Ultraviolet Spectrograph Research Articles

Lunar atmospheric helium detections by the LAMP UV spectrograph on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

The LAMP far ultraviolet spectrograph aboard the NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been used in 2011 to search for helium, the lightest noble gas in the tenuous lunar atmosphere. Based on that search, we report here the first detection of lunar atmospheric He by remote sensing, and point to future observations that can address questions about its source; we also discuss a search for lunar atmospheric argon.

Deuterium at high redshift

The detection of neutral deuterium in the low-metallicity damped Lyman-{\alpha} system at zabs = 2.621 towards the quasar CTQ247 is reported. Using a high signal-to-noise and high spectral resolution (R = 60000) spectrum from the Very Large Telescope Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph, we precisely measure the deuterium-to-oxygen ratio log N(DI)/N(OI) = 0.74+/-0.04, as well as the overall oxygen abundance, log N(OI)/N(HI)=-5.29+/-0.10 (or equivalently [O/H]=-1.99+/-0.10 with respect to the solar value). Assuming uniform metallicity throughout the system, our measurement translates to (D/H) = (2.8+0.8 -0.6)x10^-5. This ratio is consistent within errors (<0.4sigma) with the primordial ratio, (D/H)p = (2.59+/-0.15)x10^-5, predicted by standard Big-Bang Nucleosynthesis using the WMAP7 value of the cosmological density of baryons (100 Omega_b h^2 = 2.249+/-0.056). The DI absorption lines are observed to be broader than the OI absorption lines. From a consistent fit of the profiles we derive the turbulent broadening to be 5.2 km/s and the temperature of the gas to be T = 8800+/-1500 K, corresponding to a warm neutral medium.

Evaluation of ionospheric densities using coincident OII 83.4 nm airglow and the Millstone Hill Radar

We test the utility of the OII 83.4 nm emission feature as a measure of ionospheric parameters. Observed with the Remote Atmospheric and Ionospheric Detection System (RAIDS) Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrograph on the International Space Station (ISS), limb profiles of 83.4 nm emissions are compared to predicted dayglow emission profiles from a theoretical model incorporating ground‐based electron density profiles measured by the Millstone Hill radar and parameterized by a best‐fit Chapman‐α function. Observations and models are compared for periods of conjunction between Millstone Hill and the RAIDS fields‐of‐view. These RAIDS observations show distinct differences in topside morphology between two days, 15 January and 10 March 2010, closely matching the forward model morphology and demonstrating that 83.4 nm emission is sensitive to changes in the ionospheric density profile from the 340 km altitude of the ISS during solar minimum. We find no significant difference between 83.4 nm emission profiles modeled assuming a constant scale height Chapman‐α best‐fit to the ISR measurements and those assuming varying scale height.

Spatial variation in the fine-structure constant - new results from VLT/UVES

(abridged) We present a new analysis of a large sample of quasar absorption-line spectra obtained using UVES (the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph) on the VLT (Very Large Telescope) in Chile. In the VLT sample (154 absorbers), we find evidence that alpha increases with increasing cosmological distance from Earth. However, as previously shown, the Keck sample (141 absorbers) provided evidence for a smaller alpha in the distant absorption clouds. Upon combining the samples an apparent variation of alpha across the sky emerges which is well represented by an angular dipole model pointing in the direction RA=(17.3 +/- 1.0) hr, dec. = (-61 +/- 10) deg, with amplitude (0.97 +0.22/-0.20) x 10^(-5). The dipole model is required at the 4.1 sigma statistical significance level over a simple monopole model where alpha is the same across the sky (but possibly different to the current laboratory value). The data sets reveal a number of remarkable consistencies: various data cuts are consistent and there is consistency in the overlap region of the Keck and VLT samples. Assuming a dipole-only (i.e. no-monopole) model whose amplitude grows proportionally with `lookback-time distance' (r=ct, where t is the lookback time), the amplitude is (1.1 +/- 0.2) x 10^(-6) GLyr^(-1) and the model is significant at the 4.2 sigma confidence level over the null model [Delta alpha]/alpha = 0). We apply robustness checks and demonstrate that the dipole effect does not originate from a small subset of the absorbers or spectra. We present an analysis of systematic effects, and are unable to identify any single systematic effect which can emulate the observed variation in alpha.

Metastable helium in absorption towards ζ Ophiuchi★

We report on the detection of a metastable He i* absorption line at 3889 A in a spectrum of ζ Ophiuchi from the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph with an extremely high signal-to-noise ratio (∼3500), which was collected using the 8-m telescope UT2 at Paranal. We cannot conclusively determine whether the He i* absorption arises within the H ii region or within the foreground H i clouds, which are responsible for interstellar CH, CH+, Na i, Ca ii, K i, etc., absorption, because the radial velocities of the main mass of gas are nearly identical in both regions. The measured equivalent width (1.0 ± 0.07 mA) of the line gives a column density of 1.158(± 0.081) × 1011 cm−2, when we assume the absence of saturation effects, and an oscillator strength of f= 0.0645. We estimate the ionization rate of helium to be 1.491 × 10−13, if the helium relative abundance in the H i cloud (with respect to hydrogen) is solar, and 7.475 × 10−14 cm−2, if the helium abundance is enhanced by the nearby star.

RE-INTERPRETATION OF SUPRA-ARCADE DOWNFLOWS IN SOLAR FLARES

Following the eruption of a filament from a flaring active region, sunward-flowing voids are often seen above developing post-eruption arcades. First discovered using the soft X-ray telescope aboard Yohkoh, these supra-arcade downflows (SADs) are now an expected observation of extreme ultra-violet (EUV) and soft X-ray coronal imagers and spectrographs (e.g, TRACE, SOHO/SUMER, Hinode/XRT, SDO/AIA). Observations made prior to the operation of AIA suggested that these plasma voids (which are seen in contrast to bright, high-temperature plasma associated with current sheets) are the cross-sections of evacuated flux tubes retracting from reconnection sites high in the corona. The high temperature imaging afforded by AIA's 131, 94, and 193 Angstrom channels coupled with the fast temporal cadence allows for unprecedented scrutiny of the voids. For a flare occurring on 2011 October 22, we provide evidence suggesting that SADs, instead of being the cross-sections of relatively large, evacuated flux tubes, are actually wakes (i.e., trailing regions of low density) created by the retraction of much thinner tubes. This re-interpretation is a significant shift in the fundamental understanding of SADs, as the features once thought to be identifiable as the shrinking loops themselves now appear to be "side effects" of the passage of the loops through the supra-arcade plasma. In light of the fact that previous measurements have attributed to the shrinking loops characteristics that may instead belong to their wakes, we discuss the implications of this new interpretation on previous parameter estimations, and on reconnection theory.

Discovery of the longest period rapidly oscillating Ap star HD 177765

ABSTRACT We present the discovery of a long-period, rapidly oscillating Ap (roAp) star, HD 177765. Using high-resolution time-series observations obtained with the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph at the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope, we found radial velocity variations with amplitudes 7–150 m s−1 and a period of 23.6 min, exceeding that of any previously known roAp star. The largest pulsation amplitudes are observed for Eu iii, Ce iii and for the narrow core of Hα. We derived the atmospheric parameters and chemical composition of HD 177765, showing this star to be similar to other long-period roAp stars. Comparison with theoretical pulsational models indicates an advanced evolutionary state for HD 177765. Abundance analyses of this and other roAp stars suggest a systematic variation with age of the rare-earth line anomalies seen in cool Ap stars.

First detection of the O III 495.8911 and 500.6843 nm lines in the Earth's upper atmosphere

Abstract. We report the first detection of two emission lines of the atomic oxygen doubly-charged ion at 495.8911 and 500.6843 nm in the terrestrial upper atmosphere. They correspond to the transitions 1D2-3P1 and 1D2-3P2 of the O++ ion, respectively. The measurements were performed on 30 October 2003 during the "Halloween" storms, with the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) mounted on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile. The intensities of these emissions are ~70 mRayleigh, and ~260 mRayleigh, respectively. These emissions constitute a new diagnostic of the state of the ionosphere.

DETERMINATION OF NON-THERMAL VELOCITY DISTRIBUTIONS FROM SERTS LINEWIDTH OBSERVATIONS

Non-thermal velocities obtained from the measurement of coronal Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) linewidths have been consistently observed in solar EUV spectral observations and have been theorized to result fro m many plausible scenarios including wave motions, turbulence, or magnetic reconnection. Constraining these velocities can provide a physical limit for the available energy resulting from unresolved motions in the corona. We statistically determine a series of non-thermal velocity distributions from linewidth measurements of 390 emission lines from a wide array of elements and ionization states observed during the Solar Extreme Ultraviolet Research Telescope and Spectrograph 1991-1997 flights covering the spectral range 174-418 A and a temperature range from 80,000 K to 12.6 MK. This sample includes 248 lines from active regions, 101 lines from quiet-Sun regions, and 41 lines were observed from plasma off the solar limb. We find a strongly peaked distribution corresponding to a non-thermal velocity of 19-22 km/s in all three of the quiet-Sun, active region, and off-limb distributions. For the possibility of Alfven wave resonance heating, we find thai velocities in the core of these distributions do not provide sufficient energy, given typical densities and magnetic field strengths for the coronal plasma, to overcome the estimated coronal energy losses required to maintain the corona at the typical temperatures working as the sole mechanism. We find that at perfect efficiency 50%-60% of the needed energy flux can be produced from the non-thermal velocities measured.

New constraint on cosmological variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio from Q0528−250

Molecular hydrogen transitions in quasar spectra can be used to constrain variation in the proton-to-electron mass ratio, $\mu\equiv m_p/m_e$, at high redshifts ($z\gtrsim 2$). We present here an analysis of a new spectrum of the quasar Q0528$-$250, obtained on VLT/UVES (the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph, on the Very Large Telescope), and analyse the well-known H$_2$ absorber at $z=2.811$ in this spectrum. For the first time we detect HD (deuterated molecular hydrogen) in this system with a column density of $\log_{10}(N/\mathrm{cm^{-2}})=13.27 \pm 0.07$; HD is sensitive to variation in $\mu$, and so we include it in our analysis. Using 76 H$_2$ and 7 HD transitions we constrain variation in $\mu$ from the current laboratory value to be $\Delta\mu/\mu = (0.3\pm 3.2_\mathrm{stat} \pm 1.9_\mathrm{sys})\times 10^{-6}$, which is consistent with no cosmological variation in $\mu$, as well as with previous results from other H$_2$/HD absorbers. The main sources of systematic uncertainty relate to accurate wavelength calibration of the spectra and the re-dispersion of multiple telescope exposures onto the one pixel grid.

A SEARCH FOR WATER VAPORIZATION ON CERES

There are hints that the dwarf planet (1) Ceres may contain a large amount of water ice. Some models and previous observations suggest that ice could be close enough to the surface to create a flux of water outward through the regolith. This work aims to confirm a previous detection of OH emission off the northern limb of Ceres with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE). Such emission would be evidence of water molecules escaping from the dwarf planet. We used the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph of the Very Large Telescope to obtain spectra off the northern and southern limbs of Ceres at several epochs. These spectra cover the 307-312 nm wavelength range corresponding to the OH (0,0) emission band, which is the brightest band of this radical, well known in the cometary spectra. These new observations, five times more sensitive than those from IUE, did not permit detection of OH around Ceres. We derive an upper limit for the water production of about {approx}7 x 10{sup 25} molecules s{sup -1} and estimate the minimum thickness of the dust surface layer above the water ice layer (if present) to be about 20 m.

Pulsations in the atmosphere of the rapidly oscillating star 33 Lib★†

In 2009, the rapidly oscillating peculiar A-type (roAp) star 33 Lib was the target of an intense observing campaign, combining ground-based spectroscopy with space photometry obtained with the Microvariability and Oscillation of STars (MOST) satellite. We collected 780 spectra using the Echelle Spectro Polarimetric Device for the Observation of Stars (ESPaDOnS) spectrograph attached at the 3.6-m Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope and 374 spectra with the Fibre-fed Echelle Spectrograph attached at the 2.56-m Nordic Optical Telescope to perform time-resolved spectroscopy of 33 Lib. In addition, we used 111 Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) spectra (2004) from the European Southern Observatory archive to check mode stability. Frequency analysis of the new radial velocity (RV) measurements confirms the previously reported frequency pattern (two frequencies and the first harmonic of the main one) and reveals an additional frequency at 1.991 mHz. The new frequency solution perfectly reproduces the RV variations from the 2004 and 2009 observational sets, providing strong support for p mode stability in this roAp star over at least 5 years.

Model calculation of N2Vegard-Kaplan band emissions in Martian dayglow

[1] A model for N2 Vegard-Kaplan (VK) band (A3Σu+ − X1Σg+) emissions in Martian dayglow has been developed to explain the recent observations made by the Spectroscopy for Investigation of Characteristics of the Atmosphere of Mars (SPICAM) ultraviolet spectrograph aboard Mars Express. Steady state photoelectron fluxes and volume excitation rates have been calculated using the analytical yield spectra technique. Since interstate cascading is important for triplet states of N2, the population of any given level of N2 triplet states is calculated under statistical equilibrium considering direct excitation, cascading, and quenching effects. Relative population of all vibrational levels of each triplet state is calculated in the model. Line of sight intensities and height-integrated overhead intensities have been calculated for VK, first positive (B3Πg − A3Σu+), second positive (C3Πu − B3Πg), and Wu-Benesch (W3Δu − B3Πg) bands of N2. A reduction in the N2 density by a factor of 3 in the Mars thermospheric general circulation model is required to obtain agreement between calculated limb profiles of VK (0–6) and SPICAM observation. Calculations are carried out to asses the impact of model parameters, namely, electron impact cross sections, solar EUV flux, and model atmosphere, on the emission intensities. Constraining the N2/CO2 ratio by SPICAM observations, we suggest the N2/CO2 ratios to be in the range 1.1–1.4% at 120 km, 1.8–3.2% at 140 km, and 4–7% at 170 km. During high solar activity the overhead intensity of N2 VK band emissions would be ∼2.5 times higher than that during low solar activity.

A downward revision of a recently reported proton auroral LBH emission efficiency

[1] A significantly higher N2 Lyman-Birge-Hopfield (LBH) emission efficiency for auroral proton precipitation compared to model calculations was reported by Knight et al. (2008) based on a statistical study utilizing coincident far ultraviolet and particle data from the sensors Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (SSUSI) and Special Sensor J/5 (SSJ/5) on board the DMSP satellite F16. Here, the quantity of interest from that study is the median ratio of LBH column emission rates (CERs) from SSUSI and derived from SSJ/5 spectra using monoenergetic emission yields. The median ratio was found to be 2.83 for proton aurora, suggesting the need for significant increases in currently used LBH proton/H-atom impact cross sections. A key step in their analysis was extrapolation of SSJ/5 spectra above 30 keV. Limited testing of this algorithm using NOAA Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites Total Energy Detector and Medium Energy Proton and Electron Detector (TM) data found no significant bias. This work reports on a more detailed investigation of the algorithm's performance, also using TM data, and has uncovered a bias that reduces the median column emission rates (CER) ratio to 1.75. Within expected uncertainties, including calibration, this still calls for cross section increases but to a lesser extent. The discovered bias becomes apparent with CER thresholding that was overlooked during testing by Knight et al. (2008). Thresholding at 400 Rayleighs (R) is necessary since Knight et al. excluded CERs < 400 R in deriving their median ratio. We show that the algorithm's performance degrades with increasing energy flux of the precipitation. A method is reported for eliminating most of the bias which utilizes auroral Ly α, whose emission strength is closely coupled to spectral hardness.

Early science results from the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph

The Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) is an ultraviolet spectrograph installed on the Hubble Space Telescope during Servicing Mission Four. COS covers 1150–3200 A at spectral resolutions up to R∼18,000. COS is the most sensitive UV spectrograph to have flown on HST. In this paper, I present science results from the first nine months of COS science operations, focusing on how COS has enabled probes of cosmic origins, from star and planet formation to the large scale structure of the modern universe.

ULTRAVIOLET DISCOVERIES AT ASTEROID (21) LUTETIA BY THEROSETTAALICE ULTRAVIOLET SPECTROGRAPH

The NASA Alice ultraviolet (UV) imaging spectrograph on board the ESA Rosetta comet orbiter successfully conducted a series of flyby observations of the large asteroid (21) Lutetia in the days surrounding Rosetta's closest approach on 2010 July 10. Observations included a search for emission lines from gas, and spectral observations of the Lutetia's surface reflectance. No emissions from gas around Lutetia were observed. Regarding the surface reflectance, we found that Lutetia has a distinctly different albedo and slope than both the asteroid (2867) Steins and Earth's moon, the two most analogous objects studied in the far ultraviolet (FUV). Further, Lutetia's ~10% geometric albedo near 1800 A is significantly lower than its 16%-19% albedo near 5500 A. Moreover, the FUV albedo shows a precipitous drop (to ~4%) between 1800 A and 1600 A, representing the strongest spectral absorption feature observed in Lutetia's spectrum at any observed wavelength. Our surface reflectance fits are not unique but are consistent with a surface dominated by an EH5 chondrite, combined with multiple other possible surface constituents, including anorthite, water frost, and SO2 frost or a similar mid-UV absorber. The water frost identification is consistent with some data sets but inconsistent with others. The anorthite (feldspar) identification suggests that Lutetia is a differentiated body.

Using the CeSiC material for the WSO-UV spectrographs

The World Space Observatory Ultraviolet (WSO-UV) is a multi-national project lead by the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) with the objective of high performance observations in the ultraviolet range. The 1.7 m WSO-UV telescope is equipped with UV spectrographs (responsibility of Russia and Germany) and UV imagers (responsibility of Spain). The UV spectroscopic instrumentation comprises two high resolution echelle spectrographs operating in wavelength ranges of 102–176 nm and 174–310 nm respectively, and a Long Slit Spectrograph designed to operate in the range of 102–310 nm. All three spectrographs represent individual instruments. In order to save mass while maintaining high stiffness, the instruments are combined to a monoblock, World Space Observatory Ultraviolet Spectrographs (WUVS). Due to strict technical requirements stated by the customer the material CeSiC (provided by the company ECM) has been selected for the design of the spectrograph structure. In contrast to aluminium, the stable structure of CeSiC is significantly less sensitive to thermal gradients. No further mechanism for focus correction with high functional, technical and operational complexity and corresponding additional System costs are necessary. Using CeSiC also relaxes the thermal control requirements of ±5°C, which represents a considerable cost driver for the S/C design. The phase B2 study of the WUVS instrument finished in December 2010 in collaboration with Russia and with industrial support of the Kayser–Threde company. It included construction of a Structural Thermal Model (STM) for verification of thermal and mechanical loads, stability with respect to thermal distortions and CeSiC manufacturing feasibility.

Crystal Growth, Optical Spectra and Thermal Properties of Na&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;Ni(SO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;)&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;·4H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O Crystal

Na2Ni(SO4)2·4H2O crystal (NNSH) size up to 12mm×10mm×8mm have been grown by heating the solution gradually. The structure of crystal was determined by X-ray diffraction method. The transmission spectra with strong absortpion band at visible and infrared region were measured by using UV-VIS ultraviolet spectrophotometer. Absorption cross-sections of crystal at 344nm and 640nm were evaluated as 4.380×10-18cm2and 3.63×10-18cm-2,respectively. NNSH was stable at high temperature, for the dehydration temperature of the crystal was determined to be 132.6 °C by thermogravimetric measurement. It was shown that NNSH had strong absorption at visible or infrared region and high thermal stability that may render it to be a filter material as to obtain more pure ultra-violet spectrograph and be accessible in high temperature environment.

120～180 nm星载远紫外电离层成像光谱仪光学系统设计与研究

120～180 nm星载远紫外电离层成像光谱仪光学系统设计与研究

120～180 nm星载远紫外电离层成像光谱仪光学系统设计与研究

120～180 nm星载远紫外电离层成像光谱仪光学系统设计与研究