Radiative transfer

About: Radiative transfer is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 43287 publications have been published within this topic receiving 1176539 citations.

Comptonization of Infrared Radiation from Hot Dust by Relativistic Jets in Quasars

Abstract: We demonstrate the importance of near-infrared radiation from hot dust for Compton cooling of electrons/positrons in quasar jets. In our model, we assume that the nonthermal radiation spectra observed in optically violent variable (OVV) quasars are produced by relativistic electrons/positrons accelerated in thin shells that propagate down the jet with relativistic speeds. We show that the Comptonization of the near-IR flux is likely to dominate the radiative output of OVV quasars in the energy range from tens of keV up to hundreds of MeV, where it exceeds that produced by Comptonization of the UV radiation reprocessed and rescattered in the broad emission line (BEL) region. The main reason for this lies in the fact that the jet encounters the ambient IR radiation over a relatively large distance as compared to the distance where the energy density of the BEL light peaks. In the soft to mid-energy X-ray band, the spectral component resulting from Comptonization of the near-IR radiation joins smoothly with the synchrotron self-Compton component, which may be responsible for the soft X-ray flux. At the highest observed γ-ray energies, in the GeV range, Comptonization of broad emission lines dominates over other components.

Emission-Line Diagnostics of T Tauri Magnetospheric Accretion. II. Improved Model Tests and Insights into Accretion Physics

Abstract: We present new radiative transfer models of magnetospheric accretion in T Tauri stars. Hydrogen and Na I line profiles were calculated, including line damping and continuum opacity for a grid of models spanning a large range of infall rates, magnetospheric geometries, and gas temperatures. We also calculated models for rotating magnetospheres and show that for typical T Tauri rotation rates, the line profiles are not significantly affected. We show that line-damping wings can produce significant high-velocity emission at Hα, and to a lesser extent in higher Balmer lines, in much better agreement with observations than previous models. We present comparisons to specific objects spanning a wide range of accretion activity and find that in most cases the models successfully reproduce the observed emission profile features. Blueshifted absorption components cannot be explained without including a wind outside of the magnetosphere, and true P Cygni Balmer line profiles in the few objects with extreme accretion activity indicate both absorption and emission from a wind. We constrain the range of gas temperatures required to explain observational diagnostics like profile shapes, line ratios, and continuum emission. The exact heating mechanism remains unclear but is probably linked to the accretion process itself. In order to explain observed correlations between line emission and accretion luminosity, we find that the size of the emitting region must be correlated with the accretion rate. We suggest that such a correlation may manifest itself in reality via nonaxisymmetric accretion, where the number and/or width of discrete funnel flows increase with increasing accretion rate, a scenario also indicated by accretion shock models.

Radiative cooling to low temperatures: General considerations and application to selectively emitting SiO films

Abstract: Radiative cooling occurs because the atmospheric emittance is low in the wavelength interval 8–13 μm particularly if the air is dry. We derive expressions which specify the optical properties demanded for a surface capable of being cooled to low temperatures. The key factor is infrared selectivity with low reflectance in the 8–13 μm ’’window’’ but high reflectance elsewhere. Considering only radiation balance, ideal surfaces of this type can yield temperature differences of ∼50 °C while the cooling power at near‐ambient temperatures is ∼100 W/m2. However, nonradiative exchange limits the practically achievable temperature difference. SiO films on Al were investigated as an example of an infrared‐selective surface. The infrared optical properties of SiO were determined by a novel and accurate technique. These data were used to compute the spectral radiative properties of Al coated with SiO films of different thicknesses. The spectral selectivity was largest for 1.0‐μm‐thick films. This kind of surface was produced by evaporation of SiO onto smooth Al. The measured reflectance agreed with computations. Practical tests of radiative cooling were performed using a SiO‐coated Al plate placed under transparent polyethylene films in a polystyrene box. An identical panel containing a blackbody radiator was used for comparison. The performance of the panels was tested during clear nights. It was in good qualitative agreement with theoretical expectations.

Optical properties of pure water

Abstract: The optical properties of pure water are basic input data for many geophysical investigations such as remote sensing of surface water and underwater radiative transfer calculations. Knowledge of the spectral properties of components in surface water is required for accurate interpretation of measured reflection and attenuation spectra in terms of their concentrations. Also the sources and sizes of errors in the basic data must be known. Absorption measurements were done with a submersible absorption meter in the temperature range 2.5 till 40.5 degree(s)C. The scattering of pure water is recalculated using the Einstein-Smoluchowski equation. The input for this equation is evaluated and the temperature dependency is included. New values for the absorption coefficient are given based on these results and analysis of data from the literature. Absorption in the wavelength range 300 - 550 nm is lower than presently used values. In the wavelength range about 700 nm the spectrum has a different shape. A formulation of the effect of temperature on the absorption spectrum is given.