System and Method for Quantitative Imaging of Chemical Composition to Decompose More Than Two Materials

A system and method for decomposing more than two materials in an imaging object includes performing a CT imaging acquisition of a portion of an imaging object using at least two energy levels to acquire imaging data associated with each of the at least two energy levels. A total mass attenuation of the imaging data is expressed as a weighted sum of constituent element mass attenuation coefficients and an effective atomic number and density of the constituent elements in the portion of the imaging object is determined by one of a number of methods. Accordingly, concentration of the constituent elements in imaged object is determined by solve the expression using known material attenuation coefficients and the measured CT data

Hard X-ray detection of the high redshift quasar 4C 71.07

BATSE/OSSE observations of the high redshift quasar 4C 71.07 indicate that this is the brightest and furthest AGN so far detected above 20 keV. BATSE Earth occultation data have been used to search for emission from 4C 71.07 from nearly 3 years of observation. The mean source flux over the whole period in the BATSE energy range 20-100 keV is (13.2 +/- 1.06) x 10^(-11) erg cm^(-2) s^(-1) corresponding to a luminosity of 2 x 10^(48) erg s^(-1). The BATSE light curve over the 3 years of observations shows several flare-like events, one of which (in January 1996) is associated with an optical flare (R=16.1) but with a delay of 55 days. The OSSE/BATSE spectral analysis indicates that the source is characterized by a flat power spectrum (Gamma about 1.1 - 1.3) when in a low state; this spectral form is consistent within errors with the ASCA and ROSAT spectra. This means that the power law observed from 0.1 to 10 keV extends up to at least 1 MeV but steepens soon after to meet EGRET high energy data. BATSE data taken around the January 1996 flare suggests that the spectrum could be steeper when the source is in a bright state. The nuF-nu representation of the source is typical of a low frequency peaked/gamma-ray dominated blazar, with the synchrotron peak in the mm-FIR band and the Compton peak in the MeV band. The BATSE and OSSE spectral data seem to favour a model in which the high energy flux is due to the sum of the synchrotron self-Compton and the external Compton contributions; this is also supported by the variability behaviour of the source.Comment: 19 pages, LaTeX, plus 4 .ps figures. accepted by Astrophysical Journa

Understanding, justifying, and optimizing radiation exposure for CT imaging in nephrourology

An estimated 4-5 million CT scans are performed in the USA every year to investigate nephrourological diseases such as urinary stones and renal masses. Despite the clinical benefits of CT imaging, concerns remain regarding the potential risks associated with exposure to ionizing radiation. To assess the potential risk of harmful biological effects from exposure to ionizing radiation, understanding the mechanisms by which radiation damage and repair occur is essential. Although radiation level and cancer risk follow a linear association at high doses, no strong relationship is apparent below 100 mSv, the doses used in diagnostic imaging. Furthermore, the small theoretical increase in risk of cancer incidence must be considered in the context of the clinical benefit derived from a medically indicated CT and the likelihood of cancer occurrence in the general population. Elimination of unnecessary imaging is the most important method to reduce imaging-related radiation; however, technical aspects of medically justified imaging should also be optimized, such that the required diagnostic information is retained while minimizing the dose of radiation. Despite intensive study, evidence to prove an increased cancer risk associated with radiation doses below ~100 mSv is lacking; however, concerns about ionizing radiation in medical imaging remain and can affect patient care. Overall, the principles of justification and optimization must remain the basis of clinical decision-making regarding the use of ionizing radiation in medicine

Quantitative prediction of stone fragility from routine single and dual energy CT: proof of feasibility

Rationale and Objectives Previous studies have demonstrated a qualitative relationship between stone fragility and internal stone morphology. The goal of this study was to quantify morphological features from dual-energy CT images and assess their relationship to stone fragility. Materials and Methods Thirty-three calcified urinary stones were scanned with micro CT. Next, they were placed within torso-shaped water phantoms and scanned with the dual-energy CT stone composition protocol in routine use at our institution. Mixed low-and high-energy images were used to measure volume, surface roughness, and 12 metrics describing internal morphology for each stone. The ratios of low- to high-energy CT numbers were also measured. Subsequent to imaging, stone fragility was measured by disintegrating each stone in a controlled ex vivo experiment using an ultrasonic lithotripter and recording the time to comminution. A multivariable linear regression model was developed to predict time to comminution. Results The average stone volume was 300 mm3 (range 134–674 mm3). The average comminution time measured ex vivo was 32 s (range 7–115 s). Stone volume, dual-energy CT number ratio and surface roughness were found to have the best combined predictive ability to estimate comminution time (adjusted R2= 0.58). The predictive ability of mixed dual-energy CT images, without use of the dual-energy CT number ratio, to estimate comminution time was slightly inferior, with an adjusted R2 of 0.54. Conclusion Dual-energy CT number ratios, volume, and morphological metrics may provide a method for predicting stone fragility, as measured by time to comminution from ultrasonic lithotripsy

Disk-Jet Connection in Cygnus X-3

We present the results of a detailed correlation study between the soft X-ray, hard X-ray, and radio emission (obtained from RXTE ASM, BATSE, and GBI observations, respectively) of the bright radio emitting Galactic X-ray binary Cygnus X-3. We detect a very strong positive correlation between the soft X-ray and radio emission during the low-hard and minor flaring periods of the source, and an anti-correlation between the soft and hard X-ray emissions. We present statistical arguments to suggest that the anti-correlation between the radio and hard X-ray emission, reported earlier, is primarily due to their correlation and anti-correlation, respectively, with the soft X-ray emission. We make a wide band X-ray spectral study using the pointed RXTE observations and detect a pivotal behaviour in the X-ray spectrum. We argue that this X-ray spectral pivoting is responsible for the anti-correlation between the soft and hard X-ray emissions. The strong correlation between the soft X-ray and radio emission suggests a close link between the accreting mechanism, plasma cloud surrounding the compact object and the radio emission.Comment: Accepted in A&A Letters. Major revioson of discussion, minor revision of tables and figure

The Burst and Transient Source Experiment Earth Occultation Technique

An Earth orbiting detector sensitive to gamma ray photons will see step-like occultation features in its counting rate when a gamma ray point source crosses the Earth's limb. This is due to the change in atmospheric attenuation of the gamma rays along the line of sight. In an uncollimated detector, these occultation features can be used to locate and monitor astrophysical sources provided their signals can be individually separated from the detector background. We show that the Earth occultation technique applied to the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) is a viable and flexible all-sky monitor in the low energy gamma ray and hard X-ray energy range (20 keV - 1 MeV). The method is an alternative to more sophisticated photon imaging devices for astronomy, and can serve well as a cost-effective science capability for monitoring the high energy sky. Here we describe the Earth occultation technique for locating new sources and for measuring source intensity and spectra without the use of complex background models. Examples of transform imaging, step searches, spectra, and light curves are presented. Systematic uncertainties due to source confusion, detector response, and contamination from rapid background fluctuations are discussed and analyzed for their effect on intensity measurements. A sky location-dependent average systematic error is derived as a function of galactic coordinates. The sensitivity of the technique is derived as a function of incident photon energy and also as a function of angle between the source and the normal to the detector entrance window. Occultations of the Crab Nebula by the Moon are used to calibrate Earth occultation flux measurements independent of possible atmospheric scattering effects.Comment: 39 pages, 24 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Supplement

The 1998 outburst of XTE J1550-564: a model based on multiwavelength observations

The 1998 September outburst of the black-hole X-ray binary XTE J1550-564 was monitored at X-ray, optical and radio wavelengths. We divide the outburst sequence into five phases and discuss their multiwavelength properties. The outburst starts with a hard X-ray spike, while the soft X-ray flux rises with a longer timescale. We suggest that the onset of the outburst is determined by an increased mass transfer rate from the companion star, but the outburst morphology is determined by the distribution of specific angular momentum in the accreting matter. The companion in XTE J1550-564 is likely to be an active magnetic star, with a surface field strong enough to influence the dynamics of mass transfer. We suggest that its magnetic field can create a magnetic bag capable of confining gas inside the Roche lobe of the primary. The impulsive rise in the hard X-rays is explained by the inflow of material with low angular momentum onto the black hole, on a free-fall timescale, when the magnetic confinement breaks down. At the same time, high angular momentum matter, transferred via ordinary Roche-lobe overflow, is responsible for the formation of a disk.Comment: to appear in ApJ, vol 564, January 10, 200

Community‐wide validation of geospace model local K‐index predictions to support model transition to operations

We present the latest result of a community‐wide space weather model validation effort coordinated among the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC), NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), model developers, and the broader science community. Validation of geospace models is a critical activity for both building confidence in the science results produced by the models and in assessing the suitability of the models for transition to operations. Indeed, a primary motivation of this work is supporting NOAA/SWPC’s effort to select a model or models to be transitioned into operations. Our validation efforts focus on the ability of the models to reproduce a regional index of geomagnetic disturbance, the local K‐index. Our analysis includes six events representing a range of geomagnetic activity conditions and six geomagnetic observatories representing midlatitude and high‐latitude locations. Contingency tables, skill scores, and distribution metrics are used for the quantitative analysis of model performance. We consider model performance on an event‐by‐event basis, aggregated over events, at specific station locations, and separated into high‐latitude and midlatitude domains. A summary of results is presented in this report, and an online tool for detailed analysis is available at the CCMC.Key PointsReport community‐wide model validation resultsEvaluate ability of models to predict a local index of magnetic perturbationAnalysis directly led to selection of models to transition to operations at NOAA/SWPCPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134170/1/swe20333-sup-0001-supplementary.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134170/2/swe20333_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134170/3/swe20333.pd

The Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) Earth Occultation Catalog of Low-Energy Gamma-Ray Sources

The Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE), aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO), provided a record of the low-energy gamma-ray sky (20-1000 keV) between 1991 April and 2000 May (9.1y). Using the Earth Occultation Technique to extract flux information, a catalog of sources using data from the BATSE large area detectors has been prepared. The first part of the catalog consists of results from the monitoring of 58 sources, mostly Galactic. For these sources, we have included tables of flux and spectral data, and outburst times for transients. Light curves (or flux histories) have been placed on the world wide web. We then performed a deep-sampling of 179 objects (including the aforementioned 58 objects) combining data from the entire 9.1y BATSE dataset. Source types considered were primarily accreting binaries, but a small number of representative active galaxies, X-ray-emitting stars, and supernova remnants were also included. The deep sample results include definite detections of 83 objects and possible detections of 36 additional objects. The definite detections spanned three classes of sources: accreting black hole and neutron star binaries, active galaxies and supernova remnants. Flux data for the deep sample are presented in four energy bands: 20-40, 40-70, 70-160, and 160-430 keV. The limiting average flux level (9.1 y) for the sample varies from 3.5 to 20 mCrab (5 sigma) between 20 and 430 keV, depending on systematic error, which in turn is primarily dependent on the sky location. To strengthen the credibility of detection of weaker sources (5-25 mCrab), we generated Earth occultation images, searched for periodic behavior using FFT and epoch folding methods, and critically evaluated the energy-dependent emission in the four flux bands.Comment: 64 pages, 17 figures, abstract abridged, Accepted by ApJ

Outbursts Large and Small from EXO 2030+375

During the summer of 2006, the accreting X-ray pulsar EXO 2030+375 underwent its first giant outburst since its discovery in 1985. Our observations include the first ever of the rise of a giant outburst of EXO 2030+375. EXO 2030+375 was monitored daily with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) from 2006 June through 2007 May. During the giant outburst, we discovered evidence for a cyclotron feature at ~11 keV. This feature was confidently detected for about 90 days, during the brighter portion of the outburst. Daily observations of the next five EXO 2030+375 orbits detected pulsations at all orbital phases and normal outbursts shifted to a later orbital phase than before the giant outburst. An accretion disk appears to be present in both the normal and giant outbursts, suggesting that the long-term behavior is a product of the state of the Be star disk and the accretion disk. Here we will present flux and frequency histories from our detailed RXTE observations of the giant outburst and the normal outbursts that surrounded it. A new orbital analysis is presented that includes observations from 1991 through 2007 August.Comment: 28 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa