Laboratory Studies of the X-Ray Emission Produced by the Interaction of Solar Wind Heavy Ions with Comets
The process of X-ray emission following charge exchange between solar wind heavy ions and cometary gases is studied in the laboratory. The emission is recorded with the spare ASTRO-E 6 x 6 microcalorimeter array. The microcalorimeter affords a resolution of better than 10 eV in the range of X-ray energies of interest and thus individual emission lines can be resolved. Our present measurements focus on the most abundant K-shell heavy ions found in the solar wind. In particular, we measure the K-shell emission of bare C, N, O, and Ne, and their hydrogen-like counter parts interacting with such gases as CO{sub 2}, N{sub 2}, and CH{sub 4}. Several results are noted that had not been considered in the early cometary X-ray models.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 15002781
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-147239; TRN: US0402364
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: NASA Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop, NASA Ames, Moffett Field, CA (US), 05/01/2002--05/03/2002; Other Information: PBD: 9 Aug 2002
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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