Observations of the atmospheres and winds of O-stars,LBVs and Wolf-Rayet stars

This review summarises recent studies of O-stars, Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs) and Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars, emphasising observations and analyses of their atmospheres and stellar winds yielding determinations of their physical and chemical properties. Studies of these stellar groups provide important tests of both stellar wind theory and stellar evolution models incorporating mass-loss effects. Quantitative analyses of O-star spectra reveal enhanced helium abundances in Of and many luminous O-supergiants, together with CNO anomalies in OBN and Ofpe/WN9 stars, indicative of evolved objects. Enhanced helium, and CNO-cycle products are observed in several LBVs, implying a highly evolved status, whilst for the WR stars there is strong evidence for the exposition of CNO-cycle products in WN stars, and helium-burning products in WC and WO stars. The observed wind properties and mass-loss rates derived for O-stars show, in general terms, good agreement with predictions from the latest radiation-driven wind models, although some discrepancies are apparent. Several LBVs show similar mass-loss rates at maximum and minimum states, contrary to previous expectations, with the mechanism responsible for the variability and outbursts remaining unclear. WR stars exhibit the most extreme levels of mass-loss and stellar wind momenta. Whilst alternative mass-loss mechanisms have been proposed, recent calculations indicate that radiation pressure alone may be sufficient, given the strong ionization stratification present in their winds.     

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Overview: The Instrument Suite and Mission

NASA’s Lunar Precursor Robotic Program (LPRP), formulated in response to the President’s Vision for Space Exploration, will execute a series of robotic missions that will pave the way for eventual permanent human presence on the Moon. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is first in this series of LPRP missions, and plans to launch in October of 2008 for at least one year of operation. LRO will employ six individual instruments to produce accurate maps and high-resolution images of future landing sites, to assess potential lunar resources, and to characterize the radiation environment. LRO will also test the feasibility of one advanced technology demonstration package. The LRO payload includes: Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) which will determine the global topography of the lunar surface at high resolution, measure landing site slopes, surface roughness, and search for possible polar surface ice in shadowed regions, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) which will acquire targeted narrow angle images of the lunar surface capable of resolving meter-scale features to support landing site selection, as well as wide-angle images to characterize polar illumination conditions and to identify potential resources, Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) which will map the flux of neutrons from the lunar surface to search for evidence of water ice, and will provide space radiation environment measurements that may be useful for future human exploration, Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment (DLRE) which will chart the temperature of the entire lunar surface at approximately 300 meter horizontal resolution to identify cold-traps and potential ice deposits, Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) which will map the entire lunar surface in the far ultraviolet. LAMP will search for surface ice and frost in the polar regions and provide images of permanently shadowed regions illuminated only by starlight. Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER), which will investigate the effect of galactic cosmic rays on tissue-equivalent plastics as a constraint on models of biological response to background space radiation. The technology demonstration is an advanced radar (mini-RF) that will demonstrate X- and S-band radar imaging and interferometry using light weight synthetic aperture radar. This paper will give an introduction to each of these instruments and an overview of their objectives.     

Tailored analyses of 24 Galactic WN stars

The fundamental properties of 24 Galactic WN stars are determined from analyses of their optical, UV and IR spectra using sophisticated model atmosphere codes (Hillier, 1987, 1990). Terminal velocities, stellar luminosities, temperatures, mass loss rates and abundances of hydrogen, helium, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen are determined. Stellar parameters are derived using diagnostic lines and interstellar reddenings found from fitting theoretical continua to observed energy distributions.Our results confirm that the parameters of WN stars span a large range in temperature (T_*=30–90,000 K), luminosity (log L_*/L=4.8–5.9), mass loss (M=0.9–12×10^–5 M yr^–1) and terminal velocity (v =630–3300 km s^–1). Hydrogen abundances are determined, and found to be low in WNEw and WNEs stars (<15% by mass) and considerable in most WNL stars (1–50%). Metal abundances are also determined with the nitrogen content found to lie in the range N/He=1–5×10^–3 (by number) for all subtypes, and C/N 0.02 in broad agreement with the predictions of Maeder (1991). Enhanced O/N and O/C is found for HD 104994 (WN3p) suggesting a peculiar evolutionary history. Our results suggest that single WNL+abs stars may represent an evolutionary stage immediately after the Of phase. Since some WNE stars exist with non-negligible hydrogen contents (e.g. WR136) evolution may proceed directly from WNL+abs to WNE in some cases, circumventing the luminous blue variable (LBV) or red supergiant (RSG) stage.     

Orbital phase spectroscopy of X-ray pulsars to study the stellar wind of the companion

High Mass X-ray Binary Pulsars (HMXBP), in which the companion star is a source of supersonic stellar wind, provide a laboratory to probe the velocity and density profile of such winds. Here, we have measured the variation of the absorption column density along with other spectral parameters over the binary orbit for two HMXBP in elliptical orbits, as observed with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) and the BeppoSAX satellites. A spherically symmetric wind profile was used as a model to compare the observed column density variations. In 4U 1538-52, we find the model corroborating the observations; whereas in GX 301-2, the stellar wind appears to be very clumpy and a smooth symmetric wind model seems to be inadequate in explaining the variation in column density.     

Constants and cosmology: The nature and origin of fundamental constants in astrophysics and particle physics

We ask about the nature and origin of the fundamental constants of astrophysics and particle physics, notably the speed of light c, the gravitational constant G, Planck's constant h, and the magnitude of the electron charge e. We consider general relativity and the theories of the electromagnetic, weak and strong interactions that make up the Standard Model; together with the Lagrangians of Einstein, Maxwell, Schrödinger, Klein-Gordon, Dirac, Proca, and Yang-Mills. Then we look in a more qualitative way at how the equations of physics are set up, their dimensional content, and the removal of constants from them by a suitable choice of units. We conclude with Hoyle and Narlikar, Jeffreys and McCrea that parameters like c, G, and h are merely manmade dimensional conversion constants. They arise because of our subjective view that mass, length, and time are different concepts. These constants can be removed in a manner analogous to the removal of the permittivity of free space ₀ from electrodynamics, and none are really fundamental. The charge e is different, being the low-energy limit of a function related to properties of the vacuum, but because of this it is not a fundamental constant either. We suggest there are no constants which truly deserve to be called fundamental, and that an aim of physics ought to be to write down laws in which no constants appear.     

Planet temperatures with surface cooling parameterized

A semigray (shortwave and longwave) surface temperature model is developed from conditions on Venus, Earth and Mars, where the greenhouse effect is mostly due to carbon dioxide and water vapor. In addition to estimating longwave optical depths, parameterizations are developed for surface cooling due to shortwave absorption in the atmosphere, and for convective (sensible and latent) heat transfer. An approximation to the Clausius–Clapeyron relation provides water–vapor feedback. The resulting iterative algorithm is applied to three “super-Earths” in the Gliese 581 system, including the “Goldilocks” planet g (Vogt et al., 2010). Surprisingly, none of the three appear habitable. One cannot accurately locate a star’s habitable zone without data or assumptions about a planet’s atmosphere.     

Sandwich module prototype progress for space solar power

Space solar power (SSP) has been broadly defined as the collection of solar energy in space and its wireless transmission for use on earth. This approach potentially gives the benefit of provision of baseload power while avoiding the losses due to the day/night cycle and tropospheric effects that are associated with terrestrial solar power. Proponents have contended that the implementation of such systems could offer energy security, environmental, and technological advantages to those who would undertake their development. Among recent implementations commonly proposed for SSP, the modular symmetrical concentrator (MSC) and other modular concepts have received considerable attention. Each employs an array of modules for performing conversion of concentrated sunlight into microwaves or laser beams for transmission to earth. While prototypes of such modules have been designed and developed previously by several groups, none have been subjected to the challenging conditions inherent to the space environment and the possible solar concentration levels in which an array of modules might be required to operate. The research described herein details our team's efforts in the development of photovoltaic arrays, power electronics, microwave conversion electronics, and antennas for microwave-based “sandwich” module prototypes. The implementation status and testing results of the prototypes are reviewed.     

Planetesimals and Satellitesimals: Formation of the Satellite Systems

The origin of the regular satellites ties directly to planetary formation in that the satellites form in gas and dust disks around the giant planets and may be viewed as mini-solar systems, involving a number of closely related underlying physical processes. The regular satellites of Jupiter and Saturn share a number of remarkable similarities that taken together make a compelling case for a deep-seated order and structure governing their origin. Furthermore, the similarities in the mass ratio of the largest satellites to their primaries, the specific angular momenta, and the bulk compositions of the two satellite systems are significant and in need of explanation. Yet, the differences are also striking. We advance a common framework for the origin of the regular satellites of Jupiter and Saturn and discuss the accretion of satellites in gaseous, circumplanetary disks. Following giant planet formation, planetesimals in the planet’s feeding zone undergo a brief period of intense collisional grinding. Mass delivery to the circumplanetary disk via ablation of planetesimal fragments has implications for a host of satellite observations, tying the history of planetesimals to that of satellitesimals and ultimately that of the satellites themselves. By contrast, irregular satellites are objects captured during the final stages of planetary formation or the early evolution of the Solar System; their distinct origin is reflected in their physical properties, which has implications for the subsequent evolution of the satellites systems.     

A solar wind driven model of geosynchronous plasma moments

We describe a tabular specification model of the density and temperature of ions and electrons at geosynchronous orbit as a function of magnetic local time and solar wind parameters. This model can be used to provide boundary conditions for numerical ring current models. Unlike previous specification models of geosynchronous plasma moments, this model is parameterized by upstream solar wind conditions. We find that solar wind parameters are a better predictor of geosynchronous ion density than magnetospheric indices, and as upstream parameters they are often more appropriate as model inputs since they causally precede the model outputs. Of the upstream parameters that were tested, the best predictors of geosynchronous conditions were the solar wind flow pressure and the magnitude and Z-component of the interplanetary magnetic field.     

Starting to partner with NASA in space and Earth science

NASA research programs offer many opportunities for productive partnerships with investigators in other countries. While spacecraft projects are complex and very expensive, there are other, lower-cost partnerships that can yield important scientific results and offer excellent opportunities for building up new space and Earth science programs and for training new researchers.