1,540 research outputs found
2MASS J06164006-6407194: The First Outer Halo L Subdwarf
We present the serendipitous discovery of an L subdwarf, 2MASS
J06164006-6407194, in a search of the Two Micron All Sky Survey for T dwarfs.
Its spectrum exhibits features indicative of both a cool and metal poor
atmosphere including a heavily pressured-broadened K I resonant doublet, Cs I
and Rb I lines, molecular bands of CaH, TiO, CrH, FeH, and H2O, and enhanced
collision induced absorption of H2. We assign 2MASS 0616-6407 a spectral type
of sdL5 based on a comparison of its red optical spectrum to that of near
solar-metallicity L dwarfs. Its high proper motion (mu =1.405+-0.008 arcsec
yr-1), large radial velocity (Vrad = 454+-15 km s-1), estimated uvw velocities
(94, -573, 125) km s-1 and Galactic orbit with an apogalacticon at ~29 kpc are
indicative of membership in the outer halo making 2MASS 0616-6407 the first
ultracool member of this population.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
A model of the secondary radiation belt
Products of nuclear reactions between primary radiation belt protons and constituents of the tenuous upper atmosphere form a collocated secondary radiation belt. A calculation of the time-dependent secondary intensity provides a model specification of this environmental component for low- and medium-altitude satellite orbits. It is based on an earlier model of the radiation belt protons, the novel feature being a determination of the secondary source function from nuclear reaction cross sections. All long-lived secondary products are included, isotopes of H and He being dominant while the heavier Li to O isotopes are present at relatively low levels. Secondary protons are shown to be a minor correction to the primary radiation belt
Update on Radiation Dose From Galactic and Solar Protons at the Moon Using the LRO/CRaTER Microdosimeter
The NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has been exploring the lunar surface and radiation environment since June 2009. In Mazur et al. [2011] we discussed the first 6 months of mission data from a microdosimeter that is housed within the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) instrument onboard LRO. The CRaTER microdosimeter is an early version of what is now a commercially available hybrid that accurately measures total ionizing radiation dose in a silicon target (http://www.teledynemicro.com/product/radiation-dosimeter). This brief report updates the transition from a deep solar minimum radiation environment to the current weak solar maximum as witnessed with the microdosimeter
New measurements of total ionizing dose in the lunar environment
[1] We report new measurements of solar minimum ionizing radiation dose at the Moon onboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) from June 2009 through May 2010. The Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) instrument on LRO houses a compact and highly precise microdosimeter whose design allows measurements of dose rates below 1 micro-Rad per second in silicon achieved with minimal resources (20 g, ∼250 milliwatts, and ∼3 bits/second). We envision the use of such a small yet accurate dosimeter in many future spaceflight applications where volume, mass, and power are highly constrained. As this was the first operation of the microdosimeter in a space environment, the goal of this study is to verify its response by using simultaneous measurements of the galactic cosmic ray ionizing environment at LRO, at L1, and with other concurrent dosimeter measurements and model predictions. The microdosimeter measured the same short timescale modulations in the galactic cosmic rays as the other independent measurements, thus verifying its response to a known source of minimum-ionizing particles. The total dose for the LRO mission over the first 333 days was only 12.2 Rads behind ∼130 mils of aluminum because of the delayed rise of solar activity in solar cycle 24 and the corresponding lack of intense solar energetic particle events. The dose rate in a 50 km lunar orbit was about 30 percent lower than the interplanetary rate, as one would expect from lunar obstruction of the visible sky
Discovery of a High Proper Motion L Dwarf Binary: 2MASS J15200224-4422419AB
We report the discovery of the wide L1.5+L4.5 binary 2MASS
J15200224-4422419AB, identified during spectroscopic followup of high proper
motion sources selected from the Two Micron All Sky Survey. This source was
independently identified by Kendall et al. in the SuperCOSMOS Sky Survey.
Resolved JHK photometry and low resolution near-infrared spectroscopy
demonstrate that this system is composed of two well-separated (1"174+/-0"016)
L dwarfs. Component classifications are derived using both spectral ratios and
comparison to near-infrared spectra of previously classified field L dwarfs.
Physical association for the pair is deduced from the large (mu = 0"73+/-0"03
/yr) common proper motion of the components and their similar
spectrophotometric distances (19+/-2 pc). The projected separation of the
binary, 22+/-2 AU, is consistent with maximum separation/total system mass
trends for very low mass binaries. The 2MASS J1520-4422 system exhibits both
large tangential (66+/-7 km/s) and radial velocities (-70+/-18 km/s), and its
motion in the local standard of rest suggests that it is an old member of the
Galactic disk population. This system joins a growing list of well-separated
(>0"5), very low mass binaries, and is an excellent target for resolved optical
spectroscopy to constrain its age as well as trace activity/rotation trends
near the hydrogen-burning limit.Comment: 35 pages, 8 figures; accepted for publication to ApJ; see also
Kendall et al. astro-ph/060939
Radiation risks from large solar energetic particle events
Solar energetic particles (SEPs) constitute a radiation hazard to both humans and hardware in space. Over the past few years there have been significant advances in our knowledge of the composition and energy spectra of SEP events, leading to new insights into the conditions that contribute to the largest events. This paper summarizes the energy spectra and frequency of large SEP events, and discusses the interplanetary conditions that affect the intensity of the largest events
Modulation of Jovian electrons at 1 AU during solar cycles 22-23
We report here, on the observation of Jovian electrons
during the time period 1992 to 2002, using instruments on
board SAMPEX and IMP8 at 1 AU. The Jovian electron flux diminished greatly from early 1996 to the end of 1997
and recovered subsequently and was observed till the end of
2001. The decrease in the Jovian flux was seen in three
distinct instruments lasting for about two Jovian synodic
periods. Such a dramatic and persistent decrease has not
been observed before. The observed decrease could be due
to changes at the source or variations in interplanetary
conditions affecting transport of these particles. The latter may be solar cycle dependent as in the heliospheric
modulation of cosmic rays. Long-term measurements from IMP8 suggest that solar cycle related propagation effects may not be responsible for the observed decrease. We suggest that either a change in the Jovian source strength or a softening of the Jovian electron energy spectrum produced the observed attenuation
Jovian, Solar, and other Possible Sources of Radiation Belt Particles
It is well known that electrons, protons, and heavier ions can be accelerated to
high energies (≳1 MeV) throughout the solar system by a variety of mechanisms.
We review several of the sources of energetic ions and electrons that can produce
enhanced fluxes of particles near the Earth's orbit. Solar energetic particles and
particles accelerated at interplanetary shock waves are considered. We also review
the properties and potential terrestrial influence of Jovian electrons. Recent measurements
from the SAMPEX spacecraft in low-Earth orbit are examined to look for
extraterrestrial sources of electrons and ions. We find clear evidence of both solar
and Jovian electrons at high latitudes and at high altitudes around the Earth, but
the durably trapped outer zone electron population seems best and most completely
explained by an internal acceleration mechanism
The radiation environment near the lunar surface: CRaTER observations and Geant4 simulations
[1] At the start of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission in 2009, its Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation instrument measured the radiation environment near the Moon during the recent deep solar minimum, when galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) were at the highest level observed during the space age. We present observations that show the combined effects of GCR primaries, secondary particles (“albedo”) created by the interaction of GCRs with the lunar surface, and the interactions of these particles in the shielding material overlying the silicon solid-state detectors of the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation. We use Geant4 to model the energy and angular distribution of the albedo particles, and to model the response of the sensor to the various particle species reaching the 50 kilometer altitude of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Using simulations to gain insight into the observations, we are able to present preliminary energy-deposit spectra for evaluation of the radiation environment\u27s effects on other sensitive materials, whether biological or electronic, that would be exposed to a similar near-lunar environment
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