Lyman-α Line Research Articles

Statistical study of Saturn's auroral electron properties with Cassini/UVIS FUV spectral images

About 2000 FUV spectra of different regions of Saturn's aurora, obtained with Cassini/UVIS from December 2007 to October 2014 have been examined. Two methods have been employed to determine the mean energy 〈E〉 of the precipitating electrons. The first is based on the absorption of the auroral emission by hydrocarbons and the second uses the ratio between the brightness of the Lyman-α line and the H2 total UV emission (Lyα/H2), which is directly related to 〈E〉 via a radiative transfer formalism. In addition, two atmospheric models obtained recently from UVIS polar occultations have been employed for the first time. It is found that the atmospheric model related to North observations near 70° latitude provides the results most consistent with constraints previously published.On a global point of view, the two methods provide comparable results, with 〈E〉 mostly in the 7–17keV range with the hydrocarbon method and 〈E〉 in the 1–11keV range with the Lyα/H2 method. Since hydrocarbons have been detected on ∼20% of the auroral spectra, the Lyα/H2 technique is more effective to describe the primary auroral electrons, as it is applicable to all spectra and allows an access to the lowest range of energies (≤5keV), unreachable by the hydrocarbon method. The distribution of 〈E〉 is found fully compatible with independent HST/ACS constraints (emission peak in the 840–1450km range) and FUSE findings (emission peaking at pressure level ≤0.2µbar). In addition, 〈E〉 exhibits enhancements in the 3LT–10LT sector, consistent with SKR intensity measurements.An energy flux–electron energy diagram built from all the data points strongly suggests that acceleration by field-aligned potentials as described by Knight's theory is a main mechanism responsible for electron precipitation creating the aurora. Assuming a fixed electron temperature of 0.1keV, a best-fit equatorial electron source population density of 3 ×103m−3 is derived, which matches very well to the plasma properties observed with Cassini MAG and CAPS/ELS instruments. However, several auroral regions are characterized by relatively high 〈E〉 and low energy flux, suggesting that additional processes such as plasma injections or magnetic reconnections must be accounted for to explain the emission in these regions.The Lyα/H2 ratio technique can be used to build maps of 〈E〉 from single spectral images. As expected, preliminary results show that the spatial distribution of 〈E〉 is not uniform, as seen on Jupiter.Our study reveals that a fraction of the aurora is due to very low energy electrons (<1keV). Even in this case, comparisons between observed and modeled spectra show that 100eV is a suitable value to represent the average energy of the secondary electrons.

Measurement of helium-like and hydrogen-like argon spectra using double-crystal X-ray spectrometers on EAST.

A two-crystal assembly was deployed on the tangential X-ray crystal spectrometer to measure both helium-like and hydrogen-like spectra on EAST. High-quality helium-like and hydrogen-like spectra were observed simultaneously for the first time on one detector for a wide range of plasma parameters. Profiles of line-integrated core ion temperatures inferred from two spectra were consistent. Since tungsten was adopted as the upper divertor material, one tungsten line (W XLIV at 4.017 Å) on the short-wavelength side of the Lyman-α line (Lα1) was identified for typical USN discharges, which was diffracted by a He-like crystal (2d = 4.913 Å). Another possible Fe XXV line (1.85 Å) was observed to be located on the long-wavelength side of resonance line (w), which was diffracted from a H-like crystal (2d = 4.5622 Å) on the second order. Be-like argon lines were also observable that fill the detector space between the He-like and H-like spectra.

Vacuum ultraviolet emission from hydrogen microwave plasmas driven by surface waves

The vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation emitted by hydrogen surface-wave-driven plasmas operating at microwave frequency (2.45 GHz) and low-pressure conditions (0.1–2 mbar) was investigated, in particular the influence of microwave power and gas pressure on the intensity of the emissions. The strong emission of Lyman H2 and Werner H2 molecular bands in the 80–125 nm spectral range was detected, while the most intense atomic emissions observed correspond to Lyman-α and Lyman-β lines at 121.6 nm and 102.6 nm respectively. An increase of the atomic lines and molecular bands intensities with increasing microwave power at pressure 0.1 mbar was observed. At 2 mbar the VUV spectra are entirely dominated by molecular bands. Theoretical predictions, as obtained from a collisional-radiative model, were validated by the experimental results.

Astronomers observe a nascent galaxy stuck to the cosmic web

A strand of the web appears to be conducting gas into the protogalaxy.A strand of the web appears to be conducting gas into the protogalaxy.

New Results on DLA Systems: Statistics

AbstractThe damped Lyman-α absorption-line systems (DLAs) that are observed in quasar spectra arise in neutral-gas-rich regions of intervening galaxies. With the highest neutral hydrogen column densities observed (N(HI) ⩾ 2 × 1020 atoms cm−2), they are known to trace the bulk of the neutral gas content of the Universe, and are thus powerful probes of galaxy formation and evolution. However, DLAs are extremely rare, and since the Lyman-α line falls in the UV for redshifts z &lt; 1.65, not many are known at low redshift due to the limited availability of space data. Our HST surveys for DLAs in strong MgII absorbers have been successful at showing that MgII can be used as an unbiased tracer of DLAs. We present new results on their incidence, or redshift number density, dn/dz, and cosmological neutral gas mass density, ΩDLA, at redshifts 0.11 ⩽ z ⩽ 1.65, and incorporate results from higher and lower redshift studies in the literature to derive the evolution of neutral gas in the Universe.

Quiescent and flaring lyman-α radiation of host stars and effects on exoplanets

AbstractLyman-α radiation dominates the ultraviolet spectra of G, K, and M stars and is a major photodissociation source for H2O, CO2, and CH4 in the upper atmospheres of exoplanets. We obtain intrinsic Lyman-α line fluxes for late-type stars by correcting for interstellar absorption or by scaling from other spectroscopic observables. When stars flare, all emission lines brighten by large factors as shown by HST spectra. We describe photochemical models of the atmosphere of the mini-Neptune GJ 436b (Miguel et al. 2015) that show the effects of flaring Lyman-α fluxes on atmospheric chemical abundances.

The three-dimensional global numerical model CHARM-I: The incorporation of processes in the ionospheric D-region

We describe the three-dimensional numerical global photochemical model CHARM-I (CHemical Atmospheric Research Model with Ions) and the results of numerical calculations of global distributions of neutral and charged atmospheric trace gases (in the height range of up to 90 km), such as ozone, nitrogen oxides, electrons, and positive and negative ions. This model is an improved version of the CHARM three-dimensional photochemical model of neutral components with additional reactions with the involvement of ions (a total of 200 photochemical reactions). The model incorporates UV-radiation fluxes on the Lyman-α line and galactic cosmic rays as ionizing factors. The neutral components are calculated with the method of “chemical families” and the concentrations of charged components are calculated by the electroneutrality condition at each time step. The spatial transport of chemically active species is described in the model by the Prather scheme. The developed model makes it also possible to take into account solar flares and particle precipitations in the ionospheric D-region.

Vacuum ultraviolet spectropolarimeter design for precise polarization measurements.

Precise polarization measurements in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) region provide a new means for inferring weak magnetic fields in the upper atmosphere of the Sun and stars. We propose a VUV spectropolarimeter design ideally suited for this purpose. This design is proposed and adopted for the NASA-JAXA chromospheric lyman-alpha spectropolarimeter (CLASP), which will record the linear polarization (Stokes Q and U) of the hydrogen Lyman-α line (121.567nm) profile. The expected degree of polarization is on the order of 0.1%. Our spectropolarimeter has two optically symmetric channels to simultaneously measure orthogonal linear polarization states with a single concave diffraction grating that serves both as the spectral dispersion element and beam splitter. This design has a minimal number of reflective components with a high VUV throughput. Consequently, these design features allow us to minimize the polarization errors caused by possible time variation of the VUV flux during the polarization modulation and by statistical photon noise.

Magnetic moment and plasma environment of HD 209458b as determined from Lyα observations.

Transit observations of HD 209458b in the stellar Lyman-α(Lyα) line revealed strong absorption in both blue and red wings of the line interpreted as hydrogen atoms escaping from the planet's exosphere at high velocities. The following sources for the absorption were suggested: acceleration by the stellar radiation pressure, natural spectral line broadening, or charge exchange with the stellar wind. We reproduced the observation by means of modeling that includes all aforementioned processes. Our results support a stellar wind with a velocity of ≈400 kilometers per second at the time of the observation and a planetary magnetic moment of ≈1.6 × 10(26) amperes per square meter.

Strategy for Realizing High-Precision VUV Spectro-Polarimeter

Spectro-polarimetric observations in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) range are currently the only means to measure magnetic fields in the upper chromosphere and transition region of the solar atmosphere. The Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha Spectro-Polarimeter (CLASP) aims to measure linear polarization at the hydrogen Lyman-α line (121.6 nm). This measurement requires a polarization sensitivity better than 0.1 %, which is unprecedented in the VUV range. We here present a strategy with which to realize such high-precision spectro-polarimetry. This involves the optimization of instrument design, testing of optical components, extensive analyses of polarization errors, polarization calibration of the instrument, and calibration with onboard data. We expect that this strategy will aid the development of other advanced high-precision polarimeters in the UV as well as in other wavelength ranges.

Birefringence of magnesium fluoride in the vacuum ultraviolet and application to a half-waveplate

Spectro-polarimeteric observations in the vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) region are expected to be developed as a new astrophysics diagnostic tool for investigating space plasmas with temperatures of >10(4) K. Precise measurements of the difference in the extraordinary and ordinary refractive indices are required for developing accurate polarimeters, but reliable information on the birefringence in the VUV range is difficult to obtain. We have measured the birefringence of magnesium fluoride (MgF2) with an accuracy of better than ±4×10(-5) around the hydrogen Lyman-α line (121.57 nm). We show that MgF2 can be applied practically as a half-waveplate for the chromospheric Lyman-alpha spectro-polarimeter (CLASP) sounding rocket experiment and that the developed measurement method can be easily applied to other VUV birefringent materials at other wavelengths.

Lyman-α radiation of a probe atomic beam to explore the electric field in plasma sheaths

An innovative way to non-intrusively measure weak electric fields in plasmas is presented. The electric field is produced between two planar plates which can be immersed in a thermionic plasma. An atomic probe beam, obtained from the conversion of ions into H(2s) in a resonant charge exchange cesium vapor cell, is sent between the two plates. Emission of the Lyman-α line is induced by the external electric field. It originates in the Stark mixing of the two and levels that are separated in energy by the so-called Lamb shift. The light is collected in a direction perpendicular to the probe beam. Theory predicts that its intensity is proportional to the square modulus of the electric field below a critical value. With a proper calibration through measurements in vacuum, the amplitude of the electric field is obtained. Creating an electric field within a plasma, Debye shielding is thus clearly observed. Such measurement can also be done in transparent diluted media. The presented method answers to a long-standing challenge in experimental physics.This paper is dedicated to late Professor R. A. Stern who was the inspirer of this research

High-precision x-ray spectroscopy of highly charged ions with microcalorimeters

The precise determination of the energy of the Lyman α1 and α2 lines in hydrogen-like heavy ions provides a sensitive test of quantum electrodynamics in very strong Coulomb fields. To improve the experimental precision, the new detector concept of microcalorimeters is now exploited for such measurements. Such detectors consist of compensated-doped silicon thermistors and Pb or Sn absorbers to obtain high quantum efficiency in the energy range of 40–70 keV, where the Doppler-shifted Lyman lines are located. For the first time, a microcalorimeter was applied in an experiment to precisely determine the transition energy of the Lyman lines of lead ions at the experimental storage ring at GSI. The energy of the Ly α1 line E(Ly-α1, 207Pb81+) = (77937 ± 12stat ± 25syst) eV agrees within error bars with theoretical predictions. To improve the experimental precision, a new detector array with more pixels and better energy resolution was equipped and successfully applied in an experiment to determine the Lyman-α lines of gold ions 197Au78+.

Lyman-α radiation of a probing metastable hydrogen beam to measure electric fields in diluted fluids and plasmas

The interaction between a metastable H(2s) atomic hydrogen beam and an external electric field leads to the emission of the Lyman-α line. It originates in the Stark mixing of the near-degenerate 2s1/2 and 2p1/2 levels separated by the Lamb shift. The quenched radiation proportional to the square of the electric field amplitude is recovered in vacuum by using such an atomic probe beam. For larger electric field, saturation is observed and related to the beam finite transit time. We also observe the strong enhancement of the signal when the field is oscillating at the Lamb shift frequency. This technique is applied in a plasma, offering an alternative way to measure weak electric fields by direct and non-intrusive means.

Quantum-statistical line shape calculation for Lyman-α lines in dense H plasmas

We present results for the Lyman-α line of hydrogen in dense plasmas. Full line profiles are calculated within a quantum-statistical method, based on thermodynamic Green's functions. The contributions of plasma ions and electrons are considered separately. Linear and quadratic Stark effect as well as quadrupole effects are taken into account for ions. The model microfield method is used to include ion dynamics. The focus of this work lies on the contribution to broadening and shift by free electrons beyond the Born approximation. The effect of strong collisions can be identified as ladder-like diagrams of the electron-emitter propagator. In an effective two-particle approximation, the electronic self-energy is given in terms of scattering amplitudes, analogous to Baranger's expressions [Baranger, M 1958 Phys. Rev. 112 855]. We obtained scattering amplitudes from convergent close-coupling calculations including medium effects via Debye screening. Additionally, the electronic coupling between initial and final states is taken care of by a vertex correction. In our examples, the free electron density ranges between 1023 and 1025 m−3 at a plasma temperature of 1 and 2 eV, respectively.

A Stark broadening simulation using a renewal process for the electric microfield

Stark broadening of atomic lines in plasmas is investigated by generating the electric microfield with a renewal process. In this model, the microfield is stepwise constant, with jumping times sampled from a waiting time distribution (WTD). Our model is a true simulation of the renewal process, using random number generators for generating different probability density functions (PDF). The use of an equilibrium static microfield PDF and an exponential waiting time distribution reproduces the so called model microfield method (MMM) results. The work presented is an application to the hydrogen Lyman-α line, for which we compare our renewal process model and ab initio simulations calculations, with the aim of studying the role of non exponential waiting time distributions.

Lyman-α radiation of a metastable hydrogen beam to measure electric fields

The interaction between a metastable H(2s) atomic hydrogen beam and an external electric field leads to the emission of the Lyman-α line. It originates in the Stark mixing of the near-degenerate 2s1/2 and 2p1/2 levels separated by the Lamb shift. The quenched radiation proportional to the square of the electric field amplitude is recovered in vacuum by using such an atomic probe beam. We observe the strong enhancement of the signal when the field is oscillating at the Lamb shift frequency. This technique is applied in a plasma, offering an alternative way to measure weak electric fields by direct and non-intrusive means.

The solar wind in time

AbstractWe describe our method for measuring mass loss rates of F–M main sequence stars with high-resolution Lyman-α line profiles. Our diagnostic is the extra absorption on the blue side the interstellar hydrogen absorption produced by neutral hydrogen gas in the hydrogen walls of stars. For stars with low X-ray fluxes, the correlation of observed mass loss rate with X-ray surface flux and age predicts the solar wind mass flux between 700 Myr and the present.

Contribution to Calculation of Ion Microfield Nonuniformity Effect on the Asymmetry of Lyman‐α Line in Dense Plasma

AbstractThe high orders of Stark effects on spectral line shapes are examined in the ion‐static and electron‐impact ap‐proximations. At first the distribution functions of the spatial derivative of the ion microfield in He+ plasma are calculated for different plasma conditions when the coupling parameter is weak. We present new results about the spatial derivative ion microfield distributions and apply them to show the asymmetry of the Lyman‐α (Ly‐α) line in He+ plasma. At the second stage we show that asymmetry is affected by the spatial derivative tensor of the local ion electric field. We have used the Monte‐Carlo simulation (MCS) to compute the distribution functions for all tensor components and use them to solve the evolution equation of emitter whose solution serves to compute and therefore to show the line shape asymmetry. Good agreement of our distribution functions of ion microfield gradients and the line asymmetry with other results are obtained (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Sensitivity of the Earth’s middle atmosphere to short-term solar variability and its dependence on the choice of solar irradiance data set

We simulate the time evolution of the neutral and charged species in the terrestrial middle atmosphere using a 1-D radiative-convective model with interactive neutral and ion chemistry driven by four different sets of daily spectral solar irradiance (SSI) available in the literature for the year 2000. Obtained daily time series of ozone, hydroxyl and electron densities are used to calculate their sensitivity to the short-term SSI variability at 205 nm. All applied SSI data sets possess 27-day solar rotation cycle; however, its amplitude and phase as well as the correlation between considered SSI time series differ among data sets leading to the different behavior of the atmospheric response. Contrary, the ozone and hydroxyl sensitivities to the SSI changes during solar rotation cycle are almost identical for all applied SSI data sets in the stratosphere. In the mesosphere, the difference in correlation between SSI in Herzberg continuum and Lyman-α line in considered SSI data sets leads to substantial scatter of the sensitivity estimates based on 205 nm. Our results show that for the sensitivity analysis in the stratosphere based on the SSI at 205 nm any considered SSI data sets can be applied. For the mesosphere, where the sensitivity strongly varies among applied SSI data sets more robust results can be obtained using the sensitivity calculations based on the SSI in Lyman-α line.