dubna (Russia), Uppsala University (Sweden) and DESY (Germany). We have prepared a

Department of Cosmic Ray Physics: Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabelski, J.

2002-01-01

Full text:The Department of Cosmic Ray Physics in Lodz is involved in basic research in the area of high-energy physics and cosmic ray physics related to: * Experimental and phenomenological studies of Extensive Air Showers induced by cosmic ray particles. * Studies of ultra-high energy (above 10 19 eV) cosmic rays: determination of energy spectrum and mass composition of primary particles * Studies of asymptotic properties of hadronic interactions based on the analysis of cosmic ray propagation through the atmosphere. * Studies of mass composition of cosmic rays in the energy range 10 15 -10 17 eV. * Registration of cosmic ray intensity variation correlated with solar activity. Theoretical and experimental studies of Extensive Air Shower properties are performed mostly based on the results obtained by the Lodz Extensive Air Shower Array. We have noticed unexplainable delayed signals registered about 500-900 microseconds after the main EAS pulse. We prepared hardware for further experimental study of this effect. Continuous registrations of 5 GeV muon flux with the underground muon telescope have been carried on during 2001. We detected several changes of muon intensity correlated with Forbush decreases registered at lower energies. We have also started registration of the muon counting rate in on-surface scintillation detectors. These measurements will be included to the analysis of the disturbed energy spectrum of primary cosmic rays and its dependence on interplanetary disturbances related to solar activity. In construction and data interpretation of cosmic ray experiments the Lodz group collaborates with many foreign institutes and laboratories: Forschungszentrum in Karlsruhe (Germany), College de France, Institute for Nuclear Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Uppsala University (Sweden) and DESY (Germany). We have prepared a project of large air shower array for studies of cosmic rays up to 10 20 eV. Detectors would be placed on the roofs of high

Muon reconstruction performance using cosmic rays in CMS

CERN Document Server

Calderon, Alicia

2009-01-01

After the incident with the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in September 2008, the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) collaboration invested a considerable effort in further refining the understanding of the detector using cosmic muon data. About 300 million cosmic events were recorded with the CMS detector fully operational and the central solenoid switched on at the nominal value of 3.8 Tesla. The resulting data set provides ample statistics to study in great detail the detector performance and allows to analyze properties of cosmic rays. We present recent results on detector performance from the cosmic muon analysis activities and compare cosmic data to dedicated cosmic Monte Carlo samples. These results demonstrate the readiness of the CMS detector to do physics analysis with muons, and the study of cosmic muon properties provides interesting links to astrophysics.

COSMIC-RAY TRANSPORT AND ANISOTROPIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biermann, Peter L. [MPI for Radioastronomy, Auf dem Huegel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany); Becker Tjus, Julia; Mandelartz, Matthias [Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum, Fakultaet fuer Physik and Astronomie, Theoretische Physik I, D-44780 Bochum (Germany); Seo, Eun-Suk [Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States)

2013-05-10

We show that the large-scale cosmic-ray anisotropy at {approx}10 TeV can be explained by a modified Compton-Getting effect in the magnetized flow field of old supernova remnants. Cosmic rays arrive isotropically to the flow field and are then carried along with the flow to produce a large-scale anisotropy in the arrival direction. This approach suggests an optimum energy scale for detecting the anisotropy. Two key assumptions are that propagation is based on turbulence following a Kolmogorov law and that cosmic-ray interactions are dominated by transport via cosmic-ray-excited magnetic irregularities through the stellar wind of an exploding star and its shock shell. A prediction is that the amplitude is smaller at lower energies due to incomplete sampling of the velocity field and also smaller at larger energies due to smearing.

Multi-spectra Cosmic Ray Flux Measurement

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xiaochun; Dayananda, Mathes

2010-02-01

The Earth's upper atmosphere is constantly bombarded by rain of charged particles known as primary cosmic rays. These primary cosmic rays will collide with the atmospheric molecules and create extensive secondary particles which shower downward to the surface of the Earth. In recent years, a few studies have been done regarding to the applications of the cosmic ray measurements and the correlations between the Earth's climate conditions and the cosmic ray fluxes [1,2,3]. Most of the particles, which reach to the surface of the Earth, are muons together with a small percentage of electrons, gammas, neutrons, etc. At Georgia State University, multiple cosmic ray particle detectors have been constructed to measure the fluxes and energy distributions of the secondary cosmic ray particles. In this presentation, we will briefly describe these prototype detectors and show the preliminary test results. Reference: [1] K.Borozdin, G.Hogan, C.Morris, W.Priedhorsky, A.Saunders, L.Shultz, M.Teasdale, Nature, Vol.422, 277 (2003). [2] L.V. Egorova, V. Ya Vovk, O.A. Troshichev, Journal of Atmospheric and Terrestrial Physics 62, 955-966 (2000). [3] Henrik Svensmark, Phy. Rev. Lett. 81, 5027 (1998). )

High energy physics in cosmic rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jones, Lawrence W. [University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (United States)

2013-02-07

In the first half-century of cosmic ray physics, the primary research focus was on elementary particles; the positron, pi-mesons, mu-mesons, and hyperons were discovered in cosmic rays. Much of this research was carried out at mountain elevations; Pic du Midi in the Pyrenees, Mt. Chacaltaya in Bolivia, and Mt. Evans/Echo Lake in Colorado, among other sites. In the 1960s, claims of the observation of free quarks, and satellite measurements of a significant rise in p-p cross sections, plus the delay in initiating accelerator construction programs for energies above 100 GeV, motivated the Michigan-Wisconsin group to undertake a serious cosmic ray program at Echo Lake. Subsequently, with the succession of higher energy accelerators and colliders at CERN and Fermilab, cosmic ray research has increasingly focused on cosmology and astrophysics, although some groups continue to study cosmic ray particle interactions in emulsion chambers.

Cosmic rays, clouds and climate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Svensmark, Henrik [Danish Space Research Institute, Juliane Maries Vej 30, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark)

2007-07-01

Changes in the intensity of galactic cosmic rays seems alter the Earth's cloudiness. A recent experiment has shown how electrons liberated by cosmic rays assist in making aerosols, the building blocks of cloud condensation nuclei, while anomalous climatic trends in Antarctica confirm the role of clouds in helping to drive climate change. Variations in the cosmic-ray influx due to solar magnetic activity account well for climatic fluctuations on decadal, centennial and millennial timescales. Over longer intervals, the changing galactic environment of the Solar System has had dramatic consequences, including Snowball Earth episodes.

High-energy cosmic-ray acceleration

CERN Document Server

Bustamante, M; de Paula, W; Duarte Chavez, J A; Gago, A M; Hakobyan, H; Jez, P; Monroy Montañez, J A; Ortiz Velasquez, A; Padilla Cabal, F; Pino Rozas, M; Rodriguez Patarroyo, D J; Romeo, G L; Saldaña-Salazar , U J; Velasquez, M; von Steinkirch, M

2010-01-01

We briefly review the basics of ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray acceleration. The Hillas criterion is introduced as a geometrical criterion that must be fulfilled by potential acceleration sites, and energy losses are taken into account in order to obtain a more realistic scenario. The different available acceleration mechanisms are presented, with special emphasis on Fermi shock acceleration and its prediction of a power-law cosmic-ray energy spectrum. We conclude that first-order Fermi acceleration, though not entirely satisfactory, is the most promising mechanism for explaining the ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray flux.

Role of cosmic ray protons in two types of extragalactic objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vestrand, W.T.

1980-01-01

For many years the physics of galactic cosmic rays has been studied in detail. Very little work, however, has been done concerning cosmic ray protons in extragalactic objects. Here the role cosmic ray protons can play in two types of extragalactic sites are examined: (1) clusters of galaxies, and (2) the active nuclei of Quasars that produce superluminal radio components. Models of Coma-type radio halos must explain both their large extent and their rarity. A model is presented wherein secondary electrons produced by the interaction of cosmic ray protons with the observed intracluster gas are responsible for the diffuse radio emission. This model predicts a correlation between a cluster's evolutionary state and the presence of Coma-type halos. If a cluster's x-ray morphology is an indication of the cluster's evolutionary state, this prediction is supported by observations. This model also predicts that clusters with Coma-type halos will emit π 0 γ-rays. If the intracluster magnetic field in Coma has the strength favored by many authors, B/sub c/ = 0.2 microgauss, these γ-rays should be detectable with the proposed GRO satellite. Superluminal radio sources may originate in highly compact and relativistically hot plasmas. The production of mesons and their secondaries in an ultrarelativistic plasma is examined. Source functions from a relativistic Maxwellian distribution of protons are numerically calculated for conditions likely during the formation of superluminal radio components. Analytic expressions for the source functions from a power law distribution of relativistic protons are also presented

Spectrographic analysis of uranium-based alloys; Analyse spectrographique d'alliages a base d'uranium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baudin, G.; Blum, P.

1959-07-01

The authors describe a spectrographic method for dosing cobalt in cobalt-uranium alloys with cobalt content from 0.05 to 10 per cent. They describe sample preparation, alloy solution, spectrographic conditions, and photometry operations. In a second part, they address the dosing of boron in uranium borides. They implement the so-called 'porous cup' method. Boride is dissolved by fusion with Co{sub 3}-NaK [French] Uranium-Cobalt: il est decrit une methode spectrographique de dosage de cobalt dans des alliages cobalt-uranium pour des teneurs de 0,05 pour cent a 10 pour cent de Co. On opere sur solution avec le fer comme standard interne. Borure d'Uranium: ici encore on opere par la methode dite 'porous cup', le fer etant conserve comme standard interne. Le borure est mis en solution par fusion avec Co{sub 3}NaK. (auteurs)

Department of Cosmic Ray Physics - Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabelski, J.

2008-01-01

Full text: The Department of Cosmic Ray Physics in Lodz is involved in basic research in the high energy Cosmic Ray field. Cosmic Rays are energetic particles from outside the Solar System. Most of the studies of Cosmic Rays address fundamental problems: · the nature of the physical and astrophysical processes responsible for high energies of particles · an estimation of the astrophysical conditions at the acceleration sites and/or search for sources of Cosmic Rays, · properties of high energy particle interactions at very high energies. Some Cosmic Ray studies might have practical (commercial) implications, e.g. · '' cosmic weather '' forecast - predictions of geomagnetic disturbances related to Solar activity changes (due to large Solar Flares / events of Coronal Mass Ejection); these are important for large electricity networks, gas pipes, radio-wave connections, space missions and satellite experiments. Presentation of Cosmic Ray registration to high school students becomes a popular way to introduce particle physics detectors and elementary particle detection techniques to young people. We organize in Lodz several workshops on particle physics for high school students. This is a part of European activity: EPPOG's Masterclass - Hands on CERN. Energetic Cosmic Ray particles produce cascades of particles in the atmosphere, called Extensive Air Showers (EAS). Registering EAS and their properties is the main way of experimental studies of very high energy Cosmic Rays. In Lodz Department we run Extensive Air Shower array where EAS are continuously being registered. We concentrate on the studies of detection of neutrons correlated with EAS and interpretation of this phenomenon. In 2004 we started realisation of the Roland Maze Project, the network of EAS detectors placed on the roofs of high schools in Lodz. We received funds from the City of Lodz budget to make a pilot project and equip 10 high schools, each with four 1m 2 detectors and GPS. The network is

Fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background on a 2.3 deg angular scale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calzolari, P.; Cortiglioni, S.; Mandolesi, N.

1982-01-01

The study of fluctuations in the temperature of the cosmic microwave background may provide important information on the origin of the large scale structures in the Universe. An experiment is in operation at Medicina (Bologna) for studying such temperature fluctuations on a 2 deg 3 angular scale at lambda=2.8 cm. Preliminary results seem to indicate ΔT/T -4

Ultrahigh energy cosmic ray fluxes and cosmogenic neutrinos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stanev, Todor

2013-04-15

We discuss the possible origin of the two neutrino shower events reported by the IceCube Collaboration at the Neutrino 2012 conference in Kyoto, Japan. The suspicion early on was that these two events are due to cosmogenic neutrinos and possibly by electron antineutrinos generating the Glashow resonance. The difference of the energy of the W{sup −} in the resonance and the energy estimates of the detected cascade events makes this assumption unlikely. The conclusion then may be that these high energy neutrinos are produced at sources of high energy cosmic rays such as Active Galactic Nuclei.

Bayesian analysis of the dynamic cosmic web in the SDSS galaxy survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leclercq, Florent; Wandelt, Benjamin; Jasche, Jens

2015-01-01

Recent application of the Bayesian algorithm \\textsc(borg) to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) main sample galaxies resulted in the physical inference of the formation history of the observed large-scale structure from its origin to the present epoch. In this work, we use these inferences as inputs for a detailed probabilistic cosmic web-type analysis. To do so, we generate a large set of data-constrained realizations of the large-scale structure using a fast, fully non-linear gravitational model. We then perform a dynamic classification of the cosmic web into four distinct components (voids, sheets, filaments, and clusters) on the basis of the tidal field. Our inference framework automatically and self-consistently propagates typical observational uncertainties to web-type classification. As a result, this study produces accurate cosmographic classification of large-scale structure elements in the SDSS volume. By also providing the history of these structure maps, the approach allows an analysis of the origin and growth of the early traces of the cosmic web present in the initial density field and of the evolution of global quantities such as the volume and mass filling fractions of different structures. For the problem of web-type classification, the results described in this work constitute the first connection between theory and observations at non-linear scales including a physical model of structure formation and the demonstrated capability of uncertainty quantification. A connection between cosmology and information theory using real data also naturally emerges from our probabilistic approach. Our results constitute quantitative chrono-cosmography of the complex web-like patterns underlying the observed galaxy distribution

Shielding from cosmic radiation for interplanetary missions Active and passive methods

CERN Document Server

Spillantini, P; Durante, M; Müller-Mellin, R; Reitz, G; Rossi, L; Shurshakov, V; Sorbi, M

2007-01-01

Shielding is arguably the main countermeasure for the exposure to cosmic radiation during interplanetary exploratory missions. However, shielding of cosmic rays, both of galactic or solar origin, is problematic, because of the high energy of the charged particles involved and the nuclear fragmentation occurring in shielding materials. Although computer codes can predict the shield performance in space, there is a lack of biological and physical measurements to benchmark the codes. An attractive alternative to passive, bulk material shielding is the use of electromagnetic fields to deflect the charged particles from the spacecraft target. Active shielding concepts based on electrostatic fields, plasma, or magnetic fields have been proposed in the past years, and should be revised based on recent technological improvements. To address these issues, the European Space Agency (ESA) established a Topical Team (TT) in 2002 including European experts in the field of space radiation shielding and superconducting magn...

Cosmic rays on earth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allkofer, O.C.; Grieder, P.K.F.

1984-01-01

A data collection is presented that covers cosmic rays on earth. Included are all relevant data on flux and intensity measurements, energy spectra, and related data of all primary and secondary components of the cosmic radiation at all levels in the atmosphere, at sea level and underground. In those cases where no useful experimental data have been available, theoretical predictions were substituted. (GSCH)

Search for high energy cosmic neutrino point sources with ANTARES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halladjian, G.

2010-01-01

The aim of this thesis is the search for high energy cosmic neutrinos emitted by point sources with the ANTARES neutrino telescope. The detection of high energy cosmic neutrinos can bring answers to important questions such as the origin of cosmic rays and the γ-rays emission processes. In the first part of the thesis, the neutrino flux emitted by galactic and extragalactic sources and the number of events which can be detected by ANTARES are estimated. This study uses the measured γ-ray spectra of known sources taking into account the γ-ray absorption by the extragalactic background light. In the second part of the thesis, the absolute pointing of the ANTARES telescope is evaluated. Being located at a depth of 2475 m in sea water, the orientation of the detector is determined by an acoustic positioning system which relies on low and high frequency acoustic waves measurements between the sea surface and the bottom. The third part of the thesis is a search for neutrino point sources in the ANTARES data. The search algorithm is based on a likelihood ratio maximization method. It is used in two search strategies; 'the candidate sources list strategy' and 'the all sky search strategy'. Analysing 2007+2008 data, no discovery is made and the world's best upper limits on neutrino fluxes from various sources in the Southern sky are established. (author)

Design of FHiRE: the Fiber High Resolution Echelle Spectrograph

Science.gov (United States)

Pierce, Michael J.; McLane, Jacob N.; Pilachowski, C. A.; Kobulnicky, Henry; Jang-Condell, Hannah

2018-01-01

The enormous success of the Kepler mission in the discovery of transiting exoplanets implies that the majority of stars have planetary systems. NASA's upcomming Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is designed to survey the brightest stars over the entire sky, systems that are accessible to spectroscopic follow-up with mid-sized telescopes. We have undertaken the development of a precision radial velocity spectrograph with the goal of providing ground-based suppoert for TESS. The instrument, known as FHiRE (Fiber High Resolution Echelle spectrograph), is being developed in collaboration with Indiana University and will deployed at the 2.3-meter telescope of the Wyoming InfraRed Observatory (WIRO). FHiRE features a traditional white pupil echelle design with R ~ 60,000 that is fed via two optical fibers from the telescope. Both the science fiber and a simultaneously sampled Thorium-Argon comparison fiber will make use of double mode scramblers. FHiRE itself will be housed within a vacuum enclosure in order to minimize any temperatue variations of the instrument and maximize its radial velocity precision. Together, these two features should enable FHiRE to reach a long-term velocity precision of < 1 m/s. We present the design of FHiRE and its expected performance. In a companion poster (Jang-Condell et al.) we will present the exoplanet science goals of the project.

High-energy cosmic rays

CERN Document Server

Cronin, James Watson

1996-01-01

Recently two cosmic rays with energy in excess of 2 1020 eV have been recorded. These are some 108 times more energetic than the protons produced by accelerators on earth. There is no credible understanding of the mechanism of acceleration by known a Because of the short mean free path in the cosmic background radiation they must come from nearby distances on a cosmological scale (< 50 Mpc). Their magnetic rigidity suggests that they should point to their source. Lectures will cover the present available data on the highest energy cosmic rays, their detection, possible acceleration mechanisms, their propagation in the galaxy and in extra galactic space and design of new detectors where simulations of air show ers play an important role.

Empirical model for the Earth's cosmic ray shadow at 400 KM: prohibited cosmic ray access

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Humble, J.E.; Smart, D.F.; Shea, M.A.

1985-01-01

The possibility of constructing a unit sphere of access that describes the cosmic radiation allowed to an Earth-orbiting spacecraft is discussed. It is found that it is possible to model the occluded portion of the cosmic ray sphere of access as a circular projection with a diameter bounded by the satellite-Earth horizon. Maintaining tangency at the eastern edge of the spacecraft-Earth horizon, this optically occluded area is projected downward by an angle beta which is a function of the magnetic field inclination and cosmic ray arrival direction. This projected plane, corresponding to the forbidden area of cosmic ray access, is bounded by the spacecraft-Earth horizon in easterly directions, and is rotated around the vertical axis by an angle alpha from the eastern direction, where the angle alpha is a function of the offset dipole latitude of the spacecraft

Cosmic ray physics with ACORDE at LHC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pagliarone, C [Universita degli Studi di Cassino and INFN Pisa, Largo B. Pontecorvo, 3 - Pisa (Italy); Fernandez-Tellez, A [Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla (Mexico)], E-mail: pagliarone@fnal.gov

2008-05-15

The use of large underground high-energy physics experiments, for comic ray studies, have been used, in the past, at CERN, in order to measure, precisely, the inclusive cosmic ray flux in the energy range from 2{center_dot}10{sup 10} to 2{center_dot} 10{sup 12} eV. ACORDE, ALICE Cosmic Rays DEtector, will act as Level 0 cosmic ray trigger and, together with other ALICE apparatus, will provide precise information on cosmic rays with primary energies around 10{sup 15} to 10{sup 17} eV. This paper reviews the main detector features, the present status, commissioning and integration with other apparatus. Finally, we discuss the ACORDE-ALICE cosmic ray physics program.

An experiment to measure the energy spectrum of cosmic ray antiprotons from 100 to 1000 MeV

Science.gov (United States)

Salamon, M. H.; Price, P. B.; Barwick, S. W.; Lowder, D. M.; Ahlen, S. P.

1985-01-01

Production models were developed and the confirmation of each one had significant astrophysical impact. These include radical modifications of propagation models, cosmic ray antiprotons injection from neighboring domains of antimatter, p production by evaporating primordial black holes, and cosmic ray p's as annihilation products of supersymmetry particles that might make up the dark dynamical mass of the Galaxy. It is that p's originating from supersymmetric parents might have distinct spectral features that would survive solar modulation; in one model, higgsino annihilation proceeds through the bb quark-antiquark channel, producing a spectral bump at approx. 0.3 GeV in the p spectrum.

Cosmic Sum Rules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

T. Frandsen, Mads; Masina, Isabella; Sannino, Francesco

2011-01-01

We introduce new sum rules allowing to determine universal properties of the unknown component of the cosmic rays and show how it can be used to predict the positron fraction at energies not yet explored by current experiments and to constrain specific models.......We introduce new sum rules allowing to determine universal properties of the unknown component of the cosmic rays and show how it can be used to predict the positron fraction at energies not yet explored by current experiments and to constrain specific models....

Heterotic cosmic strings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, Katrin; Becker, Melanie; Krause, Axel

2006-01-01

We show that all three conditions for the cosmological relevance of heterotic cosmic strings, the right tension, stability and a production mechanism at the end of inflation, can be met in the strongly coupled M-theory regime. Whereas cosmic strings generated from weakly coupled heterotic strings have the well-known problems posed by Witten in 1985, we show that strings arising from M5-branes wrapped around 4-cycles (divisors) of a Calabi-Yau in heterotic M-theory compactifications solve these problems in an elegant fashion

Dosimetry for occupational exposure to cosmic radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartlett, D.T.; McAulay, I.R.; Schrewe, U.J.

1997-01-01

Aircraft crew and frequent flyers are exposed to elevated levels of cosmic radiation of galactic and solar origin and secondary radiation produced in the atmosphere, aircraft structure, etc. This has been recognised for some time and estimates of the exposure of aircraft crew have been made previously and included in, for example, UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation) publications. The recent increased interest has been brought about by several factors - the consideration that the relative biological effectiveness of the neutron component was being underestimated; the trend towards higher cruising altitudes for subsonic commercial aircraft and business jet aircraft; and most importantly, the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) in Publication 60, and the revision of the Euratom Basic Safety Standards Directive (BSS). In 1992, the European Dosimetry Group (EURADOS) established a Working Group to consider the exposure to cosmic radiation of aircraft crew, and the scientific and technical problems associated with radiation protection dosimetry for this occupational group. The Working Group was composed of fifteen scientists (plus a corresponding member) involved in this field of study and with knowledge of radiation measurement at aviation altitudes. This paper is based on the findings of this Working Group. (author)

Cosmic strings and the origin of structure in the universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eardley, D.M.

1987-01-01

The observed universe is homogeneous and isotropic on the largest observable scales. The best evidence for this comes from observations of the cosmic background radiation (CBR). On smaller scales, a striking amount of structure can be seen - galaxies, clusters of galaxies, and the large scale structure in the form of possible filaments, bubbles, sheets or voids. The best proximate explanation for this structure is small amplitude perturbations in the early universe, which grew by gravitational instability into the observed large scale structure during the expansion of the universe. At some time in the future when we have a complete theory of the universe and its initial conditions - see James Hartle's lectures in this volume for some promising ideas toward such a theory - both the overall homogeneity and the structure should be a calculable consequence of the theory. Until then, people have made partial progress toward understanding the genesis of structure on a homogeneous background, based on the laws of fundamental physics as currently known. At this time we have at least two possible fundamental mechanisms for generation of the conjectural initial perturbations, namely quantum fluctuations, or thermodynamic fluctuations of a particular sort. The authors purpose in these lectures is to review and outline the basic physical nature of these two mechanisms, leaving out the details. Both mechanisms are well reviewed in the literature, and the reader will be referred both to more comprehensive reviews and to the primary literature throughout these lectures. 35 references, 2 tables

Quantitative spectrographic analysis of impurities in antimonium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brito, J. de; Gomes, R.P.

1978-01-01

An emission spectrographic method is describe for the determination of Ag, Al, As, Be, Bi, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ga, Ni, Pb, Sn, Si, and Zn in high purity antimony metal. The metal sample ia dissolved in nitric acid(1:1) and converted tp oxide by calcination at 900 0 C for one hour. The oxide so obtained is mixed with graphite, which is used as a spectroscopic buffer, and excited by a direct current arc. Many parameters are studied optimum conditions are selected for the determination of the impurities mentioned. The spectrum is photographed in the second order of a 15.000 lines per inch grating and the most sensitive lines for the elements are selected. The impurities are determined in the concentration range of 1 - 0,01% with a precision of approximately 10% [pt

CARMENES-NIR channel spectrograph cooling system AIV: thermo-mechanical performance of the instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Becerril, S.; Mirabet, E.; Lizon, J. L.; Abril, M.; Cárdenas, C.; Ferro, I.; Morales, R.; Pérez, D.; Ramón, A.; Sánchez-Carrasco, M. A.; Quirrenbach, A.; Amado, P.; Ribas, I.; Reiners, A.; Caballero, J. A.; Seifert, W.; Herranz, J.

2016-07-01

CARMENES is the new high-resolution high-stability spectrograph built for the 3.5m telescope at the Calar Alto Observatory (CAHA, Almería, Spain) by a consortium formed by German and Spanish institutions. This instrument is composed by two separated spectrographs: VIS channel (550-1050 nm) and NIR channel (950- 1700 nm). The NIR-channel spectrograph's responsible is the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAACSIC). It has been manufactured, assembled, integrated and verified in the last two years, delivered in fall 2015 and commissioned in December 2015. One of the most challenging systems in this cryogenic channel involves the Cooling System. Due to the highly demanding requirements applicable in terms of stability, this system arises as one of the core systems to provide outstanding stability to the channel. Really at the edge of the state-of-the-art, the Cooling System is able to provide to the cold mass ( 1 Ton) better thermal stability than few hundredths of degree within 24 hours (goal: 0.01K/day). The present paper describes the Assembly, Integration and Verification phase (AIV) of the CARMENES-NIR channel Cooling System implemented at IAA-CSIC and later installation at CAHA 3.5m Telescope, thus the most relevant highlights being shown in terms of thermal performance. The CARMENES NIR-channel Cooling System has been implemented by the IAA-CSIC through very fruitful collaboration and involvement of the ESO (European Southern Observatory) cryo-vacuum department with Jean-Louis Lizon as its head and main collaborator. The present work sets an important trend in terms of cryogenic systems for future E-ELT (European Extremely Large Telescope) large-dimensioned instrumentation in astrophysics.

Cosmic ray investigation for the Voyager missions; energetic particle studies in the outer heliosphere - and beyond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stone, E C; Vogt, R E [California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena (USA); McDonald, F B; Teegarden, B J; Trainor, J H [National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Greenbelt, Md. (USA). Goddard Space Flight Center; Jokipii, J R [Arizona Univ., Tucson (USA); Webber, W R [New Hampshire Univ., Durham (USA)

1977-12-01

A cosmic-ray detector system (CRS) has been developed for the Voyager mission which will measure the energy spectrum of electrons from approximately 3-110 MeV and the energy spectra and elemental comparison of all cosmic-ray nuclei from hydrogen through iron over an energy range from approximately 1-500 MeV.nuc. Isotopes of hydrogen through sulfur will be resolved from approximately 2-75 MeV/nuc. Studies with CRS data will provide information on the energy content, origin and acceleration process, life history, and dynamics of cosmic rays in the galaxy, and contribute to an understanding of the nucleosynthesis of elements in the cosmic-ray sources. Particular emphasis will be placed on low-energy phenomena that are expected to exist in interstellar space and are known to be present in the outer Solar System. This investigation will also add to our understanding of the transport of cosmic rays, Jovian electrons, and low-energy interplanetary particles over an extended region of interplanetary space. A major contribution to these areas of study will be the measurement of three-dimensional streaming patterns of nuclei from H through Fe and electrons over an extended energy range, with a precision that will allow determination of anisotropies down to 1%. The required combination of charge resolution, reliability and redundance has been achieved with systems consisting entirely of solid-state charged-particle detectors.

Large angle cosmic microwave background fluctuations from cosmic strings with a cosmological constant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landriau, M.; Shellard, E.P.S.

2004-01-01

In this paper, we present results for large-angle cosmic microwave background anisotropies generated from high resolution simulations of cosmic string networks in a range of flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universes with a cosmological constant. Using an ensemble of all-sky maps, we compare with the Cosmic Background Explorer data to infer a normalization (or upper bound) on the string linear energy density μ. For a flat matter-dominated model (Ω M =1) we find Gμ/c 2 ≅0.7x10 -6 , which is lower than previous constraints probably because of the more accurate inclusion of string small-scale structure. For a cosmological constant within an observationally acceptable range, we find a relatively weak dependence with Gμ/c 2 less than 10% higher

MEGARA: a new generation optical spectrograph for GTC

Science.gov (United States)

Gil de Paz, A.; Gallego, J.; Carrasco, E.; Iglesias-Páramo, J.; Cedazo, R.; Vílchez, J. M.; García-Vargas, M. L.; Arrillaga, X.; Carrera, M. A.; Castillo-Morales, A.; Castillo-Domínguez, E.; Eliche-Moral, M. C.; Ferrusca, D.; González-Guardia, E.; Lefort, B.; Maldonado, M.; Marino, R. A.; Martínez-Delgado, I.; Morales Durán, I.; Mujica, E.; Páez, G.; Pascual, S.; Pérez-Calpena, A.; Sánchez-Penim, A.; Sánchez-Blanco, E.; Tulloch, S.; Velázquez, M.; Zamorano, J.; Aguerri, A. L.; Barrado y Naváscues, D.; Bertone, E.; Cardiel, N.; Cava, A.; Cenarro, J.; Chávez, M.; García, M.; Guichard, J.; Gúzman, R.; Herrero, A.; Huélamo, N.; Hughes, D.; Jiménez-Vicente, J.; Kehrig, C.; Márquez, I.; Masegosa, J.; Mayya, Y. D.; Méndez-Abreu, J.; Mollá, M.; Muñoz-Tuñón, C.; Peimbert, M.; Pérez-González, P. G.; Pérez Montero, E.; Rodríguez, M.; Rodríguez-Espinosa, J. M.; Rodríguez-Merino, L.; Rosa-González, D.; Sánchez-Almeida, J.; Sánchez Contreras, C.; Sánchez-Blázquez, P.; Sánchez Moreno, F. M.; Sánchez, S. F.; Sarajedini, A.; Serena, F.; Silich, S.; Simón-Díaz, S.; Tenorio-Tagle, G.; Terlevich, E.; Terlevich, R.; Torres-Peimbert, S.; Trujillo, I.; Tsamis, Y.; Vega, O.; Villar, V.

2014-07-01

MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is an optical Integral-Field Unit (IFU) and Multi-Object Spectrograph (MOS) designed for the GTC 10.4m telescope in La Palma. MEGARA offers two IFU fiber bundles, one covering 12.5x11.3 arcsec2 with a spaxel size of 0.62 arcsec (Large Compact Bundle; LCB) and another one covering 8.5x6.7 arcsec2 with a spaxel size of 0.42 arcsec (Small Compact Bundle; SCB). The MEGARA MOS mode will allow observing up to 100 objects in a region of 3.5x3.5 arcmin2 around the two IFU bundles. Both the LCB IFU and MOS capabilities of MEGARA will provide intermediate-to-high spectral resolutions (RFWHM~6,000, 12,000 and 18,700, respectively for the low-, mid- and high-resolution Volume Phase Holographic gratings) in the range 3650-9700ÅÅ. These values become RFWHM~7,000, 13,500, and 21,500 when the SCB is used. A mechanism placed at the pseudo-slit position allows exchanging the three observing modes and also acts as focusing mechanism. The spectrograph is a collimator-camera system that has a total of 11 VPHs simultaneously available (out of the 18 VPHs designed and being built) that are placed in the pupil by means of a wheel and an insertion mechanism. The custom-made cryostat hosts an E2V231-84 4kx4k CCD. The UCM (Spain) leads the MEGARA Consortium that also includes INAOE (Mexico), IAA-CSIC (Spain), and UPM (Spain). MEGARA is being developed under a contract between GRANTECAN and UCM. The detailed design, construction and AIV phases are now funded and the instrument should be delivered to GTC before the end of 2016.

Global universe anisotropy probed by the alignment of structures in the cosmic microwave background.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiaux, Y; Vielva, P; Martínez-González, E; Vandergheynst, P

2006-04-21

We question the global universe isotropy by probing the alignment of local structures in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation. The original method proposed relies on a steerable wavelet decomposition of the CMB signal on the sphere. The analysis of the first-year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe data identifies a mean preferred plane with a normal direction close to the CMB dipole axis, and a mean preferred direction in this plane, very close to the ecliptic poles axis. Previous statistical anisotropy results are thereby synthesized, but further analyses are still required to establish their origin.

A color spectrographic phonocardiography (CSP applied to the detection and characterization of heart murmurs: preliminary results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassani Kamran

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although cardiac auscultation remains important to detect abnormal sounds and murmurs indicative of cardiac pathology, the application of electronic methods remains seldom used in everyday clinical practice. In this report we provide preliminary data showing how the phonocardiogram can be analyzed using color spectrographic techniques and discuss how such information may be of future value for noninvasive cardiac monitoring. Methods We digitally recorded the phonocardiogram using a high-speed USB interface and the program Gold Wave http://www.goldwave.com in 55 infants and adults with cardiac structural disease as well as from normal individuals and individuals with innocent murmurs. Color spectrographic analysis of the signal was performed using Spectrogram (Version 16 as a well as custom MATLAB code. Results Our preliminary data is presented as a series of seven cases. Conclusions We expect the application of spectrographic techniques to phonocardiography to grow substantially as ongoing research demonstrates its utility in various clinical settings. Our evaluation of a simple, low-cost phonocardiographic recording and analysis system to assist in determining the characteristic features of heart murmurs shows promise in helping distinguish innocent systolic murmurs from pathological murmurs in children and is expected to useful in other clinical settings as well.