233 research outputs found
ATS-5 trilateration support
The development of an L-band trilateration network capable of locating the ATS-5 satellite, determining the satellite's orbital elements, and predicting the satellite position was investigated. An automatic tone-code ranging transponder was used to compare ranging measurements and communications reliability for the VHF and L-band. The L-band transponder network, analytical techniques, and the determination of the Kepler orbit parameters are described along with the calibration procedures, operation procedures, and verification of trilateration position
Automatic transponder
A method and apparatus for the automatic, remote measurement of the internal delay time of a transponder at the time of operation is provided. A small portion of the transmitted signal of the transponder is converted to the receive signal frequency of the transponder and supplied to the input of the transponder. The elapsed time between the receive signal locally generated and the receive signal causing the transmission of the transmitted signal is measured, said time being representative of or equal to the internal delay time of the transponder at the time of operation
ATS-3 ranging support
The purpose of this effort was to provide NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center with ATS-3 ranging data from ground stations of the VHF network and from an additional ground station installed at the NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center. Ranging measurements to the NASA transponder enabled calculation of the transponder's line-of-position. Installation of an S-band transponder at the same site and the conduct of ranging experiments to this transponder and others via ATS-6 provided a second line-of-position. The NASA S-band transponder was specifically designed for installation aboard spacecraft. Consequently, this program provided NASA an opportunity to compare two different techniques using geostationary satellites in the tracking low orbit satellites
The distance and radius of the neutron star PSR B0656+14
We present the result of astrometric observations of the radio pulsar PSR
B0656+14, made using the Very Long Baseline Array. The parallax of the pulsar
is pi = 3.47 +- 0.36 mas, yielding a distance of 288 +33 -27 pc. This
independent distance estimate has been used to constrain existing models of
thermal x-ray emission from the neutron star's photosphere. Simple blackbody
fits to the x-ray data formally yield a neutron star radius R_inf ~ 7-8.5 km.
With more realistic fits to a magnetized hydrogen atmosphere, any radius
between ~13 and ~20 km is allowed.Comment: 7 pages including 1 figure. Submitted to ApJL. AASte
Short-term temporal studies of the X ray emission from Cas A, Tycho and Sco X-1
No evidence for stable 2-10 keV periodic emission from Cas A or Tycho in the period range 1 msec to 10 sec is found. Upper limits to the pulsed fraction are presented as a function of the assumed light curve, with absolute 99% confidence upper limits of 0.089 and 0.195 for Cas A and Tycho, respectively. Previously reported transient 1-10 Hz oscillations from Sco X-1 are not observed
A MERLIN Observation of PSR B1951+32 and its associated Plerion
In an investigative 16 hour L band observation using the MERLIN radio
interferometric array, we have resolved both the pulsar PSR B1951+32 and
structure within the flat spectral radio continuum region, believed to be the
synchrotron nebula associated with the interaction of the pulsar and its `host'
supernova remnant CTB 80. The extended structure we see, significant at
4.5 , is of dimensions 2.5" 0.75", and suggests a sharp bow
shaped arc of shocked emission, which is correlated with similar structure
observed in lower resolution radio maps and X-ray images. Using this MERLIN
data as a new astrometric reference for other multiwavelength data we can place
the pulsar at one edge of the HST reported optical synchrotron knot, ruling out
previous suggested optical counterparts, and allowing an elementary analysis of
the optical synchrotron emission which appears to trail the pulsar. The latter
is possibly a consequence of pulsar wind replenishment, and we suggest that the
knot is a result of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities. These being so, it
suggests a dynamical nature to the optical knot, which will require high
resolution optical observations to confirm.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ
Pulsar kicks by anisotropic neutrino emission from quark matter
We discuss an acceleration mechanism for pulsars out of their supernova
remnants based on asymmetric neutrino emission from quark matter in the
presence of a strong magnetic field. The polarized electron spin fixes the
neutrino emission from the direct quark Urca process in one direction along the
magnetic field. We calculate the magnetic field strength which is required to
polarize the electron spin as well as the required initial proto-neutron star
temperature for a successfull acceleration mechanism. In addition we discuss
the neutrino mean free paths in quark as well as in neutron matter which turn
out to be very small. Consequently, the high neutrino interaction rates will
wash out the asymmetry in neutrino emission. As a possible solution to this
problem we take into account effects from colour superconductivity.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, poster contribution at the conference "Nuclear
Physics in Astrophysics III",Dresden,March 26-31,200
A wider audience: Turning VLBI into a survey instrument
Radio observations using the Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI)
technique typically have fields of view of only a few arcseconds, due to the
computational problems inherent in imaging larger fields. Furthermore,
sensitivity limitations restrict observations to very compact and bright
objects, which are few and far between on the sky. Thus, while most branches of
observational astronomy can carry out sensitive, wide-field surveys, VLBI
observations are limited to targeted observations of carefully selected
objects. However, recent advances in technology have made it possible to carry
out the computations required to target hundreds of sources simultaneously.
Furthermore, sensitivity upgrades have dramatically increased the number of
objects accessible to VLBI observations. The combination of these two
developments have enhanced the survey capabilities of VLBI observations such
that it is now possible to observe (almost) any point in the sky with
milli-arcsecond resolution. In this talk I review the development of wide-field
VLBI, which has made significant progress over the last three years.Comment: Invited review at the General Assembly of the Astronomische
Gesellschaf
Cas A X-ray spectrum: Evidence for iron line emission
A sensitive measurement by rocket borne detectors of the X-ray flux from Cas A has revealed a steep continuum and a broad spectral feature in the region where line radiation from iron nuclei would be expected. The flux in this feature is .0122 plus or minus .0017 photons/sq cm/s: the total energy flux from 2 to 10 KeV is 1.02 x 10 to the minus 9th power ergs/sq cm/s. The presence of broad iron lines is consistent with a model in which approximately 13 MeV/nucleon iron nuclei charge exchange with surrounding interstellar oxygen and other heavy atoms. The model suggests that a substantial fraction of the energy from the outburst has gone into low energy cosmic rays which produce the observed HII region surrounding the remnant
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