3,886 research outputs found
Frequency doubling conversion efficiencies for deep space optical communications
The theory of optical frequency doubling conversion efficiency is analyzed for the small signal input case along with the strong signal depleted input case. Angle phase matching and beam focus spot size are discussed and design trades are described which maximize conversion efficiency. Experimental conversion efficiencies from the literature, which are less than theoretical results at higher input intensities due to saturation, reconversion, and higher order processes, are applied to a case study of an optical communications link from Saturn. Double pass conversion efficiencies as high as 45 percent are expected. It is believed that even higher conversion efficiencies can be obtained using multipass conversion
Surprisingly Little O VI Emission Arises in the Local Bubble
This paper reports the first study of the O VI resonance line emission (1032,
1038 Angstroms) originating in the Local Bubble (or Local Hot Bubble)
surrounding the solar neighborhood. In spite of the fact that O VI absorption
within the Local Bubble has been observed, no resonance line emission was
detected during our 230 ksec Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer observation
toward a ``shadowing'' filament in the southern Galactic hemisphere. As a
result, tight 2 sigma upper limits are set on the intensities in the 1032 and
1038 Angstrom emission lines: 500 and 530 photons cm^{-2} s^{-1} sr^{-1},
respectively. These values place strict constraints on models and simulations.
They suggest that the O VI-bearing plasma and the X-ray emissive plasma reside
in distinct regions of the Local Bubble and are not mixed in a single plasma,
whether in equilibrium with T ~ 10^6 K or highly overionized with T ~ 4 to 6 x
10^4 K. If the line of sight intersects multiple cool clouds within the Local
Bubble, then the results also suggest that hot/cool transition zones differ
from those in current simulations. With these intensity upper limits, we
establish limits on the electron density, thermal pressure, pathlength, and
cooling timescale of the O VI-bearing plasma in the Local Bubble. Furthermore,
the intensity of O VI resonance line doublet photons originating in the
Galactic thick disk and halo is determined (3500 to 4300 photons cm^{-2} s^{-1}
sr^{-1}), and the electron density, thermal pressure, pathlength, and cooling
timescale of its O VI-bearing plasma are calculated. The pressure in the
Galactic halo's O VI-bearing plasma (3100 to 3800 K cm^{-3}) agrees with model
predictions for the total pressure in the thick disk/lower halo. We also report
the results of searches for other emission lines.Comment: accepted by ApJ, scheduled for May 2003, replacement astro-ph
submission corrects typos and grammatical errors in original versio
Hot Gas in the Galactic Thick Disk and Halo Near the Draco Cloud
This paper examines the ultraviolet and X-ray photons generated by hot gas in
the Galactic thick disk or halo in the Draco region of the northern hemisphere.
Our analysis uses the intensities from four ions, C IV, O VI, O VII, and O
VIII, sampling temperatures of ~100,000 to ~3,000,000 K. We measured the O VI,
O VII and O VIII intensities from FUSE and XMM-Newton data and subtracted off
the local contributions in order to deduce the thick disk/halo contributions.
These were supplemented with published C IV intensity and O VI column density
measurements. Our estimate of the thermal pressure in the O VI-rich thick
disk/halo gas, p_{th}/k = 6500^{+2500}_{-2600} K cm^{-3}, suggests that the
thick disk/halo is more highly pressurized than would be expected from
theoretical analyses. The ratios of C IV to O VI to O VII to O VIII,
intensities were compared with those predicted by theoretical models. Gas which
was heated to 3,000,000 K then allowed to cool radiatively cannot produce
enough C IV or O VI-generated photons per O VII or O VIII-generated photon.
Producing enough C IV and O VI emission requires heating additional gas to
100,000 < T < 1,000,000 K. However, shock heating, which provides heating
across this temperature range, overproduces O VI relative to the others.
Obtaining the observed mix may require a combination of several processes,
including some amount of shock heating, heat conduction, and mixing, as well as
radiative cooling of very hot gas.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journa
G65.2+5.7: A Thermal Composite Supernova Remnant With a Cool Shell
This paper presents archival ROSAT PSPC observations of the G65.2+5.7
supernova remnant (also known as G65.3+5.7). Little material obscures this
remnant and so it was well observed, even at the softest end of ROSAT's
bandpass (~0.11 to 0.28 keV). These soft X-ray images reveal the remnant's
centrally-filled morphology which, in combination with existing radio frequency
observations, places G65.2+5.7 in the thermal composite (mixed morphology)
class of supernova remnants. Not only might G65.2+5.7 be the oldest known
thermal composite supernova remnant, but owing to its optically revealed cool,
dense shell, this remnant supports the proposal that thermal composite
supernova remnants lack X-ray bright shells because they have evolved beyond
the adiabatic phase. These observations also reveal a slightly extended point
source centered on RA = 19h 36m 46s, dec = 30deg 40' 07'' and extending 6.5
arcmin in radius in the band 67 map. The source of this emission has yet to be
discovered, as there is no known pulsar at this location.Comment: In AASTEX preprint form, document is 12 pages long and includes 3
figure file
The Origin of the Hot Gas in the Galactic Halo: Confronting Models with XMM-Newton Observations
We compare the predictions of three physical models for the origin of the hot
halo gas with the observed halo X-ray emission, derived from 26 high-latitude
XMM-Newton observations of the soft X-ray background between l=120\degr and
l=240\degr. These observations were chosen from a much larger set of
observations as they are expected to be the least contaminated by solar wind
charge exchange emission. We characterize the halo emission in the XMM-Newton
band with a single-temperature plasma model. We find that the observed halo
temperature is fairly constant across the sky (~1.8e6-2.3e6 K), whereas the
halo emission measure varies by an order of magnitude (~0.0005-0.006 cm^-6 pc).
When we compare our observations with the model predictions, we find that most
of the hot gas observed with XMM-Newton does not reside in isolated extraplanar
supernova remnants -- this model predicts emission an order of magnitude too
faint. A model of a supernova-driven interstellar medium, including the flow of
hot gas from the disk into the halo in a galactic fountain, gives good
agreement with the observed 0.4-2.0 keV surface brightness. This model
overpredicts the halo X-ray temperature by a factor of ~2, but there are a
several possible explanations for this discrepancy. We therefore conclude that
a major (possibly dominant) contributor to the halo X-ray emission observed
with XMM-Newton is a fountain of hot gas driven into the halo by disk
supernovae. However, we cannot rule out the possibility that the extended hot
halo of accreted material predicted by disk galaxy formation models also
contributes to the emission.Comment: 20 pages, 14 figures. New version accepted for publication in ApJ.
Changes include new section discussing systematic errors (Section 3.2),
improved method for characterizing our model spectra (4.2.2), changes to
discussion of other observations (5.1). Note that we can no longer rule out
possibility that extended hot halo of accreted material contributes to
observed halo emission (see 5.2.1
Effects of Footstrike Pattern on Low Back Posture, Shock Attenuation, and Comfort During Running
Purpose: Barefoot running (BF) is popular in the running community. Biomechanical changes occur with BF, especially when initial contact changes from rearfoot strike (RFS) to forefoot strike (FFS). In addition, changes in lumbar spine range of motion (ROM), particularly involving lumbar lordosis, have been associated with increased low back pain (LBP). However it is not known how changing from RFS to FFS affects lumbar lordosis or LBP. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine if a change from RFS to FFS would change lumbar lordosis, and/or decrease shock attenuation, and/or change comfort levels in healthy recreational/experienced runners.
Methods: Forty-three subjects performed a warm up on the treadmill where a self-selected footstrike pattern was determined. Instructions on running RFS/FFS were taught and two conditions were examined. Each condition consisted of 90 s of BF with RFS or FFS; order randomly assigned. A comfort questionnaire was completed after both conditions. Fifteen consecutive strides from each condition were extracted for analyses.
Results: Statistically significant differences between FFS and RFS shock attenuation (p
Conclusion:
Change in footstrike from RFS to FFS decreased overall ROM in the lumbar spine but did not make a difference in flexion or extension in which the lumbar spine is positioned. Shock attenuation was greater in RFS. RFS was perceived a more comfortable running pattern
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