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Goddard’s Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Padi Boyd

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

Francis Reddy

Syneren Technologies, Inc., Greenbelt, Maryland

Pat Tyler, Graphical Editor

Syneren Technologies, Inc., Greenbelt, Maryland

May 2013

National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration

Goddard Space Flight Center

Greenbelt, Maryland 20771
Available from:

NASA Center for AeroSpace Information National Technical Information Service

7115 Standard Drive 5285 Port Royal Road

Hanover, MD 21076-1320 Springfield, VA 22161
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Table of Contents iii

Table of Contents

2012: Year in Review.......................................................................................................................................1

Awards ............................................................................................................................................................5

New Faces in ASD...........................................................................................................................................9

Research Highlights.......................................................................................................................................13

STEREO Spacecraft Observations of Solar Proton Events ......................................................................13

The Exozodiacal Dust Problem for Direct Observations of Exo-Earths ...................................................14

Testing Planetary Formation Theory with Gravitational Microlensing ....................................................15

Swift Discovery of a New Galactic Black Hole Candidate.......................................................................17

Common Energetics: Black Hole Jets in AGN and GRBs.......................................................................18

1FGL J1018.6-5856: The First Gamma-ray Binary Discovered with Fermi ...........................................19

Determining the Intergalactic Photon Density and the Gamma-ray Opacity 

of the Universe Using Deep Galaxy Survey Data.....................................................................................21

Zooming in on Star Formation in Distant Galaxies ................................................................................22

Wide-field Spatio-spectral Interferometry ...............................................................................................24

Comparing Atom and Light Interferometers as Detectors of Gravitational Waves...................................25

Research and Development ...........................................................................................................................27

Suborbital...............................................................................................................................................27

Super Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder (Super-TIGER) ..........................................................27

Balloon-Borne Experiment with a Superconducting Spectrometer - Polar (BESS-Polar)...................28

Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass (CREAM and ISS-CREAM)........................................................30

Calorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET).......................................................................................31

X-ray Quantum Calorimeter (XQC), Micro-X, and DXL Sounding Rockets...................................34

The Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope for Infrared Interferometry (BETTII).............................36

Technology Development.......................................................................................................................38

Detecting CMB Polarization............................................................................................................38

Laboratory Astrophysics Using an X-ray Microcalorimeter with an Electron Beam Ion Trap ............39

Next Generation X-ray Optics .........................................................................................................40

Technology Development for Gravitational Wave Missions..............................................................41

Three-Dimensional Track Imager Detector for Gamma-ray Imaging with Polarization.....................44

Projects .........................................................................................................................................................47

In Operation...........................................................................................................................................48

The Hubble Space Telescope.............................................................................................................48

Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope...................................................................................................52

Swift.................................................................................................................................................54

XMM-Newton Guest Observer Facility ...........................................................................................56

Suzaku (Astro-E2)............................................................................................................................56

Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR)...........................................................................58

WMAP Final Results........................................................................................................................58

High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC)........................................60

In Development......................................................................................................................................63

James Webb Space Telescope............................................................................................................63

Astro-H............................................................................................................................................67

HAWC+ for SOFIA.........................................................................................................................69

Mission and Instrument Concepts..........................................................................................................70

The RATIR and RIMAS Infrared Instruments .................................................................................70

Primordial Inflation Explorer (PIXIE)..............................................................................................71

Wide Field InfraRed Survey Telescope (WFIRST)............................................................................72

Balloon Exoplanet Nulling Interferometer (BENI)...........................................................................73

Visible Nulling Coronagraph for Exoplanets....................................................................................73

ISS as a Testbed for Future Complex Optical Systems ......................................................................76
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Table of Contents iv

Human Operations Beyond Low-Earth Orbit .................................................................................76

X-ray Mission and Concept Studies .................................................................................................77

Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER)....................................................................79

Space-based Gravitational-Wave Observatory (SGO) and 

New Gravitational-Wave Observatory (NGO)..................................................................................81

2012 Education and Public Outreach Highlights of NASA’s Astrophysics Science Division ..........................83

PCOS/COR EPO ..................................................................................................................................83

Astrophysics Missions E/PO...................................................................................................................84

Grants and External Collaborations........................................................................................................85

ASD Press and Communications............................................................................................................86

2012 Publications..........................................................................................................................................87
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Year in Review 1

2012: Year in Review

This was a year of highs and lows for the Astrophysics 

Science Division at Goddard.

The Gravity and Extreme Magnetism (GEMS) 

Small Explorer, an X-ray polarization mission to investigate strong gravity near spinning black holes and 

strong magnetic fields near pulsars and magnetars, 

which was being managed and developed at Goddard, 

was not confirmed to proceed into development. As 

can be imagined, this was a great disappointment to 

the team and to Goddard as a whole. The X-ray polarimeters—the heart of the mission—achieved a technology readiness level of 6 in October 2011, and the 

Integrated Independent Review Team (IIRT) judged 

the instrument ready to proceed into development. A 

Preliminary Design Review (PDR) was held in February 2012, and the Standing Review Board (SRB) 

stated that the mission met or exceeded PDR success 

criteria. However, in May 2012, NASA decided not to 

let the mission transition into the development phase, 

citing independent cost estimates that exceeded the 

cost cap by a significant margin. This was a difficult 

decision to accept, but we are collecting and studying the lessons learned and are moving forward with 

thoughts on how to employ this X-ray polarimetry 

technology in the future.

Early in the year, we also learned that the WFIRST 

mission, the 2010 Decadal’s highest-rated large space 

mission, was not included in the president’s budget 

from FY13 to FY17. A previous Science Definition 

Team (SDT), together with the WFIRST Project office 

at Goddard, had done an excellent job of re-designing 

the JDEM mission, proposed to the Decadal survey, 

to do the science envisioned for the WFIRST mission, 

which included microlensing, and sky surveys, as well 

as the dark energy surveys. As the SDT’s efforts wound 

down, we learned that two optical telescope assemblies 

(OTAs) were being donated to NASA from another 

federal agency. These OTAs had primary mirrors of 

2.4 m in diameter, and were diffraction limited over a 

large field of view—perfect for a dark energy survey. A 

new SDT was formed to study the use of these OTAs 

for WFIRST, and their report is due in the spring of 

2013. Clearly, the larger aperture afforded by one of 

these OTAs would make WFIRST much more capable than the previous designs employing apertures half 

that size. We certainly hope that the budget will allow 

WFIRST to begin development in FY14. 

Finally, we said goodbye to a reliable old friend 

in January 2012, when the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) mission was decommissioned after 16 

successful years of operation. RXTE featured unprecedented time resolution in combination with moderate 

spectral resolution to explore the variability of X-ray 

sources on timescales from milliseconds to decades. It 

was a ground-breaking mission that resulted in 2,049 

refereed papers published from 1996–2011 and 91 

Ph.D. theses. Jean Swank was the project scientist for 

the mission, and Tod Strohmayer succeeded her in the 

later years of the mission. In the spring of 2012, more 

than 100 scientists from around the world attended 

the Goddard meeting “16 Years of Discovery with 

RXTE: A Celebration of the Mission.” 

During the year, NASA selected our proposed 

upgrade of the HAWC instrument on SOFIA, led by 

Johannes Staguhn of Johns Hopkins University. Goddard will contribute upgraded detector arrays to enable wide-field polarimetric imaging of dust. Dominic 

Benford is the Goddard lead, and the team also includes Ed Wollack and Eli Dwek, with Harvey Moseley as a collaborator. The team is partnering with a 

JPL-led group (including Dave Chuss from Goddard) 

providing polarimetric optics to realize both new and 

greatly increased capability for SOFIA. Darren Dowell 

of JPL is the overall PI of the combined development. 

Significant progress has been made on the AstroH mission, for which Goddard is supplying the Xray calorimeter instrument (SXS) and X-ray mirror. 

Engineering models of the detector and mirrors were 

shipped to JAXA in 2012, and testing has begun. Despite a failure of a heat switch, work-arounds were successful, allowing cold-alignment measurements and 

some performance tests. The heat switch has been redesigned and will be incorporated in the flight system 

after extensive testing. Near the close of the year, the 

first flight mirror was tested at Goddard, and found to 

meet the requirements by a healthy margin. Excellent 

progress is also being made on the flight detectors.

Scientists from ASD are significantly involved in 

the development of NASA’s highest-priority mission, 

the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). We have 11 

project scientists working on the mission, covering the 

instruments, telescope, ground system, testing program and outreach program. JWST was re-planned 

in 2011, and is now set for launch in 2018. During 

2012, significant progress was made and the project 

is on-schedule and within the re-phased budget. All 

mirror segments have been coated and polished, and 

two of the flight instruments have been delivered to 

Goddard for testing (the other two will be delivered in 

2013). Cryogenic testing has begun and will pick up 

steam in 2013. A more complete summary of JWST 

status can be found in the “Projects in Development” 

section.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Year in Review 2

The Neutron Interior Composition ExploreR 

(NICER) team finished their 11-month Phase A study 

and turned in their Concept Study Report (CSR). 

Keith Gendreau, the PI, promptly took a few hours off 

before beginning to prepare for the NASA site visit in 

late January 2013. NICER is an X-ray timing instrument proposed for installation on the ISS. This instrument will deliver the science of a full Explorer mission 

for half the price of a SMEX!

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), 

with George Ricker/MIT as PI, also submitted their 

CSR as an EX-class Explorer. TESS proposes to conduct an all-sky survey of nearby bright stars for exoplanets. Goddard is providing project management, 

systems engineering and science team members to the 

TESS team. Stephen Rinehart is the GSFC project 

scientist.

The NuSTAR Explorer mission (Fiona Harrison, 

PI/Caltech) was successfully launched on June 13. 

NuSTAR carries the first space telescope for imaging in the hard X-ray band. The glass segments for its 

two X-ray mirrors were fabricated by a team led by 

Will Zhang in our X-ray astrophysics Lab. Zhang also 

serves as the mission scientist. Ann Hornschemeier, 

Andy Ptak, Craig Markwardt, Jane Rigby, Stacy Teng, 

Bret Lehmer and Dan Wik are contributing to analysis 

of the early science data and observatory operations.

Our suite of operating missions continue to make 

new discoveries and push the limits of their capabilities beyond what they were originally designed to do. 

The veteran Hubble Space Telescope shows no signs 

of slowing down its research productivity after 22 

years in orbit and is now operating at the peak of its 

scientific capabilities. Recent discoveries include finding a fifth moon around Pluto, determining the trajectory of the Andromeda galaxy, which appears to 

be on a collision course with the Milky Way in the 

distant future, uncovering a “Waterworld”—a new 

class of exoplanet—and detecting changes in a distant 

exoplanet’s atmosphere While it continues to chase 

and follow up gamma-ray bursts, the Swift satellite 

has also recently made multiwavelength observations 

of comets, galactic black holes, ultraluminous X-ray 

sources in other galaxies, and even detected the firstever changes in an exoplanet’s atmosphere. Similarly 

expanding its reach, the Fermi Gamma-ray Space 

Telescope has made recent new strides in observing 

solar flares, gamma-ray flashes from terrestrial thunderstorms, dark matter and ancient starlight. All missions completed the 2012 NASA Senior Review of the 

Astrophysics Division Operating Missions and were 

awarded funds to continue operations. Preparations 

will soon be underway for the 2014 Senior Review 

which will be used for planning FY15 budgets for the 

operating missions.

The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) 

team (Ned Wright, PI/UCLA) announced its All-Sky 

Data Release, the public dissemination of a whole-sky 

catalog and image database for the mid-infrared. David Leisawitz (Goddard) is the WISE mission scientist, 

Dominic Benford is the WISE deputy mission scientist, and Debbie Padgett is a member of the science 

team. Goddard postdoctoral fellows Xavier Koenig 

and Nick Bond are also involved with WISE science 

data analysis. All of them contributed to the Data Release and its accompanying Explanatory Supplement. 

The WISE All-Sky Data Release contains about 1.5 

million individual WISE exposures, a coadded image 

atlas of 18,240 images covering the sky, and a catalog listing the infrared properties of around 564 million individual objects found in the images. WISE, 

launched on December 14, 2009, mapped the entire 

sky in 2010 with vastly better sensitivity and angular 

resolution than its predecessors.

Bill Danchi and Karl Stapelfeldt of our Exoplanets 

and Stellar Astrophysics Lab, were selected as members 

of NASA’s Exozodi Key Science Team for the Large 

Binocular Telescope Interferometer (LBTI). Alycia 

Weinberger (Carnegie DTM) was also selected with 

Aki Roberge as a collaborator. The LBTI is a NASAfunded mid-infrared instrument that will null beams 

from the LBT’s two 8-meter telescopes to perform 

the most sensitive survey yet for dust in the habitable 

zones of nearby stars.

In high-contrast imaging technology development, Rick Lyon and Mark Clampin have achieved 

> 10-9 contrast in laboratory tests of the Goddard Visible Nulling Coronagraph (VNC). This effectively 

meets the contrast milestone requirement of their 

ROSES Technology Development for Exoplanet Missions (TDEM) project. The contrast achieved is averaged over a region extending from 1–4 telescope resolution elements from a simulated star, over a 60-degree 

arc in azimuth, and using narrowband light at a wavelength of 0.6328 nanometers. The next milestone in 

the coming year is to achieve this result in a wider 

bandpass. The VNC is a very promising coronagraph 

technology for the future because it works with a segmented primary mirror.

This was an excellent year for our suborbital missions. In October, the ProtoEXIST balloon instrument had a successful flight from Fort Sumner, N.M. 

It is a sensitive hard X-ray imager observing black hole 

sources. The PI is J. Grindlay (Harvard) and the detector electronics and mechanical/thermal packaging 

system was developed at Goddard by Scott Barthelmy 

and others in the Astroparticle Physics Lab. The flight 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Year in Review 3

had 8 hours time at float with successful observations 

of 4 sources.

On December 12, we also had a successful sounding rocket launch of the DXL/STORM payload from 

White Sands. DXL is the “Diffuse X-ray from the Local Galaxy” instrument (Massimillano Galeazzi, U of 

Miami, PI) built in collaboration with Goddard (Scott 

Porter is the lead scientist in our Division). The goal 

was to obtain observations of heliospheric Solar Wind 

Charge Exchange (SWCX) and differentiate the foreground SWCX emission from the background emission from the Local (interstellar) Hot Bubble separately in the 0.25 keV and 0.75 keV bands. Real-time data 

indicated a clear detection of the He focusing cone. 

The DXL instrument also demonstrated the first use 

of “Lobster-eye optics” in space.

The Super-TIGER (Super Trans-Iron Galactic 

Element Recorder) team completed an exceptionally 

successful Antarctic long-duration balloon flight to 

investigate the origins of cosmic rays. The instrument 

launched on December 8, 2012, from McMurdo Station, and it flew for slightly over 55 days, making nearly three circumnavigations of Antarctica. The flight set 

two duration records: longest flight for a heavy scientific payload and the longest flight of a heavy-lift 

scientific balloon, including NASA’s Long Duration 

Balloons. Super-TIGER measured the element abundances and energy spectra of cosmic-ray nuclei heavier 

than iron with nearly an order of magnitude higher 

sensitivity than any previous balloon or satellite instrument. These measurements will provide definitive 

tests of current theories of the origin and acceleration 

sites of cosmic ray nuclei and the mechanism by which 

different nuclei are selected for acceleration, addressing the ongoing mystery of the origins of cosmic rays, 

which has persisted ever since their discovery more 

than 100 years ago.

Three of our senior scientists retired in 2012: Jean 

Swank, Allen Sweigart and Bruce Woodgate. All have 

had extremely productive research careers and have 

contributed many decades of exceptional support to 

NASA missions. Luckily for us, all three will continue 

to come in to work (well, maybe not every day) as part 

of the emeritus program at Goddard. 

William Oegerle

Director
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Year in Review 4
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Awards 5

Awards

In 2012, several individuals and teams within the 

Astrophysics Science Division (ASD) were honored 

for their extraordinary contributions to their respective fields. 

NASA’s Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe, 

also known as WMAP, transformed the science of cosmology by establishing the age, geometry, and contents of the universe to astonishing precision. The 

Gruber Foundation recognized this outstanding accomplishment by awarding its $500,000 2012 Cosmology Prize to WMAP principal investigator Charles 

Bennett at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore 

and the 26-member science team he led “for their exquisite measurements of anisotropies in the relic radiation from the Big Bang—the Cosmic Microwave 

Background.” Chuck was previously a member of 

ASD’s Observational Cosmology Lab; other Goddard 

members of the team include Al Kogut, Ed Wollack, 

Robert Hill, Michael Greason, Janet Weiland, and 

Nils Odegard. The annual prize, co-sponsored by the 

International Astronomical Union, honors a leading 

cosmologist, astronomer, astrophysicist or scientific 

philosopher for theoretical, analytical, conceptual or 

observational discoveries leading to fundamental advances in our understanding of the universe. 

The Committee on Space Research, COSPAR, 

was established in 1958 by the International Council 

for Scientific Unions to promote international scientific research in space, with emphasis on the exchange 

of results, information and opinions, and to provide 

an open forum for scientists to discuss the problems 

that may affect scientific space research. The COSPAR 

Massey Award honors Sir Harrie Massey for outstanding contributions to the development of space research 

in which a leadership role is of particular importance. 

The 2012 Massey Award went to Dr. Neil Gehrels, 

who began his career at Goddard as an experimental physicist working in gamma-ray astronomy. Neil 

served as the project scientist for NASA’s Compton 

Gamma-Ray Observatory and is the U.S. Mission Scientist for the European Space Agency’s INTEGRAL 

satellite, the Principal Investigator for NASA’s Swift 

mission, and a Deputy Project Scientist for NASA’s 

Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. The citation 

states: “Throughout his career, Dr. Gehrels has been 

dedicated to advancing high-energy astrophysics from 

Charles Bennett (pictured) and the entire WMAP team 

received the 2012 Gruber Cosmology Prize at the International Astronomical Union’s General Assembly in Beijing. Gruber Foundation

Neil Gehrels received the 2012 COSPAR Massey Award. 

Unless otherwise noted, all images by David Friedlander.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Awards 6

space and to increasing our understanding of explosive 

events in the universe. . . . His contributions have significantly increased our understanding of gamma-ray 

phenomena, unveiling the long-sought origin of short 

gamma-ray bursts.”

Dr. Alice Harding in the Gravitational Astrophysics Laboratory received the 2012 John C. Lindsay Memorial Award for Space Science for “her achievements 

in the understanding of pulsars, through theoretical 

studies and interpretation of data from the Fermi mission.” Her work focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which pulsars emit gamma rays. Launched in 

2008, Fermi has increased the known number of gamma-ray-emitting pulsars from less than ten to more 

than 100. The award honors Dr. John C. Lindsay, 

who joined NASA Goddard on December 28, 1958, 

and pioneered exploration of the sun by both satelliteand rocket-borne experiments, and commemorates 

the launch of the first Orbiting Solar Observatory on 

March 7, 1962. It is the highest space science honor 

Goddard bestows and is awarded annually to employees who best exhibit the qualities of broad scientific 

accomplishments in the field. 

Rick Lyon in the Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Lab received the 2012 James Kerley Award, 

which is presented annually by Goddard’s Innovative 

Partnerships Office. Rick is being honored “for his enthusiasm and technical leadership in technology development and his support in outreaching to industry for 

commercial and other Government Agency applications of the Wavefront Sensing suite of technologies.” 

The award is named for James Kerley, a former Goddard employee who was a champion of technology 

transfer and commercialization.

Dr. Julie McEnery, the project scientist for the 

Fermi mission, was elected a Fellow of the American 

Physical Society (APS), the world’s second largest organization of physicists. APS Fellows are recognized by 

their peers for advances made in knowledge, through 

original research and publications. Her citation reads: 

Alice Harding (center) received the 2012 John C. Lindsay Memorial Award on Sept. 28, 2012. The presenters are 

Goddard Deputy Director Dr. Colleen Hartman and Dr. Nicholas White, director of Goddard’s Sciences and Exploration Directorate. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Bill Hrybyk
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Awards 7

“For her fundamental contributions to the understanding of the gamma-ray sky through her leadership 

of the Fermi mission as Project Scientist and her discoveries of gamma-ray burst high energy properties.”

Many ASD personnel received recognition from 

the American Astronomical Society (AAS) in the past 

year. 

Dr. Don Reames, a former civil servant in the Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics at Goddard and 

now an emeritus scientist, was awarded the society’s 

2012 George Ellery Hale Prize, an international award 

given annually to a scientist for outstanding contributions to the field of solar astronomy over an extended 

period of time. The citation reads: “In recognition of 

his pioneering work on the composition and transport 

of Solar Energetic Particles, and for the key insights 

that firmly established the modern paradigm for SEP 

production, the 2012 Hale Prize is awarded to Don 

Reames of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.” 

Don participated in the design, construction and testing of the Energetic Particles, Acceleration, Composition and Transport (EPACT) experiment on NASA’s 

Wind spacecraft, which launched in 1994. EPACT is 

100 times more sensitive than previous instruments 

and continues to greatly extend the element and isotope resolution and the energy coverage of particle 

observations. He is also a co-investigator on the Insitu Measurements of Particles and CME Transients 

(IMPACT) experiment on the NASA’s STEREO mission, launched in 2006. The Hale Prize is named in 

memory of solar astronomer George Ellery Hale.

Alice Olmstead, a graduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), was one 

of nine graduate student winners—out of about 260 

entrants—of the Chambliss Astronomy Achievement 

Awards, given to recognize exemplary research by undergraduate and graduate students who present at one 

of the AAS meeting poster sessions. Her poster, “A 

Magnified View of Star Formation at z=0.9 from Two 

Lensed Galaxies,” was presented at the January 2012 

AAS meeting in Austin, Texas. ASD’s Jane Rigby and 

Sylvain Veilleux (UMCP) advised this work.

Erika Nesvold, a graduate student at University 

of Maryland, Baltimore County, won a Student Stipend Award from the AAS Division of Dynamical 

Astronomy to present her work, “A New Method for 

Modeling Collisions in Debris Disks,” at a meeting in 

Mount Hood, Oregon. Marc Kuchner is Erika’s advisor at Goddard.

Finally, Jennifer Wiseman, now the senior project 

scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope, was recognized by the AAS Society Council for three years of 

service as an AAS Councilor, for service on the AAS 

Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy, and for 

representing the AAS Council on the U.S. National 

Committee of the International Astronomical Union. 

Emeritus scientist Don Reames was awarded the American Astronomical Society’s 2012 George Ellery Hale Prize.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Awards 8
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

New Faces in ASD 9

New Faces in ASD

Fabio Felinto Acero

After receiving a doctorate 

studying supernova remnants in X-rays in CEASaclay near Paris, Fabio 

joined the TeV community as a postdoc with the 

High Energy Stereoscopic 

System collaboration for 

three years. He decided to 

bridge the gap and work 

on the GeV gamma-ray sky 

as seen by the Fermi Large 

Area Telescope (LAT). Fabio joined the ASD in January 2012 as a NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) Fellow to unveil part of the mystery of the Fermi gammaray sources with no multi-wavelength counterparts in 

existing catalogs—the “unassociated sources”—under 

the supervision of David Thompson. His work at 

Goddard will also expand his understanding of Galactic sources of cosmic rays such as supernova remnants 

and pulsar wind nebulae.

Laura Blecha

Laura arrived at Goddard in 

fall 2012 after finishing her 

Ph.D. at Harvard University. Prior to this, she completed an M.Phil. degree at 

Cambridge University in 

England and undergraduate work at Northwestern 

University. She originally 

hails from Manhattan, 

Kan. Her research concerns 

the behavior of supermassive black holes and their relationship with their host 

galaxies, particularly during galaxy mergers. Active 

black holes play a key role in the evolution of galaxies, 

and when triggered by mergers, they may be observed 

as dual or recoiling AGN. These phenomena provide 

crucial information about the growth history of supermassive black holes as well as their merger rate; such 

events could be detected with pulsar timing arrays or 

future gravitational-wave observatories. Her affiliation 

with ASD is primarily through membership in the 

Joint Space-Science Institute, which provides a great 

opportunity for interaction with scientists in her field 

both at Goddard and at the University of Maryland

Martha L. Boyer

Martha Boyer earned her 

Ph.D. at the University 

of Minnesota, working 

on infrared observations 

of resolved dwarf galaxies 

and globular clusters with 

Bob Gehrz, Evan Skillman, 

and Chick Woodard. After 

graduating, she went on 

to become a postdoc with 

Karl Gordon at the Space 

Telescope Science Institute 

in Baltimore, working on the mass loss and dust production of Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars in 

the Magellanic Clouds as part of the SAGE Spitzer 

Legacy program. She joined NASA Goddard as a 

James Webb Space Telescope NPP Fellow. Her main 

interests are the evolution of and dust production in 

evolved stars and how they contribute to a galaxy’s 

evolution. She is currently working on Spitzer observations of AGB stars in nearby galaxies in anticipation 

of the science that will be achievable with the James 

Webb Space Telescope and is excited to become more 

involved in the telescope’s development.

Esra Bulbul

Esra arrived in ASD in 

January 2012 after completing the first half of her 

postdoctoral appointment 

with Maxim Markevitch at 

the Harvard-Smithsonian 

Center for Astrophysics 

in Cambridge, Mass. She 

completed her PhD. at the 

University of Alabama in 

Huntsville in 2010. Her 

main research interest is 

the physics of the largest gravitationally bound objects in the universe – galaxy clusters. In particular, 

she looks for the observational signal of dark matter 

annihilation in the X-ray observations of these massive dark matter reservoirs using the XMM-Newton 

and Chandra satellites. She looks forward to studying 

high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of galaxy clusters 

with the microcalorimeter array on Astro-H.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

New Faces in ASD 10

Teruaki Enoto

Teruaki Enoto arrived at 

ASD in July 2012 as a visitor in the X-ray polarimeter group following two 

years in a postdoc program 

at Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics, Stanford 

University. His current 

home is the Institute of 

Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN) in Japan, 

working under a Superlative Postdoctoral Fellowship program of the Japan 

Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). His major research interest is X-ray observation of compact 

objects, especially neutron stars and ultra-strongly 

magnetized neutron stars. He previously worked on 

the development of soft gamma-ray detectors onboard 

ASTRO-H and also studied hard X-ray emissions 

from magnetars using the Suzaku and Swift satellites. 

In addition to his new participation in the X-ray polarization group, he is also working for the ASTRO-H 

science team’s white paper task force, focusing on high 

mass X-ray binaries and magnetars.

Philip B. Graff

Philip joined ASD’s Gravitational Astrophysics Lab 

as an NPP Fellow in September 2012. He comes to 

Goddard after completing 

his doctorate in the Cavendish Laboratory at the 

University of Cambridge in 

England. Philip works under the supervision of John 

Baker and is focusing on 

the analysis of gravitational 

wave data from LIGO and Virgo. This includes Bayesian inference techniques and the application of machine learning through artificial neural networks, both 

of which Philip is interested in applying to astrophysical data analysis in general. He looks forward to interacting with the wide community of astrophysicists 

at Goddard. Philip’s research is aimed at accurately 

and quickly detecting and characterizing gravitational 

wave signals.

Alaina L. Henry

Alaina came to ASD in September 2012 as an NPP 

Fellow. She joined the division after completing her 

Ph.D. at UCLA and a postdoc position at UCSB. Her 

research investigates the formation and evolution of 

galaxies, from early cosmic 

times to today. She aims to 

understand feedback from 

galactic outflows, as well as 

the enrichment and reionization of the intergalactic 

medium. To study these issues, she uses observations 

from the Hubble Space 

Telescope, as well as Keck 

and Magellan Observatories. Alaina is excited about 

using the James Webb Space Telescope to study galaxy evolution; while at Goddard, she wants to develop 

plans to take advantage of its capabilities the new telescope.

Daniel Kocevski 

Daniel joined ASD as an 

NPP Fellow in October 

2012  and is participating 

in the Fermi mission under the supervision of Julie 

McEnery and Neil Gehrels. 

He  received his doctorate from Rice University in 

Houston, Texas. His  research interests  include a 

broad range of topics in the 

field of gamma-ray burst 

(GRB) and time-domain astronomy. He spent the 

last four years as a Kavli postdoctoral fellow at SLAC, 

where he studied the GeV emission from gamma-ray 

bursts using Fermi’s Large Area Telescope (LAT). He 

is currently the science coordinator for Fermi’s GRB 

group and plans to further investigate  the nature of 

high-energy emission from GRBs using joint Fermi 

and Swift observations. 

Thomas I. Madura

Thomas joined the ASD 

as an NPP Fellow in July 

2012 to work with Theodore Gull in the Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory. Thomas is 

a theoretical astrophysicist 

whose research interests 

include computationalradiation hydrodynamics, 

massive stars, stellar atmospheres and winds, and colliding wind binaries. A former NASA Graduate Student Researcher’s Program Fellow, Thomas obtained 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

New Faces in ASD 11

his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Delaware 

in 2010 under the supervision of Stanley Owocki. 

Shortly after completing his doctorate, Thomas moved 

to Bonn, Germany, where he was a postdoctoral researcher in the Infrared Astronomy Group at the Max 

Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy. His current 

research focuses on using supercomputers to perform 

state-of-the-art three-dimensional time-dependent 

hydrodynamical and radiative transfer simulations of 

the massive colliding wind binary system Eta Carinae. 

Thomas uses these complex 3D computer models to 

generate synthetic observations for comparison to 

data being obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. 

At a distance of 7,500 light-years, Eta Carinae is the 

closest, most luminous evolved stellar object we can 

study in detail, and the closest and best example of a 

pre-hypernova or pre-gamma-ray-burst environment. 

Through his work, he hopes to help shed important 

new insights on our understanding of the evolution of 

very massive stars into supernovae, gamma-ray bursters, and black holes, both in our Galaxy and in the 

early universe.

Nathan Miller

Nathan joined ASD as an 

NPP Fellow in July 2012, 

where he works under 

the supervision of David Chuss. He received 

his doctorate in January 

2012 from the University 

of California, San Diego. 

His research involves data 

analysis for experiments 

studying the comic microwave background (CMB). 

At Goddard, he will be working on understanding 

the systematics of and developing analysis tools for 

the variable-delay polarization modulator that is being 

developed for deployment on the PIPER and CLASS 

CMB experiments, which aim to detect primordial 

CMB B-mode polarization. He will also continue 

working on data analysis for the POLARBEAR CMB 

experiment that he performed as part of his graduate 

work.

Takashi Okajima

Takashi joined the X-ray Astrophysics Laboratory in 

July 2002 as a JSPS postdoctoral fellow and became a 

NASA civil servant in January 2011. He has worked 

on the development of X-ray mirrors and detectors 

for various missions for more than 15 years, including suborbital experiments and satellites. He graduated with a Ph.D. from Nagoya University in 2002 

and successfully developed 

the first hard X-ray mirror with a depth-graded 

multilayer coating. It flew 

several times on Goddard’s 

balloon-borne experiment, 

InFOCuS, and similar 

hard X-ray mirrors are now 

used on Astro-H and NuSTAR. Soon after he completed the JSPS program, 

he started working on developments of semiconductor hard X-ray detectors using CdZn/CdZnTe as well as improving performance 

of his X-ray mirrors. He has worked and has been 

working on upcoming InFOCuS flights, X-Calibur 

balloon experiments (a hard X-ray polarimeter), the 

XACT sounding rocket, and the GEMS mission. Takashi now leads the development of soft X-ray mirrors 

for two flight projects, Astro-H (2014 launch) and 

NICER (2016 launch). He is also interested in studies 

of active galactic nuclei and clusters of galaxies.

Margaret Pan

Having arrived in October 

2012 from UC Berkeley, 

Margaret is a new NPP Fellow in ASD. Her research 

interests focus on planetary 

dynamics and its applications to a variety of solar 

system and exoplanetary 

phenomena, including Saturn’s rings, the Kuiper and 

asteroid belts, exoplanet 

orbits and circumstellar 

debris disks. She has side interests in self-similar solutions that led to some work on ultrarelativistic shock 

propagation. Margaret is looking forward to studying 

disks and planets with the disk specialists in the Exoplanet and Stellar Astrophysics Lab. She also hopes to 

discuss related but more local phenomena with members of the Solar System 

Exploration division.

Sang Jun Lee

Sang-jun joined the X-ray 

Calorimeter Group at ASD 

in August 2012 as an NPP 

Fellow. He recently received his doctorate from 

Seoul National University 

(SNU) under the joint supervision of Sun Kee Kim 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

New Faces in ASD 12

works on a prototype large-field-of-view soft X-ray 

camera called the Sheath Transport Observer for the 

Redistribution of Mass (STORM) instrument, which 

uses a newly developed slumped micropore (“lobster 

eye”) optics to focus soft X-rays onto a microchannel 

plate detector. STORM flew on the same sounding 

rocket as DXL. Nick is currently assisting with data 

analysis for both DXL and STORM. He is extremely 

interested in participating in future sounding rocket 

missions and learning more about low-temperature 

detectors

Kate Whitaker 

Kate joined the Observational Cosmology Lab in 

July of 2012 as an NPP 

Fellow. She recently graduated from Yale University, 

working with Pieter van 

Dokkum. Her dissertation 

focused on studying the 

properties of massive galaxies over the last 11 billion 

years of cosmic time with 

the NEWFIRM MediumBand Survey. During her time in the ASD, Kate is excited to use Hubble Wide Field Camera 3 data from 

the 3D-HST and CANDELS surveys to understand 

what shuts off star formation in massive galaxies. She 

is also interested in understanding more about the 

stellar populations and dust properties of high-redshift 

galaxies.

Brian Williams 

Brian Williams joined 

ASD’s X-ray Astrophysics 

Laboratory as an NPP Fellow in April of 2012, working with Rob Petre. Before 

that, he was at North Carolina State University, where 

he obtained his Ph.D. in 

Physics in 2010 and then 

continued on for a short 

post-doc position. His 

research interests are in 

multi-wavelength observations of supernova remnants 

and the interaction of gas and dust behind fast shock 

waves. He is active in both X-ray and Infrared astronomy, having worked with data from Chandra, XMMNewton, Suzaku, Spitzer, and Herschel. He looks forward to the opportunity to extend his research to the 

next generation of observatories, including NuStar, 

Astro-H, and the James Webb Space Telescope.

from SNU and Yong-Hamb Kim from the Korea 

Research Institute of Standards and Science. His dissertation was based on the development of low-temperature detectors for rare event experiments such as 

neutrinoless double beta decay and the search for dark 

matter. Since coming to ASD, he continues work on 

development of low-temperature detectors for X-ray 

astronomy. He is excited about the state-of-the-art scientific research going on around him.

Mairan Teodoro

Mairan arrived at Goddard in September 2012 

as a science collaborator 

after spending two years 

as a post-doctoral fellow 

at IAG/USP in Brazil. He 

graduated in Physics and 

got his MSc. and PhD. in 

Astronomy from the University of São Paulo. His 

research is focused on massive stars. He has a good 

experience in observational techniques and data reduction, processing, and analysis. At Goddard, he is 

working with Theodore Gull on one of the most intriguing stellar objects in the sky: the “doomed star” 

Eta Carinae, a massive binary system with a period of 

5.5 years. He is analyzing a multitude of spectroscopic 

data to assemble some pieces of this puzzle in order to 

better understand what is going on with this fascinating object. He is organizing an international, multispectral, and multi-institutional campaign to observe 

Eta Carinae during the next periastron passage in late 

July 2014.

Nicholas Thomas

Nick joined ADS in January 2012 after completing 

his Ph.D. at the University 

of Miami. He is a postdoc 

affiliated with the University of Maryland, Baltimore 

County and is supervised 

in the X-ray Astrophysics 

Lab by Scott Porter. He is 

primarily working on the 

Diffuse X-ray Emission 

from the Local Galaxy (DXL) sounding rocket mission, which had its first flight from White Sands Missile Range, N.M., in December 2012. DXL utilizes 

two refurbished large-area proportional counters to 

observe soft X-ray emission from solar wind charge 

exchange in the 0.25 and 0.75 keV bands. Nick also 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research Highlights 13

Research Highlights

STEREO Spacecraft Observations of 

Solar Proton Events

Drs. Tycho von Rosenvinge and Ian Richardson (Astroparticle Physics Laboratory) have been using observations from the twin STEREO A and B spacecraft 

and near-Earth spacecraft to investigate the propagation of energetic protons and electrons in the inner 

heliosphere following flares and coronal mass ejections 

at the Sun. The STEREO spacecraft were launched 

on Oct. 26, 2006, and placed into heliocentric orbits 

such that STEREO A (Ahead) is moving ahead of the 

Earth by 22o of heliolongitude/year, while STEREO 

B (Behind) is trailing the Earth by a similar distance. 

On Feb. 6, 2011, the spacecraft were 180o apart above 

the western and eastern limbs of the Sun as viewed 

from Earth, allowing, for the first time, full 360o observations of the Sun, including the far-side, which 

cannot be viewed from Earth. 

It has long been suspected that energetic particles 

accelerated by solar events on the far-side of the Sun 

can reach Earth, but with the 360o coverage provided 

by STEREO this can be demonstrated unambiguously. A remarkable particle event on Nov. 3, 2011, 

was detected promptly at Earth and at both widely 

separated STEREO spacecraft following a solar farside event that was observed directly by STEREO B. 

STEREO A was most closely connected to the solar event and observed the highest proton intensities. 

Nevertheless, the proton enhancement was observed 

clearly at all the spacecraft, with the onsets at Earth 

and STEREO B at 14–24 MeV occurring only about 

20 minutes and 40 minutes, respectively, after that at 

STEREO A. The whole inner heliosphere was rapidly 

filled with energetic protons following this event. The 

explanation for this is currently unclear. For example, 

the protons may have spread in longitude near the 

Sun, possibly through acceleration by an expanding 

shock or wave driven by the coronal mass ejection that 

accompanied the solar event, or by particle propagation in large-scale magnetic loops in the corona. Alternatively, the spread in longitude may have occurred 

in the interplanetary medium, which would then 

require unexpectedly large cross-field propagation. 

Gaussian fits to the peak 14–24 MeV proton intensity 

for events observed at both STEREO spacecraft and 

Earth plotted against the angle between the footpoint 

of the magnetic field line passing through the observing spacecraft and the solar event location illustrate 

the tendency for peak intensities to be observed at the 

better-connected spacecraft. The mean FWHM is 99o. 

Such observations may help to constrain models to explain how particles spread in longitude in the inner 

heliosphere. The combined spacecraft observations 

The Nov. 3, 2011, solar particle event occurred on the far-side of the Sun and was observed promptly by the widely 

separated STEREO A and B probes and spacecraft at Earth. The first panel (left) shows intensity-time profiles of 14-

24 and 24-41 MeV protons from the Goddard/CalTech High Energy Telescopes aboard the STEREO spacecraft and 

from the University of Turku ERNE instrument on SOHO near Earth. The diagram at center illustrates the spacecraft 

configuration relative to the solar event, along with nominal spiral interplanetary magnetic field lines linking the 

spacecraft to the Sun. Right: Gaussian fits to the peak 14–24 MeV proton intensity of events observed at both STEREO 

spacecraft and at Earth are plotted against the angular separation of the field line footpoint and the related solar event.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research Highlights 14

demonstrate that of the solar particle events including 

~25 MeV protons detected at Earth since the beginning of the STEREO mission, around a quarter originated behind the west limb and ~5 percent behind the 

east limb. This east-west asymmetry reflects the influence of the spiral interplanetary magnetic field. 

The Exozodiacal Dust Problem for 

Direct Observations of Exo-Earths

When viewed from a distance, the most conspicuous 

feature of the solar system after the Sun is its interplanetary dust, which forms a tenuous debris disk with a 

large surface area. Debris dust in the habitable zones of 

stars—otherwise known as exozodiacal dust—comes 

from extrasolar asteroids and comets and is thus an 

expected part of other planetary systems. A state-ofthe-art model of the face-on solar system developed by 

Aki Roberge and Marc Kuchner of the Exoplanets and 

Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory and their students. 

For a 4-meter telescope, the local zodiacal dust plus 

a solar-system-twin disk of exozodiacal dust viewed at 

Our model of the solar system includes spectral information for every element, which allows us to generate images at 

any wavelength between 0.3 microns and 2.5 microns. For ease of viewing, the Sun is not shown. The image on the 

left shows the entire solar system, the image on the right shows the inner 5 AU. The density model for the outer solar 

system dust is from Kuchner & Stark (2010). The model for the inner solar system dust, otherwise known as zodiacal 

dust, is based on a fit to observations from the DIRBE instrument on the COBE satellite (Kelsall et al. 1998). At 

both distance scales, and at all wavelengths, the most conspicuous feature of the solar system after the Sun is the haze of 

emission coming from interplanetary dust. The partial ring in dust in the outer solar system is caused by the dynamical 

influence of Neptune. M. Rizzo and A. Roberge.

60° inclination is about five times brighter at optical 

wavelengths than is Earth at 10 pc.

Background flux from the solar system’s zodiacal 

dust and the exozodiacal dust in the target system is 

likely to be the largest source of astrophysical noise in 

direct observations of terrestrial planets in the habitable zones of nearby stars. Such observations would 

be the prime focus of a future UV/optical “New 

Worlds” flagship mission, as envisaged in the Astro2010 Decadal Survey. Furthermore, dust structures 

like clumps, produced by dynamical interactions with 

exoplanets, are a possible source of confusion in direct 

exoplanet observations.

As part of NASA’s Exoplanets Exploration Program Analysis Group (ExoPAG), a group of community researchers led by Roberge came together in 

2010 to form the Debris Disks and Exozodiacal Dust 

Study Analysis Group. The charges to the group were 

1) to assess the impact of exozodiacal dust on a generic “New Worlds” mission concept, and 2) to collect reliable information on the expected sensitivity 

of current and upcoming facilities to debris dust at 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research Highlights 15

different distances from nearby stars. The group fulfilled its goals this year by publication of a refereed 

journal article (Roberge et al., 2012), which should 

serve as a community resource by providing simple, 

explicit prescriptions for assessing the primary impact 

of exozodiacal background on exoplanet direct imaging observations.

The report also summarizes the current knowledge 

of debris dust, the strengths and weaknesses of different dust-observing techniques, and the path toward 

getting the exozodiacal dust knowledge needed to design a highly capable “New Worlds” flagship mission. 

That path hinges on the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer (LBTI), a NASA-funded instrument for 

the LBT on Mount Graham, Ariz. (Hinz et al., 2008). 

NASA has selected a Key Science Team to execute the 

LBTI Exozodiacal Dust Survey, called Hunt for Observable Signatures of Terrestrial Systems (HOSTS). 

Karl Stapelfeldt, William Danchi, and Aki Roberge 

are HOSTS team members from the Exoplanets and 

Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory. LBTI is in commissioning this winter and science operations are expected 

to begin in spring 2013.

The impact of exozodiacal dust emission on direct observations of exo-Earths. Both x-axes give the exozodi surface 

brightness at the Earth-equivalent insolation distance relative to the brightness of a solar-system-twin disk. Left: 

Dust counts and imaging exposure time vs. exozodi brightness. The counts ratios and exposure times were calculated 

for three different telescope aperture diameters: 2 m (black lines), 4 m (red lines), and 8 m (orange lines). Smaller 

apertures are more sensitive to background emission. Right: The combined effect of exozodi emission and the fraction 

of stars with an Earth-size planet in the habitable zone (?Earth, y-axis) on the yield of a direct imaging/spectroscopy 

exoplanet mission. The curves were created using a simple mission-planning code that chooses real stars within 30 pc 

for observation until 5 mission years is reached, assuming a 4 m telescope, some value of ?Earth, and that all the stars 

have the same exozodi level. At each value of ?Earth, the “tolerable exozodi” (x-axis) is the largest exozodi level for 

which the desired mission yield (expected number of exo-Earths characterized) is achieved. The analysis was performed 

for three values of mission yield: high (dotted line), medium (dashed line), and low (solid line). The smaller ?Earth 

is, the lower the exozodi level that can be tolerated while still characterizing the desired number of exo-Earths. A full 

description of the figure appears in Roberge et al. (2012).

Testing Planetary Formation Theory 

with Gravitational Microlensing

In the leading core-accretion planet formation model, 

the “snow line”—the radius where the proto-planetary 

disk becomes cold enough for water ice to condense 

—plays a key role. The timescale for agglomeration of 

small bodies into protoplanets is shortest just beyond 

the snow line, because this is where the surface density 

of solid material is highest. The largest protoplanets in 

these regions are expected to quickly reach a mass of 

~ 10 MEarth by accumulating the majority of the solid 

material in their vicinity. They then slowly accrete a 

gaseous envelope of hydrogen and helium. The envelope can no longer maintain hydrostatic equilibrium 

when it reaches the mass of the core, so it collapses, 

starting a rapid gas accretion phase that leads to a 

massive giant planet. The hydrostatic accretion phase 

is predicted to have a much longer duration than the 

other two phases of solid accretion and rapid gas accretion. This has several possible implications, including 

a higher frequency of low-mass, rocky/icy planets than 

gas giants; a feature in the final mass function of plan-
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research Highlights 16

ets near the critical core mass of ~ 10 MEarth; a relative 

paucity of planets with masses of 10–100 MEarth; and 

the formation of very few gas giants orbiting low-mass 

hosts, where the gas disks are expected to dissipate before the critical core mass is reached.

These predictions follow from general physical 

considerations, but they also rely upon a number of 

simplifying assumptions that make the calculations 

tractable. Consequently, they could be incorrect. For 

example, recent work suggests that uncertainties in the 

initial surface density of solids in the protoplanetary 

disk, grain opacities in protoplanetary atmospheres, 

and the size distribution of accreting planetesimals 

can radically alter the timescales of these various phases and thus the resulting distribution of final planet 

masses. Therefore, the measurement of the mass function of planets down to below the predicted critical 

The masses of known exoplanets are shown as a function 

of their semi-major axis divided by the snow line, which 

is assumed to depend on the host star mass as ~2.7 M/

MSun AU. Red error-bar crosses indicate microlensing discoveries, with MOA-2009-BLG-266Lb indicated by the 

dark red spot surrounded by the light red halo. The black, 

upside down Ts and blue squares indicate exoplanets discovered by the radial velocity and transit methods, and 

the magenta and green triangles are planets discovered 

by imaging and timing. The small cyan-colored dots are 

planet candidates found by Kepler, but not yet validated 

or confirmed (using a rough mass-radius relation). The 

microlensing planets indicated by open circles have had 

their masses and semi-major axes estimated by a Bayesian 

statistical analysis.

core mass will provide important constraints on the 

physics of planet formation. 

Attempts to test core-accretion theory predictions 

with the mass distribution of the ~500 detected exoplanets and the ~ 1,200 candidate exoplanets found by 

the Kepler mission have met with varied success. Radial velocity detections confirm the prediction that massive gas giants should be rare around low-mass stars, 

but the prediction that 10–100 MEarth planets should 

be rare in short period orbits is contradicted by the 

data. Kepler finds a large population of planets at ~ 2.5 

REarth in short-period orbits (which are mapped into 

masses of ~ 6 MEarth by our rough mass-radius relation), which is consistent with a result from the radial 

velocity planet-detection method (10). This might be 

considered a confirmation of the core-accretion theory 

prediction that ~ 10 MEarth “failed gas-giant core” planets should be common, but in fact all of the low-mass 

planets found by radial velocity and transit methods 

have been well interior of the snow line, where these 

Data and best-fit model of the MOA-2009-BLG-266 

microlensing event plotted with respect to magnitude of 

the unmagnified source. The upper panel shows the part 

of the microlensing light curve magnified by more than 

25 percent and the lower panel shows a close-up of the 

planetary deviation. The sub-panel at the bottom of each 

panel shows the residual to the best-fit model, which is 

given by the solid black curves. The light-blue curve in 

the top panel is the model light curve for the position of 

the Deep Impact spacecraft (the EPOXI mission) and the 

inset shows the data binned EPOXI photometry from the 

~2-day period of observations from the EPOXI/HRI instrument. The grey-dashed curve in each panel is the bestfit non-parallax microlensing model. 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research Highlights 17

“failed core” planets are thought to form. It is possible 

that the exoplanet mass (or radius) function is quite 

different outside the snow line due to such processes as sorting by mass through migration and photoevaporation of gaseous envelopes. Thus, a study of the 

exoplanet mass function beyond the snow line should 

provide a sharper test of the core-accretion theory.

The gravitational microlensing method has demonstrated sensitivity extending down to planets of 

mass < 10 Msun in orbits beyond the snow line, where 

the proto-planetary disk becomes cold enough for ices 

to condense. Thus it can provide a complementary 

probe of the physics of planet formation for planets 

that have migrated little from their putative birth sites.

The research team, including Dr. Richard K. 

Barry of ASD’s Laboratory for Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics, presented the first example of a mass 

measurement for a cold, low mass planet discovered by 

microlensing, which has a mass very similar to the expected critical mass for gas accretion. The light curve 

of microlensing event MOA-2009-BLG-266 exhibits 

a planetary signal due to a companion with a mass 

ratio of ~ 6 × 10–5. The light curve also reveals a microlensing parallax signal due to Earth’s orbital motion. 

When combined with the information from the finite 

size of the source during the planetary perturbation, 

this allows one to work out the complete geometry of 

the microlensing event, yielding a measurement of the 

host and planet masses. In addition, observations from 

the Deep Impact spacecraft in a heliocentric orbit corroborate the mass measurement for MOA-2009-BLG266Lb, and, for the first time, demonstrate the potential of using orbiting spacecraft for obtaining masses of 

planetary events that are too brief for a parallax measurement from Earth.

A better understating of the theory of giant planet 

formation will enable us to better formulate the scientific questions to be answered by the Wide Field 

Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST), the highest 

ranked recommendation for a large space mission in 

the 2010 New Worlds, New Horizons decadal survey. 

Measurements such as these are critical to improve the 

estimate of the planet detection rate from WFIRST. A 

new estimate of this detection rate—a figure of merit 

on which the success criterion for the entire exoplanet 

portion of the mission depends—has the potential to 

significantly reduce scientific risk for WFIRST.

Swift Discovery of a New Galactic Black 

Hole Candidate

X-ray novae are outbursts of compact binary systems 

that contain a central black hole and a stellar-mass 

companion that donates mass to the primary by overflow to an accretion disk. The physical conditions of 

the accretion disk depend on the mass-accretion rate. 

Their high-energy spectra are characterized by either a 

“hard/low” (kT > 15 keV) or a “soft/high” state. DurThis illustration shows a black hole accretion disk, constructed from gas drawn from a companion star (not shown). 

An instability in the disk has begun to send a surge of matter toward the black hole. This sudden inward flow produces 

large amounts of high-energy radiation (bluish-green glow), marking the onset of an X-ray nova like Sw J1745–26.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research Highlights 18

ing stable conditions, the accretion disk can be either 

optically thick or a “slim disk” with an advectiondominated accretion flow. X-ray novae are notoriously 

difficult to detect in their stable quiescence state with 

orbiting X-ray observatories due to their low fluxes. 

However, during the transition between the high/low 

states, they can undergo rare but dramatic X-ray and 

optical outbursts where they brighten by up to eight 

orders of magnitude. Few such outbursts have been 

detected to date. The cause of the sudden state change 

and brightening is thought to be an instability in the 

accretion disk that causes a drastic increase in the accretion rate.

The Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) aboard Swift 

triggered on a previously unknown hard X-ray source 

a few degrees from the galactic center on Sept. 16, 

2012, at 9:16 UT, at 12:36 UT, and again the following day. The observations marked the onset of a 

dramatic transition from the low/hard to the high/

soft state of the X-ray nova Sw J1745–26. Continuous monitoring with BAT revealed that the hard Xray emission (15–150 keV) peaked on Sept. 18, when 

it reached an intensity equivalent to that of the Crab 

Nebula, a supernova remnant that serves as a calibration target for high-energy observatories and one of 

the brightest gamma-ray sources in the sky. Observations with Swift’s X-ray Telescope showed that as of 

mid-November 2012, the source continued to brighten in the soft X-ray band (0.2–10 keV) by more than 

a factor of 30, and the fading X-ray source may be 

detectable by Swift into 2013.

Observations with INTEGRAL showed that the 

source increased by 60 percent in hard X-rays from 

Sept. 17 to the next day and brightened by more than 

a factor of 1,000 compared to September 12–15. The 

high hard X-ray flux corresponds to the Eddington 

Limit for accretion onto a compact object of two 

solar masses. An infrared counterpart was detected 

by GROND on Sept. 17 with an AB magnitude of 

J = 16.5±0.5. Infrared spectroscopy with the 10.4m 

Gran Telescopio Canarias showed that the spectrum 

is consistent with an X-ray binary. Due to the high 

reddening in the direction of the source, no prompt 

optical counterpart has been detected. High radio flux 

densities were recorded with the Jansky Very Large Array and the Australian Compact Array on September 

17–18 and 20, well above the limits of neutron star binaries, and indicate optically thick synchrotron emission from a black hole jet ejection.

Black hole binaries are very faint in the quiescent 

state and difficult to detect. Rare outbursts such as the 

one for Sw J1745–26 present a unique opportunity 

to find hidden black holes. The Swift discovery of a 

new black hole candidate is significant, as only around 

20 dynamically confirmed black holes are known to 

exist in our galaxy. Due to their expected changes in 

accretion state and their brightness, X-ray novae are 

excellent laboratories to study changes in the transfer 

of material from a companion star to a black hole.

Common Energetics: Black Hole Jets in 

AGN and GRBs

Black holes are more than passive prisons of light and 

matter in the universe: They are capable of accelerating some matter just outside the point of no return 

(the event horizon) to near-light speeds, creating jets 

of particles. Thus, black holes are the ultimate particle 

accelerators, producing collimated, relativistic jets that 

can best the energies reached in the Large Hadron 

Collider by orders of magnitude. These jets have been 

observed in a diverse range of black hole systems spanning from stellar mass (~10 M

) to supermassive scales 

(~105

–1010 M) in the bright flashes of gamma-rays 

known as gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), in the miniature 

versions of quasars lurking in our galaxy known as microquasars, and in the centers of some active galaxies 

(called active galactic nuclei, or AGN).

The relation between the collimation-corrected gammaray luminosity L and the kinetic power Pjet for AGN 

and GRBs. AGN and GRBs follow correlations that are 

consistent, within the uncertainties, with the best-fit 

model obtained from the joint data set (solid line, shaded 

regions: 2s confidence band). The yellow data points correspond to XRF 020903 and GRB 090423, limits which 

not taken into account in the statistics.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research Highlights 19

One outstanding question is how the properties of 

jets scale with mass from stellar to supermassive black 

holes. There is evidence that jets behave in similar 

ways in microquasars and radio-loud AGN. However, 

a clear connection between AGN and GRBs has not 

been established yet.

Rodrigo Nemmen, Sylvain Guiriec and Neil Gehrels of ASD’s Astroparticle Physics Laboratory, together with colleagues from other institutions, searched 

the literature for observations that can be used to characterize the energetics of jets produced by black holes 

with a broad range of masses. They obtained estimates 

of the jet radiative output and the kinetic power for 

a sample of 234 AGN and 54 GRBs where the jet is 

closely aligned with our line of sight and therefore the 

observed emission is completely dominated by the jet 

due to beaming effects.

In order to quantify the radiative output of black 

holes jets, they used gamma-ray luminosities observed 

with the Swift and Fermi satellites and other instruments; they used radio as well as X-ray observations 

to estimate the kinetic power carried by accelerated 

particles. Nemmen and collaborators found that relativistic jets show the same coupling between the total 

power carried by the jet and the power radiated away 

across the mass scale—a universal scaling for the enerRodrigo Nemmen discusses the common energetics of AGN and GRB jets at the Sciences and Exploration Directorate 

New Year’s Poster Party, Jan. 30, 2013. Francis Reddy

getics of jets—regardless of the different environments 

and accretion flow conditions around the black hole. 

The researchers also calculated how efficiently the jets 

convert energy to light and found that the radiative 

efficiency averages ~15 percent, a value which is quite 

high. These findings were published in Science.

The similarity in the energetics of AGN and GRBs 

suggests that there is a single fundamental mechanism 

that produces relativistic jets in the universe. These 

results may help theorists better understand the process of jet formation, how jets produce radiation, and 

how the outflow of energy may affect the surrounding 

space.

1FGL J1018.6-5856: The First Gammaray Binary Discovered with Fermi 

Gamma-ray binaries are closely related to X-ray binaries and also are expected to contain neutron stars or 

black holes. However, unlike X-ray binaries, gammaray binaries are extremely rare. Generating gammarays requires exceptional conditions, such as the shock 

formed between a jet from a black hole or stellar wind 

from neutron star and the wind of a normal companion star. However, evolutionary models predict that 

high-mass X-ray binaries go through a gamma-ray bi-
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research Highlights 20

nary phase early in their lifetimes, when the neutron 

stars in these systems are rotating very rapidly. Hence, 

perhaps tens of gamma-ray binaries should exist in 

our galaxy. Only a handful of sources were known or 

suspected to be gamma-ray binaries before the launch 

of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, which confirmed these identifications.

Using data from the Large Area Telescope (LAT) 

aboard Fermi, a large team led by Robin Corbet 

(UMBC/CRESST and NASA Goddard), Chi Cheung 

(Naval Research Lab) and Matthew Kerr (Stanford 

University) discovered the first completely new gamma-ray binary to be found with the satellite. The team 

identified a 16.6-day signal in the gamma-ray emission from the source, known as 1FGL J1018.6–5856, 

and this lengthy period made the scientists suspect the 

possibility of a binary system.

The team obtained X-ray observations from NASA’s Swift satellite and radio observations with the 

Australia Telescope Compact Array, located near Narrabri in New South Wales, showing the presence of 

coincident X-ray and radio sources that also vary on a 

16.6-day time scale. The data allowed identification of 

a potential optical counterpart, a star with a spectral 

classification of O6V((f)), which is very similar to the 

normal star found in the gamma-ray binary LS 5039. 

The properties of 1FGL J1018.6–5856 are consistent with a scenario where the neutron star’s wind 

interacts with the O star’s wind to form a shock, where 

An artist’s impression of a gamma-ray binary. A rapidly rotating neutron star orbits an early-spectral-type star. Gamma 

rays are produced by the interaction of stellar winds from the two objects.

Top: Radio (red, green) and X-ray (blue) light curves of 

the gamma-ray binary 1FGL J1018.6-5856 folded on a 

16.6-day period, which is thought to be the system’s orbital period. For clarity, the folded light curve is repeated. 

Bottom: The gamma-ray light curve of 1FGL J1018.6-

5856 measured with the Fermi LAT folded on the 16.6 

day period. Two identical cycles are also plotted for clarity. 

This light curve is not background subtracted.

particles become boosted to high energies by Fermi acceleration. Light from the O star can then undergo inverse Compton scattering up to gamma-ray energies. 

Changes to the gamma-ray emission seen at Earth occur either because the system has an eccentric orbit or 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research Highlights 21

through geometric effects as the neutron star orbits the 

massive primary companion.

If evolutionary models for gamma-ray and X-ray 

binaries are correct, then we can expect additional systems of this type to be found with Fermi’s LAT. Corbet and his colleagues continue to search LAT data for 

signs of periodic gamma-ray modulation from other 

similar sources. The sensitivity of this search continues 

to improve with additional LAT observations, which 

holds the promise of additional discoveries.

Determining the Intergalactic Photon 

Density and the Gamma-ray Opacity of 

the Universe Using Deep Galaxy Survey 

Data

One of the key problems in high-energy astrophysics 

is the determination of the opacity of the universe to 

gamma-rays produced in very distant astronomical 

objects, such as active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray 

bursts. This opacity is the result of the annihilation of 

high-energy gamma-ray photons caused by collisions 

with ultraviolet, optical and infrared photons in intergalactic space. When such interactions occur, both 

photons annihilate into an electron and a positron. 

The cross section for this process has been accurately 

calculated using a branch of modern physics known 

as quantum electrodynamics. Since the cross section 

is known, the remaining piece of the problem is the 

determination of the low-energy photon density in 

intergalactic space as a function of both wavelength 

and redshift. These photons are produced overwhelmingly in galaxies by stars and re-radiation of starlight 

by dust.

In recent years, there have been many deep surveys 

of large numbers of galaxies performed from space using Hubble Space Telescope instruments—the Wide 

Field and Planetary Camera 2, Wide Field Camera 3, 

the Advanced Camera for Surveys, and the Near IR 

Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer—the Galaxy 

Evolution Explorer, the Spitzer Space Telescope, as 

well as ground-based galaxy surveys from Keck and 

other telescopes. The results from these surveys now 

cover galaxy emission from millimeter to ultraviolet 

wavelengths. They map the history of this emission 

over a redshift range from 8 to the present time in 

the UV and over from redshift 2 or 3 at longer wavelengths. 

By using the collected observational results of 

these recent galaxy surveys, Floyd Stecker and collaborators Matthew Malkan of UCLA and Sean Scully of 

James Madison University (formerly a Goddard postdoc) have been able to determine both the history of 

the photon density in intergalactic space and thus the 

opacity of the universe to gamma rays in the energy 

range that the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is 

now exploring. Because of their new approach, they 

were also able to place empirically based uncertainties 

on their determination of the photon density of the 

intergalactic background light from galaxies, as well 

as on their determination of the gamma-ray opacity 

of the universe. These uncertainties were determined 

from the observational uncertainties in galaxy luminosity densities using Monte Carlo techniques. Previous approaches to the gamma-ray opacity problem 

have relied on more theoretical modeling with various assumptions involving stellar population synthesis models, stellar initial mass functions, unknown 

amounts of dust extinction, and poorly known stellar 

metallicity-age modeling for different evolving galaxy 

types. 

The Fermi collaboration and ground-based Air 

Cherenkov telescope groups have been trying to determine the amount of gamma-ray opacity as a function of energy and redshift through studies of the 

high-energy gamma-ray spectra of a class of active galactic nuclei known as blazars. Stecker and collaborators Michael Salamon and O. C. de Jager suggested 

this method 20 years ago following the launch of the 

EGRET gamma-ray telescope aboard the Compton 

Gamma-Ray Observatory and its discovery of a bright 

gamma-ray flare in the blazar 3C 279.

It will be interesting to see how the determinations from the two different methods described above 

compare. Should these determinations diverge, it 

The plot shows Fermi data on the highest-energy photons observed from individual sources at a given redshift. 

Black and red dots denote blazars (BL Lac objects and 

flat spectrum radio quasars, respectively) and blue dots 

denote gamma-ray bursts. The gray band shows the error 

of the calculated opacity for reducing the transmission of 

gamma-rays of a given energy from a source at a known 

redshift by a value of 1/e, taken from a forthcoming paper 

by Stecker, Malkan and Scully.

1 2 3 4 5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

Redshift

Log Energy GeV
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research Highlights 22

could indicate evidence for either the additional of 

new physics or additional astrophysical processes. 

One such suggested possibility could be the development of a component of secondary gamma-rays along 

the line-of-sight to a gamma-ray source produced by 

interactions of ultrahigh-energy protons from the 

source, giving an additional component of gamma-ray 

photons. Another possibility could be a decreased apparent opacity caused by the interesting suggested new 

physics process known as photon-axion oscillations. 

(The axion is a particle postulated to solve the “strong 

charge parity problem” in quantum chromodynamics.) Since an oscillating photon-axion superposition, 

when in the axion state, does not pair-produce, the 

effective gamma-ray opacity along the line-of-sight to 

a gamma-ray source is reduced. 

The figure, known as a Fazio-Stecker plot, shows 

the error band of the calculated opacity for reducing 

the gamma-ray transmission of gamma-rays of a given 

energy from a source at a known redshift by a value 

of 1/e, taken from the paper of Stecker, Malkan and 

Scully. It also shows Fermi data on the highest-energy 

photons observed from individual sources at a given 

redshift, with black and red dots denoting different 

types of blazars and blue dots denoting gamma-ray 

bursts.

The work of Stecker, Malkan and Scully on the 

determination of the intergalactic photon density and 

gamma-ray opacity is accepted for publication in The 

Astrophysical Journal in the near future.

Zooming in on Star Formation in 

Distant Galaxies

The Hubble Space Telescope provides some of our 

sharpest views of the distant universe. Hubble can resolve physical scales down to 1,700 light-years (530 

parsecs) at redshifts between 1 to 3. Unfortunately, 

this is not sufficient to resolve star-forming complexes 

as large as the largest found in the Milky Way (Carina, 

with a diameter of 650 light-years or 200 parsecs.) As 

a result, the places where stars form in distant galaxies, 

with sizes of at most hundreds of parsecs, cannot be 

resolved by Hubble under normal circumstances.

Jane Rigby of the Observational Cosmology Lab 

and her collaborators Michael Gladders (University 

of Chicago), Keren Sharon (University of Michigan), 

and Eva Wuyts (MPE) are changing the rules of the 

game by using Hubble to target galaxies that have 

been gravitationally lensed. Massive clusters of galaxies act as natural telescopes that bend and magnify the 

light of background galaxies. Typical magnifications of 

10 to 50 permit star-forming regions in 1<z<3 galaxies 

to be resolved down to 50- to 150-parsec scales. 

The team demonstrated this technique by obtaining Hubble Cycle 18 observations (PI Rigby) of one 

of the most striking examples of gravitational lensing, 

a nearly 90-degree arc of light in the galaxy cluster 

RCS2 032727-132623. Hubble’s view of the distant 

background galaxy is significantly more detailed than 

could ever be achieved without the help of the graviThis figure, taken from Wuyts et al. (2010) and Sharon et al. (2012), illustrates how increasing lensing magnification 

dramatically improves the morphological detail observed. Each panel shows a reconstructed source-plane image of the 

multiply lensed galaxy RC 0327; that is, the galaxy’s true morphology corrected for lensing distortion. The left panel 

shows why ground-based images are too blurry to measure where stars form in distant galaxies. The middle panel shows 

that HST with a mild (3x) lensing boost can resolve three bright star-forming clumps. The right panel shows that a 

strong (10-20x) lensing boost resolves at least ten different star-forming clumps.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research Highlights 23

The galaxy cluster RCS2 0327 presents one of the most striking examples of gravitational lensing, where the gravitational field of a foreground galaxy bends and amplifies the light of a more distant background galaxy. The light from a 

galaxy nearly 10 billion light-years away has been warped into a nearly 90-degree arc by the galaxy cluster, which lies 

at about half its distance. The image of the background galaxy is more than three times brighter than typically lensed 

galaxies. This natural-color image was taken in March 2011 with the Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3.

tational lens. The distorted image of the galaxy is repeated several times in the foreground lensing cluster, 

as is typical of gravitational lenses. Sharon modeled 

the gravitational potential of the cluster, and reconstructed what the galaxy would really look like if it 

weren’t being lensed (Sharon, Gladders, Rigby et al. 

2012). In ground-based images, the lensed galaxy resembled a two-armed spiral galaxy. Instead, the much 

sharper Hubble images revealed that the lensed galaxy 

is actually two galaxies in the process of merging. Each 

galaxy in the merger is chock-full of regions of star 

formation that glow like Christmas tree lights, each 

much brighter than any star-formation region in our 

Milky Way galaxy. 

The team is now studying these individual starforming regions, and has determined seldom-measurable physical conditions (extinction, metallicity and 

abundance pattern, density, ionization field strength) 

through spectroscopy obtained through NASA time 

on the Keck II telescope (Rigby et al. 2011, Astrophys. 

J., 732, 59). These individual star-forming regions also 

show prominent signatures of outflowing winds, driv-
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research Highlights 24

en by supernovae, which the team is studying using 

the Magellan telescopes (Rigby et al., in preparation.) 

The team is also studying the kinematics of how the 

gas is moving, using NASA time on Keck (Wuyts et 

al., in preparation)

Now that these researchers have thoroughly studied the nature of star formation in RCS 0327, they 

have begun a systematic survey of star formation down 

to 50- to 150-parsec scales in more than 70 lensed galaxies with redshifts between 1 and 3. Their approved 

107 orbit Cycle 20 Hubble program (PI Gladders) 

will target 37 lensing galaxy clusters selected from the 

Sloan Digital Sky Survey to have prominent lensed 

arcs in this redshift range. Since many of these clusters 

contain more than one bright lensed arc, the program 

will survey more than 70 lensed galaxies. The goals are 

to determine the morphology and fundamental spatial 

scales of star formation in galaxies at the epoch when 

most stars formed.

The first two of the clusters were observed in late 

2012; the rest will be observed by Hubble in 2013. 

Two programs with Warm Spitzer (PIs Gladders and 

Rigby) are measuring the total number of stars in these 

lensed galaxies, which complements the measurements 

from Hubble of the current star-formation rate. Ongoing follow-up spectroscopy with Magellan and Keck 

are determining metallicities. 

This full dataset will reveal, for the first time, how 

the buildup of oxygen in galaxies depends on the past 

and present star-formation rates. 

Wide-field Spatio-spectral 

Interferometry

A team led by Dave Leisawitz (Science Proposal Support Office) and including Stephen Rinehart and Rick 

Lyon in ASD has continued to advance this broadlyapplicable technique toward Technology Readiness 

Level (TRL) 6. The technique, sometimes called “double Fourier” interferometry, yields integral field spectroscopic data based on measurements obtained with 

a spatial interferometer and a single beam-combining 

instrument. The instrument is a modified Fourier 

Transform Spectrometer. Wide-field spatio-spectral 

interferometry is particularly well suited to far-infrared applications and lies at the heart of the SPIRIT 

and SPECS mission concepts studied by NASA during the past decade, and the European Far-Infrared Interferometer (FIRI) mission concept. This novel technique was first described in the astronomical literature 

by Mariotti and Ridgway in 1988 and developed to its 

present maturity level, TRL 5, in a Goddard lab, with 

APRA funding, over the course of the past decade.

Recent technical progress was reported in a series 

of papers presented at the SPIE conference on Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation in the Netherlands in July 2012. Leisawitz et al. summarized the 

project and described the importance of wide-field 

spatio-spectral interferometry to future far-IR missions deemed important by the infrared community. 

Sensitive, high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy is essential to achieve several science goals prioritized in the 2010 Decadal Survey. Lyon et al. described 

and reported recent results based on our developing 

spatio-spectral “image” synthesis algorithm. Bolcar 

et al. described the Calibrated Hyperspectral Image 

Projector (CHIP), which our team assembled based 

on a NIST prototype and integrated into the Widefield Imaging Interferometry Testbed (WIIT) in 2012. 

CHIP enables the projection of astronomically realistic spatial-spectral scenes into the testbed. 

During the past year, data acquisition with WIIT 

in Goddard’s Advanced Interferometry and Metrology 

(AIM) Lab, a world-class facility, became routine, and 

several experiments were run, yielding several hundred gigabytes of high-quality data. In the AIM Lab, 

WIIT is functionally equivalent to a space-based interferometer: instrumental error terms dominate, and 

environmental effects are negligible. What’s more, the 

instrument is very well understood. A high-fidelity optical system model of the testbed was used to produce 

synthetic interferograms, and it was shown that they 

closely match data obtained in the lab. The instrumental visibility loss in the WIIT testbed is in excellent 

agreement with a theoretical estimate of the visibility 

loss, and the individual loss terms are well understood. 

Noise in the data is dominated by photon statistics 

and matches expectations. These important milestones 

on the road to TRL 6 were all achieved during the past 

year.

Three summer interns and a longer-term co-op 

student, ranging in education from high-school senior 

to senior undergraduate, gained valuable experience 

and made significant contributions to this project during the past year. We’re proud of their recent curricular 

achievements. Ms. Melody Liu, our two-time summer 

intern, graduated from high school and is now a freshman at MIT. Mr. Elliot Teichman graduated from the 

University of Maryland with an undergraduate degree in astronomy and joined Teach for America to 

help educate underserved high school students. Mr. 

Daniel Liss was awarded his second patent, graduated 

from high school, and is now a freshman at Columbia 

University. And our three-term co-op student from 

McMaster University, Mr. Evan Sinukoff, is now pursuing a doctorate in astrophysics at the University of 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research Highlights 25

To reach TRL 6, we will systematically apply an error-tracking experimental approach in which increasingly complex, 

more astronomically realistic test scenes are observed, and different observing modes are explored to learn the practical 

limitations of wide-field spatio-spectral interferometry. This will also enable quantitative understanding of how each 

instrument design parameter impacts the quality of the synthesized hyperspectral image cube.

compare

simulate

in model

observe

with testbed

Computational

Optical System

Model of WIIT

Image

Construction

spatial-spectral

data cubes predicted

measured

compare

Input “truth images” Wide-eld Imaging Interferometry Testbed (WIIT) Output interferograms and data cubes

non-gravitational accelerations of the interferometer 

mirrors.

The result of this comparison is that AI-based instruments and light-based instruments are identically 

affected by laser frequency noise and similarly affected 

by acceleration noise (Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 211101, 

2012). This suggests that viable AI-based mission concepts will have similar mission parameters (number 

of baselines, length of baselines, laser frequency noise 

requirement, and acceleration noise requirement) and 

therefore similar costs, assuming the payload costs per 

baseline are similar. 

Hawaii. Each of these students learned enough that 

they could teach a good lesson on interferometry.

Comparing Atom and Light 

Interferometers as Detectors of 

Gravitational Waves

The detection and measurement of gravitational 

waves (GWs) from astrophysical and cosmological 

sources is recognized as one of the most promising 

sources for new information about the Universe and 

has been a goal of experimental physicists for nearly 

half a century. Space-based instruments such as the 

Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), which 

would observe the GW Universe in the source-rich 

milliHertz frequency band, have been identified as 

a priority for NASA Astrophysics but have yet to be 

implemented due to funding constraints.

Recently, GW detectors based on multiple Atom 

Interferometers (AIs) connected by long-baseline laser 

links have been proposed in the literature as alternatives to traditional light interferometers such as LISA. 

These AI designs exploit the quantum-mechanical 

wave nature of ultra-cold atom clouds to make precise 

measurements of the GWs effect on the laser phase.

John Baker and Ira Thorpe of the Gravitational 

Astrophysics Laboratory performed a comparative 

study of LISA-like light interferometers and AI interferometers for space-based GW detection. They developed a theoretical framework in which both types of 

detectors could be simultaneously described and calculated the influence of several types of fundamental 

noise, including fluctuations in the laser frequencies 

used to perform the long-baseline interferometry and 

A space-time diagram of a single-baseline gravitational 

wave detector using two atom interferometers (AIs) shows 

the interaction of laser pulses (red) emitted from a spacecraft (green) with cold atom clouds (blue). The diagram 

was used to analyze the effects of noise sources, such as 

fluctuations in laser frequency and spacecraft acceleration, on gravitational wave sensitivity.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research Highlights 26
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 27

Research and Development

Suborbital

Super Trans-Iron Galactic Element 

Recorder (Super-TIGER)

Super-TIGER, a new, large-area balloon-borne instrument for long-duration Antarctic balloon flights, 

launched on its first flight from Williams Field, McMurdo Station at 15:45 EST on Saturday, Dec. 8, 

2012 (09:45 NZST, Sunday, Dec. 9). It began its second orbit of Antarctica on Dec. 26. 

The Super-TIGER collaboration includes Washington University in St. Louis (PI, W. Robert Binns), 

Goddard, Caltech, and JPL. The Goddard team includes John Mitchell, Eric Christian, Georgia De 

Nolfo, Thomas Hams, Jason Link, Kenichi Sakai, and 

Makoto Sasaki. 

Super-TIGER measures the individual abundances of elements over the range 30 ≤ Z ≤ 42 with high statistical accuracy to test and clarify the emerging model 

of cosmic-ray origin in OB associations and models 

for atomic processes by which nuclei are selected for 

acceleration. Exploratory measurements with lower 

statistics will extend to Z = 60. Super-TIGER will also 

measure, with excellent statistical precision, the energy 

spectra of the more abundant elements 14 ≤ Z ≤ 28 at 

energies 0.8 ≤ E ≤ 10 GeV/nucleon. These measurements will provide a sensitive test of the hypothesis 

that microquasars or other phenomena could superpose features on the otherwise smooth energy spectra.

Super-TIGER is based on experience with the 

smaller TIGER instrument that was flown from 

Antarctica in 2001 and 2003 for a total of 50 days 

and produced the first measurements of individual 

element abundances for 31Ga, 32Ge, and 34Se. Three 

layers of plastic scintillator and two Cherenkov detectors, one with an acrylic radiator and one with a silica 

aerogel radiator, determine the charge and energy of 

Super-TIGER suspended from the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility’s launch vehicle, The Boss, on flight day.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 28

Super-TIGER uses two independent instrument 

modules, each with a 1.15 m × 2.3 m active area, giving a total detection area of 5.4 m2

. Each module is 

only 60 cm thick to maximize its geometric acceptance. The detector layout and minimal column density give an effective geometry factor of 2.5 m2

 sr at 

Z = 34, over four times larger than TIGER. The second flight of Super-TIGER is planned for 2014. In 

two approximately 30-day flights, Super-TIGER will 

achieve nearly an order of magnitude improvement in 

statistics compared to TIGER.

Goddard is responsible for the acrylic and aerogel 

Cherenkov detectors, the scintillators, the mechanical 

structure of the instrument and payload, integration 

and testing, and logistics. In 2012, the final components of the instrument and payload were completed 

and integration was carried out at Goddard. The instrument then underwent thermal-vacuum testing at 

the NASA Plum Brook facility in Ohio and final integration and compatibility tests at the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas. Antarctic 

integration began at Williams Field in late October, 

leading to the Dec. 8 launch.

Balloon-Borne Experiment with a 

Superconducting Spectrometer - Polar 

(BESS-Polar)

BESS-Polar was developed for sensitive investigations 

of the nature of the dark matter and the apparent 

dominance of matter over antimatter using long-duration balloon flights over Antarctica. The collaboration 

is co-led by Goddard (Dr. John W. Mitchell) and KEK 

(High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Dr. 

Akira Yamamoto) and ASD team members are Mitchell, Makoto Sasaki, Kenichi Sakai, and Thomas Hams. 

incident nuclei. A scintillating optical fiber hodoscope 

gives particle trajectories to enable corrections for 

pathlength through the detectors, detector response 

maps, and interactions in the atmosphere and in the 

instrument.

Super-TIGER immediately after launch on Dec. 8, 

2012.

net/hphotos-prn1/68688_478063452237288_2030323171_n.jpg 12/9/2012

Super-TIGER during integration in the assembly building at Williams Field, showing the two instrument modules and the lightweight gondola.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 29

ters (K. Abe, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 051102). Some 

of the secondary models fit the BESS-Polar II spectrum well and a primary component is not needed. 

The likelihood of antiprotons from primordial black 

hole evaporation was quantified and excludes, by over 

nine sigma, the slight possibility of primary antiprotons suggested by BESS 1995/1997 data. Within statistics, BESS-Polar II found no evidence of primary 

antiprotons from primordial black holes.

BESS-Polar II data was also carefully searched for 

evidence of antihelium and the results were published 

in Physical Review Letters (K. Abe, et al., Phys. Rev. 

BESS-Polar uses the basic design concept of the 

exceptionally productive BESS instrument that made 

nine conventional one-day northern-latitude balloon 

flights between 1993 and 2002. BESS-Polar, in common with the original BESS, uses a solenoidal superconducting coil, thin enough for particles to easily 

penetrate, filled with a drift-chamber tracking system 

with low multiple scattering. This provides a wide 

opening angle and large geometric acceptance, ideal 

for rare-particle measurements. Detectors to measure 

the charge and velocity of incident particles, including time-of-flight detectors and an aerogel Cherenkov 

counter, form partial cylinders around the magnet. 

BESS-Polar uses refined instrumental techniques with 

exposure greatly increased by long-duration polar balloon flights. The threshold energy is halved by thinning the magnet and detectors, moving the Cherenkov 

counter below the magnet, eliminating the pressure 

vessel, and adding a time-of-flight hodoscope within 

the magnet bore. These changes lower the mass that 

particles have to traverse by a factor of four compared 

to BESS.

BESS antiproton spectra in 1995 and 1997, near 

solar minimum, indicated a possible low-energy excess 

over secondary predictions, perhaps resulting from 

evaporation of small (~5 × 1011 kg) primordial black 

holes by Hawking radiation. To investigate this intriguing possibility further required much more exposure at solar minimum, when the signature of a primary source would not be smeared by solar modulation. 

BESS-Polar I flew 8.5 days from McMurdo Station, 

Antarctica, in 2004 at a time of low but significant solar activity. BESS-Polar II flew near solar minimum in 

2007–2008 with the magnet energized for 24.5 days. 

From the BESS-Polar II data, 7,886 cosmic ray antiprotons between 0.17 and 3.5 GeV satisfied the most 

rigorous analysis requirements. The results and initial 

interpretation were published in Physical Review LetBESS-Polar II just before launch in December 2007 from Williams Field, McMurdo Station, Antarctica, with the 

Mount Erebus volcano in the background.

The high-precision low-energy antiproton spectrrum measured by BESS-Polar II shows no evidence of primary antiprotons from evaporation of primordial black holes.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 30

the field as part of the BESS-Polar II recovery has been 

reassembled and is now at Goddard. The magnet was 

run to full field in Japan and cryogen lifetime tests will 

be carried out at Goddard in 2013. 

Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass (CREAM 

and ISS-CREAM)

The balloon-borne CREAM instrument was developed for direct measurements of cosmic-ray spectra 

1 ≤ Z ≤ 26 at total energies greater than 1011 eV to 

test models of cosmic-ray acceleration. In addition, 

CREAM measurements of the energy-dependent 

abundance ratios of secondary cosmic-ray species to 

their primary progenitors test models of cosmic-ray 

transport and storage in our galaxy. The CREAM collaboration includes the University of Maryland (PI, 

Eun-Suk Seo), Goddard, Pennsylvania State University, Northern Kentucky University, and Ohio State 

University, as well as collaborators in Korea, France, 

and Mexico. ASD team members are John Mitchell 

and Jason Link.

A large exposure (geometric acceptance multiplied 

by time) is needed to measure the energy spectra of 

the most common elements to energies approaching 

the spectral “knee” (~1015 eV). At these energies, most 

measurements have been based on the detection by 

ground-based instruments of the showers of particles 

produced by interactions of primary cosmic rays in the 

atmosphere and the identity of the incident particle is 

only inferred. Direct measurements by CREAM provide direct information on cosmic-ray composition, as 

well as the calibration data required to interpret airshower results. CREAM has flown six times over Antarctica, accumulating 162 days of exposure. 

The combined CREAM and airshower data test 

models of Fermi shock acceleration of cosmic rays in 

supernova remnants. Standard models for this mechanism predict single-power-law spectra until a rigiditydependent acceleration limit is reached. Above this 

“knee” the all-particle spectrum steepens, accompanying a progressive composition change with increasing 

energy from dominance by light elements to dominance by heavier elements. CREAM has reported 

spectra that depart from single power laws, hardening 

above 200 GeV/nucleon, with the proton spectrum 

slightly steeper than those of helium and heavier nuclei. Among proposed explanations for these results 

are the effects of a nearby supernova remnant, or distributed reacceleration within an OB association.

CREAM measures the charge of incident nuclei 

using a plastic scintillator timing detector and a silicon 

pixel detector. Depending on the energy and species 

of the incident particle, its energy is measured by a 

Lett. 108, 131301). Between 1 and 14 GeV, 4 × 107 

helium nuclei were identified, but no antihelium. The 

resulting upper limit on the antihelium/helium ratio is 

9.4 × 10–8 (at 95 percent confidence). Combining this 

with data from all other BESS flights, including BESSPolar I, gives an upper limit of 6.9 × 10–8, the most 

stringent limit to date. With this report, the BESS collaboration has made the upper limit on the antihelium/helium ratio stronger by more than three orders 

of magnitude compared to the first limits reported. In 

recognition of the importance of these results, the PRL

paper was selected as a PRL Editor’s Suggestion and 

was featured in an APS Highlight.

Led by Goddard, the collaboration is modifying 

BESS-Polar to measure light isotopes, particularly Be, 

to relativistic energies. The ratio of radioactive 10Be to 

stable 9

Be acts as a radioactive clock measuring the storage time of the cosmic rays in our galaxy and, by employing time-dilation, can measure the fraction spent 

in the galactic halo. BESS-Polar is uniquely capable 

of making these important measurements. The BESSPolar magnet, which had to be partly disassembled in 

The combined BESS/BESS-Polar upper limit to the possible ratio of antihelium/helium in cosmic rays is stronger 

by more than three orders of magnitude than the firstreported limits. The BESS program finds no evidence of 

antinuclei with |Z|≥2 in the cosmic radiation or, by implication, in the cosmological neighborhood.

Rigidity [GV

1 10 2 10

Antihelium/helium flux 

-8 10

-7 10

-6 10

-5 10

-4 10

-3 10

ALL BESS Results

BESS-Polar II

BESS-Polar I

BESS-TeV

[BESS ’93 - ’00] M. Sasaki et al. (2002)

[BESS ’95] J. F. Ormes et al. (1997)

[BESS ’93 ’94 ’95] T. Saeki et al. (1998)

[AMS] J. Alcaraz et al. (1999)

Buffington et al. (1981)

Golden et al. (1997)

Badhwar et al. (1978)

He/He Limit (95% C.L.)
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 31

silica-aerogel Cherenkov camera (CREAM-III, IV, V, 

VI), a transition radiation detector (CREAM-I), and a 

tungsten-scintillating optical-fiber calorimeter (all versions). A new transition radiation detector has been 

developed for CREAM by CERN (Switzerland) and 

JINR (Russia) to enable improved measurements of 

secondary-to-primary ratios. Goddard responsibilities are an acrylic Cherenkov detector for rapid particle identification to trigger the instrument on nuclei 

heavier than He and a scintillating optical-fiber penetration detector that aids triggering on high-energy 

events and gives a reference time for the timing scintillators. 

The current focus of the CREAM collaboration is 

the development of a version of the instrument, ISSCREAM, to fly on the JEM-EF facility on the ISS. 

Launch is planned for 2014 on the SpaceX Dragon. 

Goddard, Pennsylvania State University, and Northern Kentucky University are developing a new detector for ISS-CREAM to help enable measurements 

of high-energy electrons by helping distinguish elecThe CREAM instrument during balloon inflation for an Antarctic flight.

trons from the far more abundant protons. This uses a 

boron-loaded plastic scintillator to measure neutrons 

produced in particle cascades in the calorimeter. Because more neutrons are produced in hadronic cascades than in electromagnetic showers of the same energy, the neutron count is a sensitive discriminator to 

determine whether a shower was initiated by a hadron, 

such as a proton or atomic nucleus, or by an electron 

or gamma ray. A prototype of the Boronated Scintillator Detector (BSD) was tested with a pulsed neutron 

source at Goddard and in accelerator beams at the 

CERN Super Proton Synchrotron. These tests showed 

that the BSD exceeds its predicted performance. Engineering of the mechanical structure and read-out 

electronics at Goddard is nearing completion, and the 

flight model will be constructed in 2013.

Calorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET)

CALET is a new mission for the Japanese Experiment 

Module-Exposed Facility (JEM-EF) on the Interna-
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 32

tional Space Station, manifested for HTV-5 (H-II 

Transfer Vehicle 5) in 2014. CALET will measure the 

high-energy spectra of electrons, nuclei, and gammarays to address outstanding questions, including signatures of dark matter, the sources of high-energy 

particles and photons, and the details of particle acceleration and transport in the galaxy. CALET is a 

JAXA project (PI Shoji Torii, Waseda University) that 

includes researchers from Japan, the U.S., Italy, and 

China. The CALET-U.S. team of Louisiana State 

University, Goddard, Washington University in St. 

Louis, and the University of Denver are working in 

CALET instrument development, testing, instrument 

modeling, flight operations, flight data processing 

and science analysis. The ASD team of John Mitchell, 

Thomas Hams, John Krizmanic, Alexander Moiseev, 

and Makoto Sasaki are responsible for the instrument 

simulation and performance model, technical support 

for instrument development, and accelerator testing 

and calibration.

CALET’s Main Telescope uses a deep-imaging 

particle calorimeter for superior energy resolution and 

excellent separation between hadrons and electrons 

and between charged particles and gamma rays. The 

Main Telescope has a field-of-view of ~45° from the 

zenith and a geometric acceptance of 0.12 m2

 sr. A 

The engineering model of the CALET Main Telescope during the 2012 beam test at the CERN SPS. The zenith surface of the detector is pointed to the left in this picture to accept the incoming particle beam.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 33

charge detector (CHD) subsystem at the top of the 

telescope measures the charge of incident particles and 

functions as an anti-coincidence detector for gammaray measurements. The calorimeter is divided into 

an imaging calorimeter (IMC) section that provides 

tracking and accurately determines the starting point 

of showers, and a total absorption calorimeter (TASC) 

section that measures total particle energy. The IMC 

contains ~3 radiation lengths (Xo) of tungsten interspersed between eight x-y layers of scintillating optical fibers read out by multi-anode photomultipliers. 

Most electrons and photons will initiate showers in 

the IMC, which measures the starting point of the 

shower and its development until it enters the TASC. 

The TASC is a stack of lead tungstate (PWO) crystals 

arranged in x-y layers to track the axis of the shower. 

Each crystal is read out by a photodiode and an avalanche photodiode to give excellent resolution over the 

wide range of scintillation light signals produced in 

the PWO by particle showers with different energy, 

incident angle, and interaction points. The TASC has 

a total thickness of 27 Xo and collects the total energy 

in the shower with a leakage of only a few percent for 

electrons.

CALET is focused on investigating the high-energy total electron spectrum into the trans-TeV energy range. These measurements have the potential to 

identify, for the first time, the signature of high-energy 

particles accelerated in a local astrophysical engine and 

subsequently released into our galaxy. Electrons lose 

energy rapidly by synchrotron and inverse Compton 

processes. The distant-source spectrum is expected to 

be relatively featureless, falling approximately as E–3

and softening rapidly above 1 TeV. Electrons with TeV 

energy must have been accelerated within about 105

years and can have diffused at most a few hundred parsecs. The electron lifetime and the diffusion distance 

decrease rapidly with energy. Detection of electrons 

with energy significantly above 1 TeV would indicate 

the presence of a nearby source and the arrival directions of these electrons should also show detectable 

anisotropy. Individual sources might also produce features in the spectrum at lower energies. CALET will 

resolve discrepancies among recent results from balloon experiments (BETS, ATIC, PPB-BETS), space 

experiments (Fermi, PAMELA) and ground-based air 

Cherenkov telescope observations (HESS).

High-energy electrons and positrons may also be 

produced by dark-matter annihilation. CALET will 

search for signatures of dark-matter-annihilation-producing features in the electron or gamma-ray spectra. 

Together with measurements at the Large Hadron 

Collider, details of the spectra of high-energy cosmicray electrons and positrons may hold the key to revealing the nature of dark matter.

The spectra of primary cosmic-ray nuclei, and the 

important secondary elements such as boron, hold the 

key to understanding galactic particle transport at very 

high energy. CALET will measure the B/C ratio with 

precision to about a decade in energy beyond current 

results, and thereby test many of the models currently 

proposed. CALET will also extend the measurements 

of the spectra of cosmic ray nuclei from hydrogen to 

iron, with high resolution, into the region of the spectral “knee” around of 1015 eV to investigate possible 

structure and energy-dependent composition changes. 

CALET will perform a gamma-ray all-sky survey, 

complementing Fermi and HESS observations, to 

detect intense high-energy sources, study the diffuse 

component, and search for new regions of emission. 

CALET includes a low energy (7 keV–20 MeV) gamma-ray burst monitor. GRB measurements are also extended to high energy using the Main Telescope.

Construction of the instrument and spacecraft are 

nearing completion. An engineering model of CALET 

was tested at the CERN (European Organization for 

Nuclear Research) Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) in 

September/October 2012 using proton and electron 

beams up to 400 GeV in energy. These high-precision, 

high-statistics tests showed that the instrument provides the needed discrimination between cosmic-ray 

electrons and the far more numerous protons, and has 

an energy resolution of a few percent for electrons. 

Tests at the SPS with heavy-ions from a fragmented 

Pb beam are scheduled for January/February 2013. 

Mitchell is responsible for co-leadership of these tests 

and for accelerator beam tuning and development. 

The CALET mission module for the JEM-EF. The 

CALET Main Telescope is made up of the charge detector 

(CHD), imaging calorimeter (IMC) and total absorption calorimeter (TASC).
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 34

In 2012, CALET was awarded the status of “Recognized Experiment” by CERN, with increased access to 

CERN facilities and services.

X-ray Quantum Calorimeter (XQC), 

Micro-X, and DXL Sounding Rockets

The X-ray Quantum Calorimeter (XQC) is a broadband, non-dispersive X-ray spectrometer built to study 

the soft X-ray background in the band from 0.05 to 2 

keV. The ASD research team members include Porter, 

Kelley, Kilbourne, and Eckart. Collaborating institutions include the University of Wisconsin at Madison, 

the University of Miami, and Yale University.

The spectrometer was built to differentiate the 

spectral components that are thought to make up the 

ubiquitous soft X-ray background, including emission 

from the Local Bubble, the Galactic halo, and solarwind charge exchange in the exo-atmosphere and the 

heliosphere. The superposition of these temporally 

and spatially variable sources can create a complicated 

spectral picture that requires high-resolution spectroscopy to unwind. Detailed spatial maps first were 

made with sounding rockets, then with ROSAT, and 

the first high-resolution spectra in the 0.25 keV band 

were made with the DXS shuttle-attached payload 

that used a scanning dispersive spectrometer. 

The XQC, however, is the first broadband nondispersive, high-resolution spectrometer to probe the 

entire X-ray-emitting range, from M-shell Fe emission 

at 70 eV up to 2 keV, where the diffuse emission becomes dominated by unresolved extragalactic sources. 

In addition, the XQC payload is the first—and currently, the only—X-ray calorimeter array that has 

flown in space.

The XQC spectrometer is based on a 36 pixel Xray calorimeter array that was designed and produced 

at Goddard. Each pixel in the calorimeter array is relatively large at 2mm × 2mm, and has an energy resolution at O VII Ka of better than 8 eV FWHM. The 

detector array is operated at 50 mK using a small adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator built at the University of Wisconsin and Goddard. The payload does 

not use an X-ray optic since this would significantly 

reduce the grasp of the experiment, but is instead collimated to a one-steradian field of view. 

The XQC has flown five times since 1995, with 

the most recent flight in November 2011. The fourth 

and fifth flights used a detector array with four times 

the collecting area of previous flights and is based on 

technology developed for the Astro-E2 program. The 

data from the fifth flight is currently being processed, 

but preliminary results show significant contributions 

from C IV, O VII, OVIII, Fe XVII, and Fe XVIII. Previous flights have placed constraints on certain types 

of dark matter, and have detected and placed limits 

on Local Bubble emission from M-shell transitions in 

Fe IX, X, and XI. Flight six of the XQC is planned for 

early-2013 and will incorporate further mitigations 

against contamination of the outer filter, a serious 

problem for flights four and five. 

The Micro-X payload is designed to be the first 

X-ray calorimeter payload using focusing X-ray optics. 

It uses significant design heritage from the XQC program, including a very similar adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator. However, the detector and readout 

technology are derived from the IXO program. The 

ASD research team members include Porter, Kelley, 

Kilbourne, Bandler, Adams, Eckart, Smith, Serlemitsos, and Soong. Collaborating institutions include 

the University of Wisconsin at Madison, MIT, the 

University of Florida, and the National Institute of 

Standards and Technology. The Micro-X payload will 

use a 121 pixel (11 × 11) X-ray calorimeter array with 

The STORM wide-field X-ray camera and its principle 

scientists, planetary scientist Michael Collier (left), heliophysicist David Sibeck (center), and astrophysicist F. Scott 

Porter.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 35

superconducting transition-edge (TES) thermistors 

operating at 50 mK. It is designed to have an energy 

resolution of 2 eV (FWHM) across the energy band 

from 0.05 to 2 keV. The Micro-X payload will use 

a focusing optic designed and produced at Goddard 

for the SXS sounding rocket that flew in 1989 and is 

the predecessor of the optics used for BBXRT, ASCA, 

Astro-E2, and Astro-H.

The Micro-X payload is scheduled to fly in late 

2013 to observe the bright eastern knot of the Puppis 

A supernova remnant. The detector array is designed 

and produced by GSFC and will be read out using a 

cryogenic SQUID multiplexer and room-temperature 

electronics jointly developed by GSFC and NIST. 

GSFC has already provided the refurbished SXS X-ray 

optic with 200 cm2

 collecting area at 1 keV and a 2.5 

arcmin PSF. 

Micro-X will provide some of the first detailed 

high-resolution spectra of a supernova remnant, with 

about 40,000 counts expected during the flight. The 

payload will be the first opportunity to utilize highspectral-resolution, broadband, spatial-spectral imaging, and will provide a glimpse of what we can expect 

from Astro-H and future, larger scale, calorimeter instruments.

The DXL payload utilizes an old payload repurposed for new science. It is now widely believed that 

a significant component of the soft X-ray background 

results from the interaction of the solar wind with 

neutral atoms within our solar system. Observing 

from low Earth orbit, we have seen significant emission from the solar wind interacting with exospheric 

neutral hydrogen (magnetospheric emission), and 

also the solar wind interacting with interplanetary 

hydrogen and helium (heliospheric emission). These 

two sources have very different spatial and temporal 

signatures, but are both the result of charge-exchange 

recombination, where a highly ionized solar wind ion 

removes an electron from a neutral species, emitting 

photons, including X-rays, as it relaxes to its ground 

state. The DXL payload contains two 800 cm2

 proportional counters built in the late 1970s at the University 

of Wisconsin to map the soft X-ray background. However, DXL will use the same large-grasp instrument to 

spatially disentangle the heliospheric from the magnetospheric charge-exchange emission and compare the 

results to modern spatial and temporal models of solar 

wind charge exchange. 

The DXL project brings together scientists from 

several disparate fields who have a strong interest in 

these phenomena. ASD scientists include Porter, 

Snowden, Kuntz, Chiao, and Thomas who have a 

strong interest in the soft X-ray background and in 

understanding the solar wind charge-exchange contamination of many soft X-ray observations with 

ROSAT, Chandra, XMM, Suzaku, and soon, AstroH. This is in partnership with Goddard collaborators 

Sibeck (Space Weather Laboratory) and Collier (Solar 

System Exploration Division), who have a strong interest in the interaction between the solar wind and 

Earth’s exosphere to understand the critical boundary 

layer that drives much of space weather. The PI institution is the University of Miami, with additional 

collaborating institutions: University of Kansas, the 

University of Wisconsin, and Leicester University.

The DXL payload also includes a Goddard-provided instrument, STORM, as a technology demonstration. STORM is a microchannel-plate X-ray 

detector with a wide field of view (10 × 10 degree) 

Lobster-eye slumped microchannel-plate optic. This is 

a prototype instrument for a full-scale magnetospheric 

charge exchange X-ray imager, and DXL is the first 

space-flight demonstration of this technology. The 

The DXL/STORM mission team poses in front of the 

White Sands Missile Range launch pad before the payload’s Dec. 12, 2012, flight. 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 36

STORM instrument was developed at GSFC by ASD 

scientists Porter, Snowden, Kuntz, Chiao, and Thomas 

with collaborators Collier, Sibeck, and the University 

of Leicester.

The DXL and STORM payloads successfully 

flew on Dec. 12, 2012. DXL clearly observed charge 

exchange from interplanetary helium in the helium 

focusing cone. STORM also clearly observed cosmic 

soft X-ray emission. Both instruments performed 

flawlessly and landed without damage.

The Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope 

for Infrared Interferometry (BETTII)

Astronomical studies at infrared wavelengths have 

revolutionized our understanding of galaxies, stars, 

and planets, as well as their origins. But further progress on major questions is stymied by the inescapable 

fact that the spatial resolution of single-aperture telescopes degrades at long wavelengths. Exciting physical processes lurk below our current far-infrared (FIR) 

resolution, including clustered star formation, powerful interactions between normal matter and monstrous 

black holes at the cores of galaxies, and the formation 

of planetary systems. Interferometry is a path to high 

angular resolution in the FIR, making it a potent tool 

for scientific discovery. 

The Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope for Infrared Interferometry (BETTII) is an 8-meter boom 

interferometer to operate in the FIR (30–90 mm) on 

a high-altitude balloon that was selected for funding 

under the ROSES/APRA program in 2010. The long 

baseline will provide unprecedented angular resolution (~0.5") in this band. These wavelengths are inaccessible from the ground; the high atmospheric 

transmission at balloon altitudes, in combination with 

BETTII’s unique double-Fourier instrument will allow spectral resolution of up to R ≡ l/Dl ~ 200. By 

combining these capabilities, BETTII will provide 

spatially-resolved spectroscopy on astrophysically important sources. BETTII’s first flight will isolate the 

far-infrared emission from forming stars in cluster environments, allowing us to tightly constrain models of 

cluster formation. 

The BETTII project is now two years old, and over 

the past year, the design of both the instrument and 

gondola has been completed. In June 2012, the BETTII team held a Preliminary Design Review where the 

overall system design was presented, discussed, and 

outstanding design elements were identified. Since 

then, additional subsystem reviews have taken place 

to demonstrate that individual component systems are 

sufficiently developed to initiate procurements. This 

included a full instrument review in October 2012. A 

The DXL/STORM payload and science team during horizontal integration testing at White Sands Missile Range in 

December 2012.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 37

small number of actions were identified from this review, and procurement of long-lead items including 

the helium-3 refrigerator and the instrument cryostat has begun. In addition, the metering truss was 

constructed over summer 2012, and testing of the 

mechanical behavior of this assembly is now underway. The BETTII team has also generated a Master 

Equipment List and is in the process of developing a 

complete, detailed test plan that works from the level 

of individual components all the way to the full system. Many of the individual components have been 

purchased or manufactured, and testing of these components is underway. We anticipate that all major 

components well be in hand in 2013, and both components and subsystem testing will be under way.

 In addition, over summer 2012, a cadre of students developed the BETTII RUBBLE experiment. 

RUBBLE is an experimental star camera using offthe-shelf components and open-source software. It is 

designed to achieve subarcsecond pointing accuracy 

on balloon platforms. While a number of star cameras have been flown on balloon payloads previously, 

RUBBLE is both more accurate and less expensive, 

and we envision presenting it as an open-source package so that other scientists building balloon payloads 

can benefit from the design. RUBBLE will fly as a 

hitchhiker on the BOBCAT experiment in 2013; it is 

currently complete and undergoing tests in the laboratory.

A successful flight of BETTII will pave the way 

for future space interferometry by demonstrating key 

technologies, including wide-field phase referencing 

for image reconstruction and the technique of doubleFourier interferometry. A traditional Michelson interferometer uses a single detector and has a field of view 

determined by the size of the individual light collecting apertures. By using a detector array, one observes 

interferograms corresponding to multiple contiguous 

primary beams simultaneously on different pixels. 

This technique—wide-field double-Fourier interferometry—has been demonstrated on a laboratory test 

bed but never in a flight-like environment.

The first flight of BETTII is planned for spring 

2015. Data acquired with BETTII will be complementary to observations with space observatories such 

as Herschel and the James Webb Space Telescope, exploring the FIR wavelength range with unprecedented 

high angular resolution. These data will be powerful 

tools for understanding star formation in clusters. Further, BETTII will validate technologies and retire risks 

for future space interferometers, such as the Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope.

The BETTII project is a collaboration between 

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the University 

of Maryland, and Cardiff University with assistance 

from the Far-Infrared Telescope Experiment team in 

Japan. The BETTII team includes ASD scientists Stephen Rinehart, Rich Barry, Dominic Benford, Dale 

Fixsen, Bill Danchi, Johannes Staguhn, Robert Silverberg (Emeritus), as well as David Leisawitz (Science 

Proposal Support Office), Christine Jhabvala (Instrument Systems & Technology Division) and Lee Mundy (UMCP). The project also has had contributions 

from a UMCP graduate student (Maxime Rizzo) and a 

number of undergraduates from multiple institutions. 

Information on BETTII interns can be found on the 

BETTII website: http://asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/bettii/

In 2012, the design of BETTII’s gondola and instrument were completed. A pair of mirrors spaced 8 meters apart 

collect infrared light from the same object. Combining these two signals with an instrument called an interferometer 

yields the same resolution as a single 8-meter telescope. BETTI’s first flight is planned for spring 2015.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 38

Technology Development

Detecting CMB Polarization

Recent advances in cosmology hint that the universe underwent a brief period of rapid expansion 

called inflation early in its history. If inflation occurred, 

the gravitational waves it produced would have polarized the cosmic microwave background (CMB) in a 

particular pattern. To measure this faint signal requires 

the development of instruments with high sensitivity, 

control over systematic effects, and multiple frequencies for removal of polarized galactic foregrounds.

Ed Wollack, David Chuss, Karwan Rostem, and 

Harvey Moseley in ASD’s Observational Cosmology 

Laboratory, along with team members Kevin Denis, 

Thomas Stevenson, and Kongpop U-Yen in Goddard’s 

Applied Engineering and Technology Directorate, 

are developing detectors for measurement of the polarization of the CMB. These devices are waveguidecoupled and employ Transition-Edge Sensing (TES) 

bolometers realized on a mono-crystalline silicon substrate. Fully-integrated detectors have been fabricated.

In the sensor concept, radiation from the feedhorn is coupled onto superconducting microstrip 

circuitry using a planar ortho-mode transducer and 

subsequently filtered and detected on chip. This design is amenable to the large focal planes a satellite 

mission will require. The team is currently optimizing 

the sensor design for compatibility with suborbital test 

platforms. This involves tailoring the device response 

via the thermal conductance, transition temperature 

and time constant.

This group also has designed sensors operating 

at 40 and 90 GHz that will be integrated into the 

Cosmology Large Angular Scale Surveyor (CLASS) 

Left: A CLASS 40-GHz-detector microwave circuit is shown. Opposite probe antennas (center) couple to a common 

polarization on the sky once a waveguide and feedhorn are connected. The signal in each polarization is filtered to 

define the band before thermally coupling to a TES. Right (top): Scanning electron micrograph image of one of the 

silicon legs that supports the TES membrane. Right (bottom): The TES thermally-isolated membrane. The TES is is 

the rectangle in the center of the image.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 39

instrument, a project led by Johns Hopkins University that will be deployed in Chile’s Atacama Desert. 

CLASS observes polarization of the CMB at the largest angular scales in order to avoid contamination 

from gravitational lensing. The instrument employs 

variable-delay polarization modulators (VPMs, also 

developed at Goddard) in concert with the polarization sensitive detectors in order to encode and separate 

the faint polarized astrophysical signature from instrumental effects.

Laboratory Astrophysics Using an X-ray 

Microcalorimeter with an Electron Beam 

Ion Trap

Our laboratory astrophysics program is designed to 

simulate astrophysical plasmas in the laboratory in order to benchmark and provide guidance to the atomic 

codes that form the basis of the spectral synthesis models used in X-ray astrophysics. These models are used 

to relate spectra observed from an astrophysical object 

to conditions in the source, including temperature, 

ionization-equilibrium, composition, density, turbulence and bulk motion. This work is fundamentally 

important as high-resolution spectroscopy becomes 

the dominant tool in exploring the physics of X-rayemitting objects. 

This has already started with the observation of 

bright point sources with the high-resolution dispersive spectrometers on Chandra and XMM/Newton. 

It will become critically important with the upcoming Astro-H and IXO/Athena, which will produce a 

detailed, high-spectral-resolution image with every 

observation. Our program is designed to validate and 

correct the accuracy of the spectral synthesis models in 

controlled ground-based experiments, giving us confidence that we have correctly ascribed observed spectral features to known conditions in the astrophysical 

source.

The basis of our program is a high-resolution, 

non-dispersive, X-ray calorimeter spectrometer, a suite 

of very-high-resolution dispersive spectrometers, and 

the Electron Beam Ion Trap (EBIT) plasma generator at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 

(LLNL). ASD scientists include Porter, Kelley, Kilbourne, Adams, Smith, and Leutenegger. Other collaborating institutions include Stanford University 

and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The LLNL EBIT can produce nearly any plasma 

conditions, from low-charge states in light elements 

to bare uranium with electron beam energies of up to 

200 keV. Nearly any charge state of any astrophysically 

interesting element can be produced, either as a pure 

charge state or in a Maxwellian distribution at known 

temperature. 

Non-equilibrium ionization conditions can also 

be produced with almost any astrophysically interesting ionization parameter. Typical measurements in our 

program include spectral-line identification, absolute 

cross sections, recombination, charge-exchange recombination, and cross sections in thermal and nonthermal distributions. Measurements are related back 

to theory, the results of atomic calculations, and to the 

standard X-ray spectral synthesis models used in X-ray 

astrophysics. 

A key instrument in these measurements is a 

broadband high-resolution X-ray calorimeter instrument provided by Goddard beginning in 2000 and 

now on its third revision. This system has been operated almost continuously for the past 9.5 years. It 

has produced well over two dozen peer-reviewed articles, and it has made critical measurements of absolute cross sections in L-shell Fe and Ni, as well as 

charge-exchange measurements in S, C, O, and Fe. 

Many investigations are ongoing. Recent emphasis 

has been a detailed look at L-shell charge exchange, 

The XRS/EBIT microcalorimeter spectrometer attached 

to an EBIT at the Linac Coherent Light Source. This 

experiment performed some of the first measurements of 

X-ray photoexcitation in highly charged ions in the laboratory, providing critical laboratory tests of astrophysical 

plasmas.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 40

mostly with sulfur and iron, as a function of ionization state, a key component of magnetospheric charge 

exchange for which there exists no predictive theory. 

Magnetospheric and heliospheric charge exchange are 

key components of spatially, spectrally, and temporally 

variable foreground emission which complicate observations of, for example, the soft X-ray background, 

warm-hot intergalactic medium, and clusters of galaxies. Charge-exchange emission is also very diagnostic and if observed in a celestial source can provide 

key information on the composition, ionization state, 

and relative velocity of both the donor and acceptor 

species. Our laboratory investigation is unique in the 

world at providing the first controlled high-resolution 

spectra of charge exchange in astrophysical elements 

and is geared to provide information to guide the development of a predictive atomic theory, especially for 

the key L-shell emission which dominates local charge 

exchange.

Goddard first installed an X-ray calorimeter instrument at the LLNL EBIT facility in the summer 

of 2000, the XRS/EBIT, based on the engineeringmodel detector system for the Astro-E observatory. 

The system was significantly upgraded using technology developed for Astro-E2 in 2003. A dedicated 

facility-class instrument designed from the ground 

up for laboratory astrophysics was installed in 2007. 

The current instrument, dubbed the EBIT Calorimeter Spectrometer (ECS), utilizes a 32-channel X-ray 

calorimeter array from the Astro-E2 program installed 

in a long-lifetime automated laboratory cryostat that 

enables continuous experiments for up to 70 hours 

with a two-hour recharge. The detector array is populated with 16 mid-band (0.05–12 keV) X-ray absorbers with 4.5 eV FWHM resolution at 6 keV, and 16 

high-band (0.1–100 keV) X-ray absorbers with 30 eV 

FWHM at 60 keV. 

In addition to operating the ECS, we recently 

(spring 2011 and spring 2012) refurbished the XRS/

EBIT spectrometer to perform photoexcitation measurements at the SLAC Linac Coherent Light Source 

(LCLS). In this experiment we combined a portable 

EBIT, the XRS/EBIT spectrometer, and a monochrometer with the LCLS light source to breed and 

observe X-ray emission from photoexcitation in highly 

charged ions. This resulted in a recent letter to Nature 

(Bernitt et al. 2012), with ASD scientists Porter and 

Leutenegger as co-authors.

We are currently designing and constructing the 

fourth-generation instrument that will be based on 

detector technology from the IXO/Athena development program. It will be installed in a completely automated cryogen-free cryostat. This fourth-generation 

instrument is dubbed the Transition-Edge Microcalorimeter Spectrometer (TEMS) and will be composed 

of a checkerboard hybrid of 128 low-band (0.05–1 

keV) pixels with 0.8 eV resolution at 1 keV, and 128 

mid-band (0.05–10 keV) pixels with 2.0 eV resolution at 6 keV. In addition, there will be a 64-channel 

high-band array (0.1–200 keV) with 30 eV resolution 

at 60 keV. The TEMS instrument will become the 

workhorse instrument in our laboratory astrophysics 

program to make sure that our measurements and understanding of atomic processes are ready to interpret 

the spectra we will obtain with Astro-H and future 

observatories. TEMS will be installed at the EBIT facility in late 2013.

Next Generation X-ray Optics 

X-ray optics is an essential and enabling technology 

for future X-ray astronomical missions. It is characterized by three quantities: angular resolution, effective 

area per unit mass, and production cost per unit effective area. This development, led by Dr. Will Zhang of 

the X-ray Astrophysics Laboratory, is a collaborative 

effort of scientists and engineers from ASD and Goddard’s Applied Engineering and Technology Directorate, as well as SGT and Ball Aerospace. Its objective 

is to develop a telescope-manufacturing process that 

achieves the highest angular resolution possible while 

maximizing the effective area per unit mass and minimizing the cost per unit effective area, advancing by at 

least an order of magnitude the state of the art of X-ray 

An image from the mirror module made using 7.9 keV 

X-rays generated by a copper target.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 41

telescope construction represented by the three currently operating missions: Chandra, XMM-Newton, 

and Suzaku. 

This development effort uses the segmented design approach. The technique is scalable and suited 

to building telescopes of any size—small ones for Explorer missions as well as large ones for flagship missions. The key steps of the process include: fabrication, coating, and measurement of mirror segments, 

and alignment and integration of mirror segments 

into modules. 

The development effort is multi-pronged, investigating two methods for fabricating mirror substrates: 

precision glass slumping and the polishing and lightweighting of monocrystalline silicon. The precision 

glass slumping is a replication technique and has been 

developed for the former International X-ray Observatory mission (IXO). It is a mature and inexpensive 

process and has been demonstrated to be capable of 

making mirror substrates at the 7-arcsecond level, 

enabling the manufacture of 10-arsecond-resolution 

telescopes. The polishing and lightweighting of monocrystalline silicon is a new method under development 

that has the potential of making diffraction-limited Xray mirrors, enabling a future telescopes with angular 

resolution comparable to, or better than, Chandra’s 

0.5 arcseconds.

The team is investigating both magnetron sputtering and atomic layer deposition (ALD) for coating 

thin X-ray mirrors to achieve the maximum possible 

reflectivity while minimizing figure distortion caused 

by coating stress. Both processes have been demonstrated to work on experimental samples. In 2012 they 

will be applied on full-size mirrors.

As part of their effort to develop a method of 

aligning and integrating mirror segments into a module, the team has built up a small laboratory in the 

Goddard Optical Test Site. The laboratory has a very 

stable thermal environment, with temperature variation less than 0.1° C over several days. In 2011, they 

repeatedly aligned and bonded single pairs of parabolic and hyperbolic mirror segments, achieving X-ray 

images better than 10 arcseconds and demonstrating 

the technique is well suited for making 10-arcsecond modules. In 2012, they successfully applied this 

technique to co-align and bond three pairs of mirror 

segments, demonstrating that these modules can pass 

both X-ray performance tests and environment tests. 

In 2013 they expect to further refine the alignment 

and bonding technique to construct technology-development modules that contain more than 3 parabolic-hyperbolic mirror pairs.

Technology Development for Gravitational 

Wave Missions

The technologists of the Gravitational Wave Astrophysics Branch continued to study key and enabling 

technologies for space-based gravitational wave detection in 2012. These efforts were led by branch scientists Camp, Livas, Numata, Stebbins, and Thorpe with 

help from both contract and civil-servant engineers. 

The technology-development efforts also provided 

educational opportunities for several students, including high school student Alex Dalzell and graduate student Darsa Donelan (U. Florida). Results from 

2012’s technology development work were presented 

at several conferences, including the IEEE Aerospace 

Conference, the 9th International LISA Symposium, 

and the 39th COSPAR General Assembly.

The biggest change for 2012 was the expansion 

of possible mission architectures that resulted from 

the dissolution of the NASA/ESA partnership on the 

Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission 

and the subsequent re-scoping of gravitational wave 

missions in both the U.S. and Europe. Livas, StebThis X-ray mirror module containing three co-aligned 

and bonded parabolic-hyperbolic mirror pairs. This module has been subjected to X-ray imaging performance tests 

in a 600-m long X-ray beam line before and after vibration and thermal-vacuum environment tests, demonstrating that this technology is at TRL 5.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 42

bins, and Thorpe played vital roles in the execution 

and documentation of the Gravitational-Wave Mission Concept Study, which considered a variety of potential mission concepts and evaluated their cost, risk, 

science impact, and technologies. While the study 

concluded that the most effective mission concepts 

were those implemented with LISA-like architectures, 

there were some significant differences (e.g., laser 

power, telescope size, etc.) that will influence future 

technology development. A related effort to produce a 

Gravitational Wave Technology Development Plan is 

currently under way and is expected to conclude early 

in 2013.

In addition to developing technologies for a future U.S.-led gravitational wave mission, branch 

technologists are studying potential contributions to 

ESA’s New Gravitational-Wave/Evolved LISA (NGO/

eLISA) mission concept, which expects to respond to 

an upcoming call for large missions in ESA’s Cosmic 

Visions Programme. 

Fiber laser/amplifier development. Laser technology for the telecommunications industry has undergone dramatic advances in the past decade. Lasers 

and optical amplifiers based on bulk optics have been 

replaced by technologies such as fiber lasers and amplifiers, waveguide devices and semiconductor lasers. 

These components naturally fit into the precision laser 

systems needed for interferometric gravitational wave 

missions: They have high mechanical robustness, high 

reliability, compact form factor, and high wall-plug efficiency. Numata and Camp are pursuing an all-fiber/

waveguide space laser solution based on the MOFA 

(master oscillator fiber amplifier) configuration, namely, a waveguide-based oscillator followed by a pre-amplifier and a power amplifier. In 2012, detailed noise 

measurements of the power amplifier system were 

completed. The differential phase noise is reduced by a 

factor ~4 by adopting a highly-doped short large-core 

fiber and is now on the LISA requirement level. Numata and Camp, with a support from Redfern Integrated Optics (RIO, California), have also continued 

the development work on planar-waveguide external 

cavity diode laser (PW-ECL) as a possible alternative 

to traditional NPROs and fiber lasers. By 2011, 1550-

nm PW-ECL was proven to have enough robustness 

for spaceflight. As a result, it was adopted as a light 

source of the OpTIIX metrology system in 2012. Also 

in 2012, RIO started development work on 1064-nm 

version of PW-ECL, primarily for the LISA mission. 

Its first sample will be delivered to GSFC in early 2013 

and will be tested together with the Yb pre- and power-amplifier as an all-waveguide-based laser system. 

Telescope structure stability. A telescope is needed 

for gravitational wave measurements to increase the 

light-transfer efficiency between distant spacecraft. 

Since the telescope lies in the interferometric path, 

it is critical that the optical path length through the 

telescope remain stable at the picometer level. Livas, 

together with engineering support from GSFC and 

testing support from postdoctoral fellow Josep SanJuan and undergraduate Danila Korytov (U. Florida) 

completed testing to confirm that the dimensional stability is limited by thermal effects in the environment 

and that the structure will meet requirements in the 

expected on-orbit environment. 

Telescope development and scattered light suppression. Many of the requirements for a realistic 

telescope for a space-based gravitational wave mission 

may be satisfied by an optimized Cassegrain-style telescope of modest size (0.2 m) and wavefront quality 

of l/30. The gravitational wave measurement application requires two additional requirements—picometer 

A high-power ytturbium fiber amplifier in action

This mechanical model of the on-axis telescope design, 

showing the spider and tertiary mirror, enables quantitative evaluation of estimated performance against requirements.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 43

pathlength stability and very low scattered light performance— that impose conflicting requirements on 

the telescope design. The picometer-level pathlength 

stability favors an on-axis telescope design, and the 

scattered light performance favors an off-axis design. 

Livas, together with collaborators John Crow (543), 

Joe Howard (551), Len Seals (551), Petar Arsenovic 

(551), and Ron Shiri (551) have been studying the 

design options and recently commissioned an industrial partner to do a focused design and engineering 

study that includes an explicit consideration of designfor-manufacturing requirements, an expertise that the 

Goddard team does not have. As part of the design 

study, Shiri and Seals are studying the feasibility of using amplitude masks similar in design to those developed for exoplanet research for scattered light suppression. The masks would be implemented with carbon 

nanotube technology developed by John Hagopian 

(551). An experimental test program to verify the performance of these masks is planned in parallel with the 

feasibility study. The next step after the design study 

will be to place an order for a prototype telescope, and 

then verify by testing that it meets the requirements, 

including scattered light performance and pathlength 

stability. The pathlength stability testing will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Florida.

Optical bench construction. The missions under study in Europe and the U.S. detect gravitational 

waves by monitoring distance fluctuations between 

widely-separated, freely-falling test masses using laser 

interferometry. The optical structures used to perform 

this interferometry must be stable at the picometer 

level to ensure that they do not introduce disturbances 

that would corrupt the measurement. An innovative 

technique known as hydroxy-catalysis bonding has 

been applied in Europe to produce the optical benches 

for the technology demonstrator mission LISA Pathfinder. Thorpe is leading an effort funded by the Goddard IRAD program to build a small optical bench 

containing a frequency stabilization reference using 

the hydroxy-catalysis technique. The team consisting 

of A. Preston (Laser Remote Sensing Laboratory), L. 

Miner (Instrument Systems and Technology Division, 

Optics Branch), and K. Norman (SGT) successfully 

completed construction of the bench and have begun 

performance testing of the frequency reference. Preliminary results show an upper-limit RMS length stability of ~4 picometers over averaging times of 1000s. 

This limit is about 1000x worse than the best measurements made by the GSFC group with their reference cavities (~6 femtometers at 1000s), which are 

constructed using a different technique that is not as 

suitable for spaceflight as hydroxy-catalysis bonding. 

The group is currently working to characterize and indentify the excess noise in the optical bench system 

and determine what portion is due to the structure 

itself. For comparison, a Hydrogen atom has a diameter of about 100 picometers and a proton has a charge 

radius of ~1 femtometer.

101 102 103 104 10−15

10−14

10−13

10−12

10−11

10−10

RMS Length Fluctuations [m]

Averaging Time [s]

optical bench

reference system

The measured upper limit on pathlength fluctuations of the optical bench demonstration prototype are about 25 times 

smaller than the diameter of a hydrogen atom.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 44

Photoreceiver development. Space-based gravitational wave detectors will use quadrant photoreceivers 

to detect the interferometric signals and measure the 

motion of drag-free test masses in both angular orientation and separation. A custom photoreceiver with 

a 1.0-mm-diameter quadrant photodiode and the associated electronics has been developed through the 

Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program. 

Demonstrated device performance shows an equivalent input current noise of better than 1.8 pA/√Hz 

below 20MHz and a 3 dB-bandwidth of 34 MHz, 

which meets nominal requirements. The SBIR contract formally concluded in March with the delivery of 

four packaged quadrant photoreceivers. Device level 

characterization of the noise and bandwidth of the receivers is in progress. The next steps include spatial 

scanning of the photodiode surfaces, measurement of 

inter-quadrant cross-talk, and system-level differential 

wavefront-sensing angle measurements. The photoreceivers may find near-term application in the Gravity 

Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) followon mission now under development, and there may be 

requirements for larger diameter detectors with similar 

noise performance.

Three-Dimensional Track Imager Detector 

for Gamma-ray Imaging with Polarization

Stanley Hunter, with Georgia DeNolfo, Seunghee 

Son, and Michael Dion, continue the development 

of the Three-Dimensional Track Imager (3-DTI) for a 

future gamma-ray telescope with the goal of providing 

optimum angular resolution and polarization sensitivity in the medium-energy (5–500 MeV) gamma-ray 

range. 

The 3-DTI is a large-volume time-projection 

chamber (TPC) capable of three dimensional tracking and momentum measurements used for particle 

identification. A two-dimensional micro-well detector (MWD) serves as a spatial readout and multiplication stage while the third coordinate is obtained from 

the drift time of the primary charge through the gas 

volume. Each well of the MWD, 200 mm diameter on 

400 mm centers, is an active gas proportional counter 

with gas gain of ~104

. Negative ion drift is utilized to 

reduce the drift velocity and diffusion allowing for the 

large TPC volume. Development of the 3-DTI technology is funded by NASA/APRA. The team’s accomplishments this year include:

1. Drs. Son and Dion made major improvements in 

our UV laser micro-machining facility allowing 

various machining techniques to be tested. Plasma cleaning and reactive ion etching of the MWD 

substrates are being investigated as a means to increase the MWD gain.

This prototype quadrant photoreceiver packaged for compatibility with the LISA Pathfinder optical bench meets 

the requirements for making picometer displacement 

measurements and nanoradian anglular measurements.

30 × 30 × 15 cm3 3-DTI prototype; the 30 ×30 cm2

MWD can be seen between the wires and supports forming the 15-cm tall drift volume. The flex-circuit connections between the MWD electrodes and the charge-sensitive front-end electronics have not been connected. The 

front-electronics and high-voltage supply for the drift grid 

are located below the aluminum plate. 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 45

2. Dr. Dion designed, fabricated and tested MWDs 

with a small post projecting from the anode. The 

increase in detector gain was not realized due to 

defects in the post fabrication. Additional work 

continues. 

3. The second-generation transient digitizer readout 

system was fabricated and initial testing completed. This “streaming mode” readout essentially 

eliminates the 3-DTI readout dead time. Development of the streaming mode software was begun 

by Teresa Sheets and will be continued with FY13 

IRAD funding to demonstrate gigabit per second 

processing required to process the raw streaming 

mode data. Final testing and integration with the 

30 cm 3-DTI prototype is continuing. 

4. A Quasi-Monoenergetic 6 MeV Gamma Facility 

was developed at Goddard’s Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory (GGAO) site. This facility takes advantage of the D-T neutron generator 

and 1.8 × 1.8 × 0.9 m3

 block of granite at GGAO 

to provide a low background source of 2.742, 

6.129, and 7.117 MeV gamma rays.

5. An APRA proposal, “Optimization and Testing 

of the 3-DTI for Medium-Energy Gamma-Ray 

astrophysics,” was submitted but not selected for 

continued funding. A new proposal will be submitted in FY13. 

6. Publications: 

Development of a telescope for medium-energy 

gamma-ray astronomy. Stanley D. Hunter, Peter F. 

Bloser, Michael P. Dion, Georgia A. DeNolfo, Jason Legere, Mark L. McConnell, Suzanne F. Nowicki, James M. Ryan, Seunghee Son, and Floyd W. 

Stecker. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 84430F, 

doi:10.1117/12.925216

Development of a quasi-monoenergetic 6 MeV 

gamma facility. Suzanne F. Nowicki, Stanley D. 

Hunter, Julia G. Bodnarik, Michael P. Dion, Ann 

M. Parsons, Jeffrey Schweitzer, and Seunghee Son. 

Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 844337, doi: 

10.1117/12.925473

Development of a quasi-monoenergetic 6 MeV 

Gamma Facility at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. S. F. Nowicki, S. D. Hunter, A. M. Parsons. Nucl. 

Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Section A 705, 111, doi: 

10.1016/j.nima.2012.12.066

The Quasi-Monoenergetic 6 MeV Gamma Facility at 

Goddard’s Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory 

(GGAO) site. This facility utilizes the D-T neutron generator, extending from the activation loop on the left side 

of the 1.8 × 1.8 × 0.9 m3

 block of granite, to irradiate water via the 1

6O(n,p)16N reaction with 14.2 MeV 

neutrons. The 7.13-second half-life of the 16N allows the 

water to be pumped to the decay loop on the right side of 

the granite block where it decays to 16O* that quickly deexcites producing 2.742, 6.129, and 7.117 MeV gamma 

rays. The granite block shields the decay loop from the 

background radiation produced by the n,p reaction and 

neutron interactions in the granite.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Research and Development 46
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Projects 47

Projects

Scientists assigned to NASA flight projects play vitally 

important roles during all phases of a mission’s life cycle—from the development of science requirements, 

to concept and technology development, formulation 

and eventually operations. The Project Scientist works 

with project managers, engineers, NASA Headquarters, the mission science team (or science working 

group) and the wider astronomical community to assure a successful outcome. Nearly half of the scientists 

in ASD serve NASA either as a Project Scientist (PS) 

or as a Deputy Project Scientist (DPS), Mission Scientist (MS), Instrument Scientist (IS), Principal Investigator (PI), Deputy PI, and more. The top-notch 

science that flows from ASD missions is a testament 

to the knowledge, hard work and dedication that the 

division’s technical staff brings to these roles.

Project Scientists

ACE Tycho von Rosenvinge

Astro-H Robert Petre (PS)

SXS Instrument Rich Kelley (PI)

Balloon Program Jack Tueller (PS), John Mitchell (DPS)

Cosmic Origins Dominic Benford (Chief Scientist), Susan Neff (Deputy)

X-ray Mission Concept 

Study

Robert Petre (Study Scientist), Andy Ptak (Deputy)

Explorer Program Neil Gehrels (PS)

GEMS Tim Kallman (PS), Jean Swank (PI), Keith Jahoda (DPI), Joe Hill (IS)

Fermi Julie McEnery (PS), Liz Hays (DPS), Neil Gehrels (DPS), Dave Thompson (DPS)

HEASARC Alan Smale (Director), Lorella Angelini (DPS)

HST Jennifer Wiseman (PS), Ken Carpenter (Operations PS), Padi Boyd (Operations DPS), 

Jeff Kruk (Observatory PS)

Gravitational Wave 

Mission Concept Study

Robin Stebbins (Study Scientist), Jeffrey Livas, James (Ira) Thorpe and John Baker 

(Deputies).

JWST John Mather (PS), Jon Gardner (DPS), Mal Niedner (DPS for Technical), Matthew 

Greenhouse (ISIM PS), Bernard Rauscher (DPS for ISIM), Mark Clampin (Observatory 

PS), Charles Bowers (DPS for Observatory), George Sonneborn (Operations PS), Jane 

Rigby (DPS for Operations), Randy Kimble (DPS for I&T), Amber Straughn (DPS for 

Communications and Public Outreach)

JWST microshutters Harvey Moseley (PI)

NASA Engineering Safety 

Center

Ed Wollack

Physics of the Cosmos Ann Hornschemeier (Chief Scientist), Alan Smale (Deputy)

WFIRST study Neil Gehrels (Study Scientist), Jeff Kruk (Instrument Scientist)

RXTE Tod Strohmayer (PS)-Mission Completion in Jan 2012

Sounding Rockets Scott Porter (DPS)

Suzaku Rob Petre (PS), Lorella Angelini (DPS)

Swift Neil Gehrels (PI), Scott Barthelmy (DPI)

WISE Dave Leisawitz (MS), Dominic Benford (DMS)

WMAP Ed Wollack (PS)

XMM Steve Snowden (PS)
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Projects 48

The Extreme Deep Field (XDF), a new, improved portrait of mankind’s deepest-ever view of the universe. The photo 

was assembled by combining 10 years of Hubble photographs of a patch of sky at the center of the original Hubble 

Ultra Deep Field. The image uses data from the Advanced Camera for Surveys and the visible and infrared channels 

of Wide Field Camera 3.

In Operation

The Hubble Space Telescope

Hubble’s science return soared in 2012, even three 

years after the historic final space shuttle servicing 

mission SM-4. This is largely because its superb instrument suite has made Hubble more scientifically 

powerful than ever. The flagship Wide-Field Camera 

3 (WFC3), developed at Goddard, continues to push 

the forefront of astrophysics. In particular, its infrared channel provided images of ultra-high-redshift 

galaxies never seen before, with high-sensitivity deep 

fields including the Extreme Deep Field (XDF), assembled from combining archival images of a patch 

of the Hubble Ultra-Deep Field from a decade of observations. The year culminated with the phenomenal 

announcement from Richard Ellis and his team of an 

entire population of galaxies now detected between 

redshifts of 8 and 12, reaching back to just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang. This population 

reveals infant galaxies that have yet to evolve into more 

metal-rich environments and larger structures that 

more mature galaxies display. These observations are 

obvious bridges to the James Webb Space Telescope, 

which will be able to pick up proto-galaxies in detail 

from the very early universe at even higher redshifts.

Extremely distant galaxies were also drawn into 

view by careful imaging of massive galaxy clusters, 

which can gravitationally lens and magnify the light 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Projects 49

from distant galaxies beyond. One such infant galaxy 

with redshift of nearly 10 was spotted in Hubble images from the Cluster Lensing and Supernova Survey 

with Hubble (CLASH) program, and corroborated by 

observations from the Spitzer Space Telescope. Light 

from this galaxy fragment started its journey only a 

few hundred million years after the Big Bang. 

CLASH, with principle investigator Marc Postman, is one of Hubble’s Multi-Cycle Treasury (MCT) 

programs. These flagship programs are designed to 

capture data and rich scientific return for studies that 

require hundreds of orbits, multiple years, and diverse 

teams to accomplish. The MCT programs, started in 

Cycle 18 of Hubble’s Guest Observer (GO) program 

to support the goal of maximizing Hubble’s science 

return in its remaining years, reached full throttle in 

2012, with most observations completed, preliminary 

science results released, and the development of science products and tools well underway. The other programs include the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda 

Treasury (PHAT) program (PI Julianne Dalcanton), 

the Cosmic Assembly Near-Infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) program (PIs Sandra 

Faber and Harry Ferguson), and the Supernova Follow-Up program of Adam Riess, using data from the 

CLASH and CANDELS programs. MCT data have 

no proprietary period and are made available immediately to the scientific community for diverse scientific 

uses.

Careful dynamic HST observations of our neighboring Andromeda galaxy also revealed a prediction 

astounding enough to inspire a NASA-sponsored televised press conference: The Andromeda and Milky 

Way galaxies will collide head-on, in 4 billion years. 

Within our own galaxy, exoplanets continued as 

a field of highest interest. One particularly important 

new HST exoplanet observation revealed the first 

known “waterworld”, GJ 1214b, a super-Earth sized 

exoplanet that has an atmosphere containing significant amounts of water. 

Hubble continues to break records regarding scientific return. In 2012, Hubble reached the milestone 

of its 11,000th published paper, an accomplishment 

unique to this mission. But of even more import was 

the publication of 836 papers in refereed journals in 

2012. This is the highest yearly total ever for HST (or 

With the combined power of NASA’s Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes, as well as a cosmic magnification effect, 

astronomers have spotted what could be the most distant galaxy ever seen. Light from the young galaxy captured by the 

orbiting observatories first shone when our 13.7-billion-year-old universe was just 500 million years old. The far-off 

galaxy existed within an important era when the universe began to transition from the so-called cosmic dark ages.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Projects 50

any mission), surpassing last year’s previous HST record and even 2010’s output by more than 100 papers! 

Both of these achievements demonstrate the increasing 

productivity of the mission, even several years after the 

last servicing mission, as well as the community’s interest in the rich data provided by the MCT programs 

and the growing data archive. Over 80 papers have 

been published to date based on MCT data alone. 

The Project Science Office for HST at Goddard 

continued its science leadership with ASD scientists 

Jennifer Wiseman as Senior Project Scientist, Kenneth 

Carpenter as Operations Project Scientist, Patricia 

(Padi) Boyd as Deputy Operations Project Scientist, 

and Jeffrey Kruk as Observatory Project Scientist. 

Project Scientists worked with Goddard Project Management and engineering teams as well as STScI science and technical staff throughout the year, on issues 

ranging from oversight of the telescope proposal selection and time allocation reviews to technical status 

meetings. They also served on organizing committees 

for, and participated in, meetings convened to improve the science productivity of HST and to discuss 

the future of UV astronomy itself. Two particular technical accomplishments from this cooperation were an 

adjustment in the detector lifetime position for spectra within the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), 

vastly improving sensitivity and capability of COS for 

years to come, and the extension of COS operation 

at FUSE-quality resolution down to 900 Angstroms. 

This wavelength range enhancement enables new science never before accessible to HST, providing access 

to deuterium abundance outside the local bubble, and 

O VI in our galaxy and intergalactic medium (IGM) 

at low redshift, a critical diagnostic for gas that is not 

An artist’s concept of the night sky in a few billion years, as the Andromeda and Milky Way galaxies close in. Roeland 

van der Marel of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) and his team used careful Hubble measurements of 

Andromeda’s motion along with computer simulations to predict the future cosmic merger.

Another moon for Pluto: Hubble has now detected several 

previously unknown moons of the dwarf planet, bringing the current total to five. The growing knowledge of 

the distribution of debris around Pluto is helping chart a 

safer course for New Horizons, a probe on its way to study 

Pluto and the Kuiper Belt.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Projects 51

hot enough to be observed in X-rays but too hot to be 

observed by other mean; most of the IGM is thought 

to be in this phase. Molecular hydrogen absorption 

measurements are now also enabled as a critical diagnostic for the most abundant molecular component of 

the universe. 

The team also worked with STScI to produce the 

annual Science Year in Review, reviewed and advocated healthy science support in the mission budget, 

and reviewed all science press releases for the mission. 

Of particular note in 2012 was the cooperative HST 

project and STScI preparation and presentation of the 

HST Senior Review proposal to NASA HQ, the first 

time Hubble has been evaluated by the Senior Review 

of Operating missions in over 15 years. By presenting 

the outstanding forefront science discoveries, the mission goals, and the streamlining of operations, HST 

received an outstanding evaluation and full support 

from NASA for continuing the mission unabated. 

Hubble’s discoveries in 2012 included yet another 

moon of the icy dwarf planet Pluto, bringing the total 

known to five, and adding to the two that were already 

discovered by Hubble. While these detections are interesting in their own right, they also are providing input toward the strategy of another NASA mission, the 

New Horizons probe heading to Pluto and the Kuiper 

Belt. The detection of multiple moons around Pluto is 

now actually becoming a matter of concern for New 

Horizons: the region around Pluto may be laden with 

abundant debris even smaller than these moons, but 

large enough to damage the passing probe. Data from 

Hubble is therefore crucial to mapping out the probable distribution of circumplanetary material around 

Pluto, based on the planar distribution of the recently 

The Tarantula Nebula in 30 Doradus is the brightest star-forming region visible in a neighboring galaxy and home to 

the most massive stars ever seen. The image was taken to celebrate Hubble’s 22nd anniversary in 2012.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Projects 52

detected moons. This information is guiding mission 

engineers to chart a safer course for New Horizons as 

it nears the Pluto system, and demonstrates the importance of Hubble for support of other missions as 

well.

As the Hubble continued on at its most scientifically powerful and productive pace of all time, we celebrated the mission’s 22nd birthday with a breathtaking view of the star-formation mecca in the heart of 30 

Doradus, known as the Tarantula Nebula. The image 

comprises one of the largest mosaics ever assembled 

from Hubble photos and includes observations taken 

by WFC3 its and Advanced Camera for Surveys, an 

example of how Hubble’s instruments, used together, 

can further enable breathtaking results that inspire 

both science and awe. 

Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope

Science

This year brought the results of Fermi’s first Senior Review with the welcome news that the mission will continue operations into the extended phase beginning in 

late 2013. This marks the high quality of scientific 

output across the teams and the gamma-ray user community and supports ongoing discoveries as monitoring continues, observations deepen, and all levels of 

analysis increase in sophistication. David Thompson 

and Judith Racusin with Seth Digel made core contributions to the science submission and also authored 

an article on Fermi for Physics Today. 

Supernova remnants (SNRs), a notable class 

of gamma-ray emitter and potential source of highenergy cosmic-ray particles, continue to be a prolific 

area of research for the Fermi team, particularly as 

exposure increases above 10 GeV, where the Large 

Area Telescope (LAT) has more resolving power. In 

the two brightest SNRs seen with the LAT, the data 

reveal the characteristic signature of pion decay, demonstrating that protons are accelerated to high energy 

and confirming previous hints of this feature found 

by AGILE. John Hewitt, Theresa Brandt, and Fabio 

Acero have been active in studies of individual SNRs. 

Brandt, Hewitt, Acero, and Jamie Cohen have also 

made key contributions to a LAT catalog of supernova 

remnants, a large project to systematically characterize 

gamma-ray emission in the vicinity of known radio 

remnants and to study the population within a multiwavelength context.

The LAT also carries out direct studies of local high-energy cosmic rays. Alex Moiseev continues 

studies of cosmic-ray electrons measured with the 

This smoothed map presents they sky from 10 GeV to >300 GeV, a new energy window being explored by Fermi’s LAT. 

Brighter colors indicate brighter gamma-ray sources. As the LAT builds exposure, faint sources and features emerge, 

and new flaring sources appear while others fade. Numerous sources along the plane of our galaxy as well as far from 

it are visible. The large Fermi bubbles can be seen extending from the galactic center in the middle of the map
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

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LAT while David Green with Brandt and Liz Hays is 

extending that work to heavy ions.

Gamma-ray pulsars have offered new challenges 

for observations and puzzles for theory. Ozlem Celik, Elizabeth Ferrara, Megan DeCesar, and Thompson made key contributions to the second Fermi LAT 

pulsar catalog, a major effort describing the properties 

of 117 pulsars. DeCesar and Alice Harding focused 

on constraining pulsar emission scenarios through 

the modeling of gamma-ray pulsar lightcurves. Harding received the 2012 John C. Lindsay Memorial 

Award for Space Science for understanding of pulsars, through theoretical studies and interpretation of 

data from the Fermi mission. Harding’s contributions 

continue as explanations are sought for the first observation that emission from a young pulsar, the Crab, 

extends above the energies where currently favored 

models suggest cutoffs. 

Beyond our galaxy, Davide Donato, Thompson, 

Julie McEnery, Jeremy Perkins, Roopesh Ojha, Michael Dutka, and Bill McConville have been pursuing studies of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). Numerous Astronomer’s Telegrams have resulted from AGN 

flares spotted by Donato, Ojha, Dutka, and Tonia 

Venters while working as LAT Flare Advocates. Ojha 

and Dutka continue to work closely on correlations 

with the southern hemisphere radio VLBI program 

TANAMI. 

Thirteen new LAT-detected GRBs were discovered during 2012, and Donato, Sylvain Guiriec, Dan 

Kocevski, McEnery, Racusin, and Sylvia Zhu contributed to GRB detection infrastructure, follow-up notification, and burst advocate shift work. Additional 

gamma-ray burst studies focused on correlations and 

populations (Guireic, Kocevski, Racusin, Eleonora 

Troja, Zhu, Rodrigo Nemmen, and McEnery). 

Some fascinating flares originate much closer to 

Earth. The sun continues to be active in gamma rays 

and produced a very bright flare that was featured as 

an Astronomy Picture of the Day on March 15.

Theoretical studies involving Fermi results in addition to pulsars include work by Nemmen (working 

with Neil Gehrels), which shows a correlation between 

kinetic power and gamma-ray luminosity for AGN 

and gamma-ray bursts; the study appeared in Science 

December. Venters continues to study the extragalactic background in gamma rays and possible implications for intergalactic magnetic fields.

Outreach to the Scientific Community

McEnery and Hays organized the second Fermi 

Gamma-ray Summer School with support from many 

On March 7, 2012, the sun emitted a very strong flare that dominated the gamma-ray sky, outshining the brightest 

persistent source by 100 times.
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members of the local group and the Fermi Science 

Support Center (FSSC). McEnery, Brandt, and Hays 

worked closely with the local organizing committee for 

the Fourth Fermi Symposium. Goddard served as host 

institution for a LAT collaboration meeting in September, an effort led by Racusin and Perkins. Racusin, 

in cooperation with the RHESSI team in the Solar 

Physics Lab, the FSSC, the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) and LAT teams, organized the first Fermi 

Solar Data Analysis Workshop at Goddard. Racusin, 

Zhu, and DeCesar created a tasty representation of the 

Fermi spacecraft and sky map in cake form for a local 

celebration of the fourth launch anniversary.

Many Fermi scientists have participated in public outreach, including the Science and Engineering 

Exposition. Venters is leading the development of a 

display about Fermi for the Goddard visitor center.

Instrument and Mission Operations and 

Analysis

The spacecraft and instruments continue to operate 

without any notable degradation. Fermi successfully 

conducted its first propulsion maneuver to avoid a 

close conjunction with a defunct satellite. The GBM 

began taking data continuously in a time-tagged event 

mode useful for resolving very short timescales. Moiseev, Hays, Brandt, and Green have continued studies of the performance of the LAT Anticoincidence 

Detector, a subsystem built at Goddard. McEnery, 

Racusin, and Hays have been working closely with 

the spacecraft operations team and system experts at 

Goddard to maintain peak science performance of the 

observatory. 

The FSSC continues to manage observatory 

scheduling and to respond to target-of-opportunity 

requests. FSSC members have been actively releasing 

new and updated science tools packages and making 

user-contributed software and data products available 

to the public.

Swift

Swift is a NASA Explorer mission, with international participation, that is designed to find gamma-ray 

bursts and study them over a wide range of wavelengths, from gamma rays to optical light. It was 

launched in 2004 and is in its extended mission phase 

with re-entry no earlier than 2025. 

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most luminous 

explosions in the universe since the Big Bang. They 

come randomly from all directions in the sky and last 

from a few milliseconds to a few hundred seconds. 

GRBs are believed to occur in the collapse of some 

massive stars into supernovae or when two neutron 

stars merge. The details of how such intense bursts of 

radiation are produced are still not well understood.

There are three telescopes aboard Swift: the Burst 

Alert Telescope is a coded-aperture gamma-ray detector that operates between 15 and 150 keV. It detects 

GRBs and rapidly localizes them to approximately two 

arcminutes. Immediately afterward (usually within one 

minute) the spacecraft slews to point its two narrowfield instruments at the burst. The X-Ray Telescope 

measures the 0.2–10 keV X-ray flux from the GRB’s 

afterglow and localizes the source to within two arcseconds. The Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope collects data 

between 1,600 and 6,000 Angstroms and provides a 

sub-arcsecond position for the burst. Swift distributes 

these positions for each GRB to other observatories 

within seconds of obtaining them.

In the eight years since launch, Swift has detected 

and localized more than 700 GRBs. Among these are 

more than 60 short (T90 ≤ 2 sec) and hard GRBs, 

about half with likely host identifications and/or redshift estimates. These observations provided support 

for the theory that these bursts are due to the merging 

of binary neutron stars. Science highlights from the 

last year include, among others:

• In January 2012, researchers from Clemson 

University detected a flaring and rapidly brightening 

X-ray source in the Andromeda galaxy (M31). Followup observations of this “ultraluminous X-ray source” 

(ULX) with VLA by Matthew Middleton of the University of Durham, UK, and his collaborators gave 

the first-ever detection of a radio-emitting jet from a 

stellar-mass black hole outside our own galaxy. 

• On Sept. 16 and 17, 2012, BAT triggered 

multiple times on a previously unknown hard X-ray 

source a few degrees from the Galactic Center. The 

trigger marked the onset of a dramatic transition from 

the low/hard to the high/soft state of the X-ray nova 

Sw J1745–26, revealing a previously unknown black 

hole in our galaxy.

• Swift monitoring of the binary system OB2 #9 

by Yael Nazé at the University of Liège in Belgium led 

to the X-ray detection of colliding winds from the two 

stars. The data indicate that Cygnus OB2 #9 is a massive binary with components of similar mass (around 

50 times the sun’s mass) and luminosity following 

long, highly eccentric orbits.

• Alain Lecavelier des Etangs at the Paris Institute 

of Astrophysics and his team used multi-wavelength 

observations of the exoplanet HD 189733b with Swift 

and HST. The observations revealed an X-ray flare 

from the star so powerful that it led to the evaporation 

of the planet’s upper atmosphere. During this process, 

the Jupiter-sized planet lost around 1,000 tons of gas 

in the planet’s atmosphere each second.
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Swift’s Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope (UVOT) acquired this image of comet Garradd (C/2009 P1) on April 1, 2012, 

when the comet was 142 million miles away, or 636 times farther than the moon. Red shows sunlight reflected from 

the comet’s dust; violet shows ultraviolet light produced by hydroxyl (OH), a fragment of water. NGC 2895 is a barred 

spiral galaxy located 400 million light-years away. The UVOT image (outlined) is placed within a wider visible image 

of the region from the Digital Sky Survey.

• Ultraviolet and X-ray monitoring of comet Garradd (C/2009 P1) showed that the comet produced 

large amounts of dust and gas well before it reached 

the snow line. Dennis Bodewits at the University of 

Maryland, College Park, and his team concluded that 

the activity was powered by something other than water ice, which is expected to remain frozen until the 

comet approaches the snow line.

• Two independent Swift studies of thermonuclear Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) rule out the presence of massive companion stars in these systems. Peter Brown from Texas A&M and Stefan Immler from 

NASA/Goddard used Swift UV and X-ray observations of a large sample of young SNe Ia. The lack of 

any recorded UV or X-ray emission showed that the 

outgoing shock of the SN explosions does not plow 

through the winds of massive companion stars or even 

sun-like stars.

• On Dec. 12, 2012, Wayne Baumgartner and 

his colleagues from NASA/Goddard released the 

70-month survey of BAT data to the public. The catalog contains over 1,200 sources, 8-band BAT spectra, 

and 70-month 8-band snapshot lightcurves for all 

sources.

• By the end of 2012, around 1,300 refereed papers had been published based on Swift results. During the last two years, the number of Swift papers 

exceeded that of Subaru, Gemini, and Keck, and is 

approaching the number of publications of the successful high-energy missions XMM-Newton and 

Chandra. More than half of all Swift papers are from 

non-GRB fields with an increasing fraction.

• During the 2012 Swift Guest Investigator 

(GI) Program Cycle 9, 158 proposals were received, 

requesting $4.3M in funds and 13.2 Ms total exposure time for 866 targets. New for 2012, proposers 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

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list on a quarterly basis—there are now ~1.3 refereed 

XMM publications per day, and a total of over 4,000! 

She began work this year verifying the Observation 

IDs in the publication list database to ensure all data 

sets were correctly identified. She also supports the 

implementation of XMM-Newton analysis software 

within the Hera data analysis system, and has developed extensive data analysis scripts, which can be either used in the Hera system or downloaded to a user’s 

machine. These streamline data reduction and make 

XMM-Newton data more accessible to the non-X-ray 

astronomy community.

Kuntz maintains (by periodic updates to include 

recent observations) the Optical Monitor (OM) 

source catalog (Kuntz et al. 2008, Publ. Astron Soc. 

Pacific, 120, 740) to compliment the X-ray source 

catalog produced by the XMM-Newton Survey Science Centre (SSC). The database contains entries for 

every source detected in OM observations. Kuntz and 

Arida work with STScI to make the OM catalog and 

data available through the Mikulski Archive at Space 

Telescopes (MAST), considerably increasing the data 

availability to optical astronomers.

Arida maintains the XMM-Newton archive at the 

GSFC GOF, which mirrors all public data in the ESA 

XMM-Newton Science Archive (XSA) at the SOC, 

as well as proprietary data for U.S. PIs. This mirroring of the data reduces the high data load at the European Space Operations Center site, and provides a 

much faster data-transfer rate within North America, 

as well as allowing use of the unique capabilities of 

the BROWSE database and providing a direct link for 

the use of XMM-Newton data within the HERA data 

analysis system.

Perry is an integral part of the ESA XMM mission software (Standard Analysis Software, SAS) development team and also contributes original software 

to SAS (e.g., XMM-ESAS). He is developing Trend 

data, which will be available to the community in early 

2013. 

The XMM GOF was successful in the 2012 Senior Review process and will receive continued funding through mid-FY15 for both GOF operations and 

GO support. The GOF will submit a proposal to the 

2014 Senior Review for continued funding through 

2016.

Suzaku (Astro-E2)

Suzaku is the fifth in a series of Japanese X-ray astronomy satellites, launched by the Japan Aerospace 

Exploration Agency (JAXA) on July 10, 2005. Like 

ASCA before it, Suzaku is a joint Japan-U.S. mission, 

interested in joint observing programs can now request Swift observing time through the Chandra and 

XMM-Newton GI Programs. 

XMM-Newton Guest Observer Facility

ASD operates the U.S. XMM-Newton Guest Observer Facility (XMM GOF). XMM is a European Space 

Agency (ESA) X-ray astrophysics mission with some 

U.S. hardware and software contributions, and ESA 

allocates resources to support European XMM users 

but looks to the GOF to provide support to the large 

U.S. astrophysics community. GOF activities include 

facilitating the submission of GO proposals to ESA, 

distributing proprietary data to U.S. PIs, maintaining 

the full public science archive, and supplying expertise, analysis software and documentation to U.S. scientists.

The GOF works in conjunction with the ASD 

GOFs of other high-energy astrophysics missions 

(e.g., Fermi, Swift and Suzaku) to lower costs and to 

ensure consistency in the areas of the budget proposal 

process, FITS tools, database structure, web pages and 

archival data access. Cost savings are leveraged by sharing resources, techniques, expertise and reusing software. GOF activities cover a very wide range of endeavors in support of XMM. A U.S. XMM-Newton 

Users Group under the chairmanship of Prof. Craig 

Sarazin (U. Virginia) provides community oversight 

of GOF activities. Dr. Steve Snowden is the NASA 

Project Scientist, and with Drs. Lynne Valencic and 

Kip Kuntz provides science support to the U.S. astrophysics community. Brendan Perry provides software 

support and Michael Arida maintains the U.S. XMM 

archive. 

Kuntz and Snowden are involved in the particle 

background calibration of the XMM X-ray imagers 

and the cross-calibration between the XMM instruments and other X-ray observatories (e.g., Chandra, 

Suzaku, ASCA, and ROSAT), which enhances the utility of multi-observatory data analysis. This has been a 

major activity over the last several years with XMM 

GOF participation in the International Astronomical 

Consortium for High Energy Calibration (IACHEC). 

Snowden and Kuntz have developed the XMM-Newton Extended Source Analysis Software (XMM-ESAS) 

package which is now fully implemented within the 

mission software suite. This package significantly simplifies and improves the accuracy of data reduction for 

extended objects and the diffuse X-ray background.

Valencic maintains the ABC and D Guides which 

provide an introduction to the scientific analysis of 

XMM-Newton data, updates the XMM publication 
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developed by the Institute of Space and Astronautical 

Science of JAXA (ISAS/JAXA) in collaboration with 

Goddard and many other institutions. 

Suzaku’s scientific payload includes three coaligned instruments, of which two are functional. The 

X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (XIS) consists of four 

imaging CCD cameras, three of which are front-illuminated (FI: energy range 0.4–12 keV) and one backilluminated (BI: energy range 0.2–12 keV). Each XIS 

is located at the focal plane of a dedicated X-ray telescope (XRT). One of the three FI chips was rendered 

inoperable by a micrometeorite impact in December 

2006; two other chips suffered lesser micrometeorite 

impacts but remain operational. The second functional instrument is a non-imaging, collimated Hard 

X-ray Detector (HXD) sensitive in the 10–600 keV 

band. The third instrument, the X-Ray Spectrometer 

(XRS), ceased operation shortly after launch due to a 

spacecraft design error. 

The power output of the onboard solar panels has 

decreased over time due to radiation damage, which 

caused the spacecraft to enter a safe hold in late January 2012 for several days. In response, ISAS/JAXA 

tightened the Sun angle range of observations and 

turned off all non-essential components. These countermeasures have allowed continued observations using all functional instruments. As of year end, ISAS 

is cautiously optimistic that normal observations with 

Suzaku can continue for several more years.

Goddard’s role in the mission includes supplying 

the five XRTs and the XRS “insert” (detector, blocking filters, adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator, and 

LHe cooler), development of data-processing software, 

operation of the U.S. Guest Observer Facility (GOF), 

and administration of the U.S. Guest Observer (GO) 

Program. Rob Petre is the NASA Project Scientist, 

Lorella Angelini is the Deputy Project Scientist, and 

Koji Mukai (CRESST) is the GOF Lead. Suzaku has 

produced an abundance of data from a wide variety 

of cosmic X-ray sources. Key unique Suzaku observations include: investigation into the variability of the 

heliospheric solar wind charge-exchange emission; discovery and measurements of lines of low-abundance 

metals and of radiative recombination continua in supernova remnants (SNR); broadband measurements 

of Galactic X-ray binaries and active galactic nuclei 

(AGN) to measure the reflection continuum above 10 

keV and the relativistically broadened Fe K line, leading to black hole spin estimates; and measurement of 

cluster properties at their virial radius.

Key Project proposals, the goal of which is to carry 

out major, multiyear observing programs that utilize 

Suzaku’s unique capabilities, were solicited during 

cycles 4-7. Ten Key Projects have been initiated, seven 

of which have been completed. The completed ones 

include a census of broad Fe lines in AGN, an extensive mapping of the Perseus Cluster of Galaxies (the 

brightest cluster in X-rays) to beyond its virial radius, 

and a deep observation of Kepler’s SNR. This last has 

enabled the determination of Mn/Cr and Ni/Fe ratios, 

and led to the conclusion that the progenitor of this 

Type Ia supernova had a super-solar metallicity. 

U.S. observers have access to 50 percent of the observing time, as well as all archival data. In the eighth 

observing cycle (proposal due date: Nov. 16, 2012), 

no new Key Project proposals were solicited due to 

concerns over the longevity of Suzaku; it also led to a 

decrease in the number of proposals submitted to 67 

(from 90 in the previous several cycles), although the 

oversubscription factor was still about 3. Suzaku time 

can also be requested through the Chandra and Fermi 

GO programs. The Suzaku team is also collaborating 

with the MAXI team, following up flaring sources 

identified by MAXI.

The Suzaku data center is responsible for processing and archiving the full mission data set and distribution of data to U.S. GOs; development and maintenance of proposal and observation planning tools and 

documentation; maintaining the calibration database; 

supporting proposal reviews; assisting GOs in analyzing data; and ensuring grant funds are distributed in 

a timely way. The data center staff consists of three 

full-time scientists (Koji Mukai, Kenji Hamaguchi, 

Katja Pottschmidt) and one programmer, plus parttime support from HEASARC staff. 

The manganese-chromium ratio as a function of the progenitor metallicity in Type Ia supernova explosion models (adapted from Badenes et al. 2008), plotted with the 

measured Mn/Cr for Kepler’s SNR, which indicates the 

super-solar metallicity of its progenitor. For comparison, 

Mn/Cr for Tycho’s SNR is also shown.
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WMAP Final Results

The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe 

(WMAP) has mapped the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation—the oldest light in the 

universe—and helped establish a simple and comprehensive cosmological model connecting the physics 

of the very early universe to the properties observed 

today. In this standard model, the universe is flat, homogeneous, and isotropic on large scales. The universe 

is composed of radiation and atoms, but is currently 

dominated by dark matter and dark energy. It is believed to have undergone a period of rapid inflation at 

its beginning, expanding by more than 50 e-foldings 

in a fraction of a second. The WMAP team includes 

ASD scientists Bennett (PI, now at JHU), Hinshaw 

(now at UBC), Kogut, and Wollack.

Classic papers (Peebles and Yu, 1970; Sunyaev and 

Zeldovich, 1970) relate the parameters of the universe’s 

structure to the angular power spectrum. For Gaussian 

random-phase fluctuations, the angular power 

Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array 

(NuSTAR)

On June 13, 2012, NuSTAR was air-launched from 

the Kwajalein Atoll in the South Pacific into a circular 

equatorial orbit. After a successful in-orbit checkout, 

it began conducting observations on Aug. 1. A SMEX 

mission weighing less than 400 kg, NuSTAR is instrumented with two mirror modules that focus hard Xrays (3 to 80 keV) onto two CdZnTe detector arrays. 

The mirror modules and the detector arrays are linked 

with a mast that deployed from a length of approximately one meter in its stowed configuration to 10 

meters once in orbit.

NuSTAR (PI Fiona Harrison, Caltech) is managed by JPL with oversight from the Explorer Program 

Office at Goddard. The Goddard contribution is the 

nearly 7,000 thin glass substrates precisely formed and 

qualified by a team led by William Zhang of the ASD’s 

X-ray Astrophysics Laboratory. These glass substrates 

were shipped to the Danish Technical University, 

where they were coated with multilayers of thin films 

that enabled them to reflect hard X-rays. They were 

then shipped to Columbia University’s Nevis Laboratories, where they were assembled into the two mirror 

modules. The CdZnTe focal plane detectors were built 

and qualified by a team at Caltech, and the mast by 

ATK. The entire NuSTAR observatory was integrated 

at Orbital Science Corporation at Dulles, Va.

NuSTAR’s primary scientific objective is to conduct a deep survey of several square degrees of the sky 

to find highly obscured sources that cannot be seen in 

other energy bands. With its excellent energy resolution and revolutionary imaging capability in the hard 

X-ray band, NuSTAR also will be able to make significant contributions in understanding objects of all 

kinds, including active galactic nuclei, stars, supernova 

remnants, clusters of galaxies, starburst galaxies, and 

ultraluminous galaxies. In particular, it will conduct a 

sensitive survey of the central region of the Milky Way, 

where many sources are obscured by dust, making 

them difficult to observe in the soft X-ray band. As 

of year end, a large number of observations have been 

carried out and a large amount of data has been distributed to the NuSTAR science team, which includes 

members from both the U.S. and other countries. A 

number of ASD scientists are on the NuSTAR science 

team and are actively analyzing and interpreting these 

data, as well as playing leading roles in operating and 

calibrating the NuSTAR instruments. These scientists 

include Ann Hornscheimeier, Craig Markwardt, Andrew Ptak, Brett Lehmer, J.C. Leyder, Stacy Teng, and 

Jane Rigby.

NuSTAR_launch_portrait:The fully integrated NuSTAR 

observatory, including the instrument and spacecraft, in 

January 2012. Orbital Sciences Corporation.
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spectrum encodes the entire statistical information 

present in a map and thus enables the extraction of the 

underlying physical characteristics from the observed 

microwave sky. The standard LCDM cosmological 

model, defined by the six parameters, as characterized 

by the nine-year WMAP spectrum is provided in the 

table below. The matter and energy densities —Wb

h2, 

Wch2, and WΛ—are all determined to ~1.5% precision 

by the data, the amplitude of the primordial spectrum 

is measured to within 3%, and there is now evidence 

for tilt in the primordial power spectrum at the 5s

level. The age of the universe as determined by WMAP, 

13.74 ± 0.11 Gyr, is now known to better than one 

percent. This represents an overall improvement in 

the knowledge (of the allowable volume of the sixdimensional LCDM-parameter space) by a factor 

of 68,000 relative to the pre-WMAP observational 

epoch.

Best-fit LCDM parameters with nine-year WMAP data

LCDM Parameter WMAP data only WMAP+eCMB+BAO+H0

Baryon density, Ωbh2 0.02264 ± 0.00050 0.02266 ± 0.00043

Cold dark matter density, Ωc

h2 0.1138 ± 0.0045 0.1157 ± 0.0023

Dark matter density, ΩL 0.721 ± 0.025 0.712 ± 0.010 

Curvature perturbations, 109

 ∆2

R 2.41 ± 0.10 2.427 ± 0.079 

Scalar spectral index, ns 0.972 ± 0.013 0.971 ± 0.010 

Re-ionization optical depth, t 0.089 ± 0.014 0.088 ± 0.013

The final WMAP data are sufficiently sensitive to 

test for dark energy and provide important information without reliance on supernovae results. The combination of WMAP data with measurements of the 

Two estimates of the WMAP nine-year power spectrum 

along with the best-fit model spectra obtained from each; 

black represents the C-1-weighted spectrum and best fit 

model, while red shows the same for the MASTER spectrum and model. The two estimates differ by up to 5 percent in the vicinity of l ~ 50, which mostly affects the 

determination of the spectral index. Co-added maps of temperature, T, and polarization, Qr

, 

smoothed to a common resolution of 0.5°, and stacked 

by the location of temperature extrema. (The polarization 

maps were not smoothed for the analysis, however.) Topleft: The average temperature hot spot. Top-right: The rotated polarization map, Qr

, stacked around temperature 

hot spots. Bottom-left: The average temperature cold spot. 

Bottom-right: The rotated polarization map, Qr

, stacked 

around temperature cold spots. The polarization images 

are color-coded so that the red (Qr

 > 0) shows the radial polarization pattern, while blue (Qr

 < 0) shows the 

tangential polarization pattern. The lines indicate polarization direction. These images are a striking illustration 

of baryon acoustic oscillations in the early plasma, and 

phase coherence in their initial conditions.
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Hubble constant and of baryon acoustic oscillations 

(BAO) in the galaxy distribution limits the extent to 

which dark energy deviates from Einstein’s cosmological constant. The simplest model (a flat universe with 

a cosmological constant) continues to represent the 

data remarkably well. These observations constrain the 

dark energy to be within 14 percent of the expected 

value for a cosmological constant (w = –1.1 ± 0.14), 

while the geometry must be flat to better than 1 percent (0.99 < Wtot < 1.01, 95% CL).

The final nine-year WMAP data set places new 

constraints on the number of relativistic neutrino species in the early universe. Neutrinos are nearly massless elementary particles that permeate the universe 

Parameter maps from the MCMCg model fit. The top 

four maps are shown on logarithmic scales and the others 

are on linear scales. Accurate determination of the CMB 

close to the Galactic plane is inhibited by CMB-foreground covariance. The map for b synchrotron is evaluated at 40 GHz.

in large quantity but they interact very weakly with 

atomic matter. Nonetheless, they leave an imprint 

on the microwave fluctuations and the WMAP data. 

When taken together with the extended CMB (i.e., 

the eCMB data set incorporates the high-resolution 

observations from the South Pole and the Atacama 

Cosmology Telescopes), BAO, and H0

 data, one finds 

that the effective number of neutrino-like species is 

3.55 ± 0.49. The standard model of particle physics 

has 3.04 effective species of neutrinos. When combined with the baryon density and primordial helium 

abundance (0.278 ± 0.033) the observations provide a 

compelling and consistent picture for the standard Big 

Bang nucleosynthesis scenario.

The improved sensitivity in the noise-limited 

polarization measurement has made possible a visual 

detection of the CMB polarization signal in the sky 

maps. When the polarization maps are dissected into 

regions centered on hot and cold spots in the temperature map, and then stacked, the telltale pattern of 

polarized rings around the spots are clearly seen. 

Launched as MAP on June 30, 2001, the spacecraft was later renamed WMAP to honor David T. 

Wilkinson, a Princeton University cosmologist and 

a founding science team member who died in September 2002. Once maneuvered to its observing station near the second Lagrange point of the Earth-Sun 

system, a million miles from Earth in the direction 

opposite the sun, WMAP scanned the heavens and 

precisely recorded tiny temperature fluctuations across 

the sky. Its first results were issued in February 2003, 

with major updates in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, and 

with the final data release submitted for publication 

on Dec. 20, 2012. The WMAP mission was selected 

by NASA in 1996 as the result of an open competition, confirmed for development in 1997, and was 

built and ready for launch only four years later, onschedule and on-budget. Having completed its mission to “take measure of our universe,” its data stream 

has ceased and the spacecraft now resides in a parking 

orbit about the sun. The science team gratefully salutes the innovation of the technicians, engineers, and 

countless contributors to WMAP’s voyage and it ultimate scientific success.

High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive 

Research Center (HEASARC)

The HEASARC is the primary archive for NASA 

missions dealing with extremely energetic phenomena, from black holes to the Big Bang. Incorporating 

the Legacy Archive for Microwave Background Data 
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Analysis (LAMBDA), HEASARC includes data obtained by missions that study the relic cosmic microwave background (CMB) as well as NASA’s high-energy astronomy missions from the extreme ultraviolet 

through gamma-ray bands.

Since 1990, the HEASARC has been an essential 

element of NASA’s astrophysics missions. Its archive 

services allow scientists to identify, display, cross-correlate, download and analyze data from a variety of 

past and current missions—including ASCA, BeppoSAX, Chandra, CGRO, Einstein, Fermi, INTEGRAL, ROSAT, RXTE, Suzaku, Swift, WMAP, and 

XMM-Newton—and provide access to a wide range 

of multiwavelength sky surveys, astronomical catalogs, 

and other resources. The HEASARC’s scientific and 

technical staff produces several widely used software 

packages, provides expertise in the analysis of archived 

data, and helps to evolve archive interfaces to better 

serve the science community. The data and software 

standards developed by the HEASARC provide the 

underlying infrastructure for the interpretation of data 

from a wide variety of missions, substantially reducing 

mission costs while increasing science return. 

The HEASARC archive now contains about 48 

Terabytes (TB) of data, having grown by about 6 TB 

in 2012, and includes data from seven active missions and more than 30 space-based missions and 

suborbital experiments that are no longer operational. 

HEASARC users downloaded about 90 TB of data in 

2012. Papers written using HEASARC data comprise 

~10 percent of the total astronomical literature and include some of the most highly cited papers in the field. 

The HEASARC Office is led by Dr. Alan Smale, 

who for much of 2012 also served as the NuSTAR Archive Scientist, leading the HEASARC’s preparations 

to support pipeline processing, software distribution, 

and data archiving for this important Astrophysics Explorer. In September, the NuSTAR Archive Scientist 

role was taken over by Dr. Francis Marshall. NuSTAR 

was launched in June 2012, and the HEASARC will be 

ready to support the first public data release in 2013. 

Dr. Smale served as Chair of the ADEC (Astrophysics Data Centers Executive Council), lead-authored a 

refereed paper based on archival research, and was a 

co-author on three other papers.

During 2012 the HEASARC’s Xamin interface, 

released the previous year, became the primary interface for most user queries. Xamin is now used for 

~90% of the HEASARC’s programmatic queries and a 

substantial fraction of interactive queries. Dr. Thomas 

McGlynn leads the development of Xamin and the 

maintenance of our older Browse interface. Xamin 

features major enhancements over Browse, notably the 

ability of users to save queries and query configurations for use in subsequent analyses. A major thrust 

over the past year has been the integration of the 

Xamin search and retrieval tools with the Hera data 

analysis tools described below. A single user account 

now provides access to both capabilities, and users can 

initiate sessions which use both tools.

The HEASARC remains a core partner in the joint 

NSF/NASA program to manage and operate the U.S. 

Virtual Astronomical Observatory. Dr. McGlynn leads 

the HEASARC’s involvement in the VAO, and serves 

as the VAO Lead for Operations. He and his staff have 

developed applications which monitor the health of 

VAO and other VO services and inform responsible 

parties of issues as they arise. The HEASARC also 

plays a major role in the development of portal tools 

within the VO, and VO support is integrated within 

the major HEASARC interfaces. Both Browse and Xamin provide data using the VO cone search capability. 

Xamin also provides access using the much more powerful Table Access Protocol, and allows HEASARC users to query remote services using VO protocols.

In addition, McGlynn continues to manage the 

SkyView virtual observatory. About 4 million dynamically generated images were served by SkyView 

in 2012 at its website. The HEASARC also provides 

SkyView software as a self-contained package so that 

power users can run queries without directly querying 

the HEASARC site. SkyView provides access to SDSS, 

FIRST, and 2MASS data hosted at other NASA archives. Major data releases during 2012 include the 

WISE All-Sky Survey—a major milestone in the infrared—and a new 5-band release of Fermi all-sky data. 

The Fermi release greatly increases the sensitivity and 

effective resolution over an earlier data set. A new INTEGRAL Galactic plane survey was contributed by 

R. Krivonos et al. and in the radio the VLSS survey 

was replaced by the VLSSr reanalysis. A library of user-contributed interesting images now has more than 

20,000 entries.

During 2012 Drs. McGlynn and Smale have led a 

security review of various elements of the HEASARC’s 

Web presence to ensure security without compromising science utility. As a result, a number of improvements were made to the HEASARC’s website. 

During 2012, HEASARC programmers under the 

direction of Dr. William Pence coordinated two new 

releases of the HEASOFT data analysis software package, providing improved analysis capabilities for data 

from the Swift, Suzaku, and RXTE observatories. The 

HEASOFT package is essential for deriving new sci-
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entific results from the HEASARC’s large data archive. 

It contains about 2.5 million lines of code contained 

in 550 individual analysis tasks for the data from 11 

high-energy missions supported by the HEASARC as 

well as for general analysis of astronomical data from 

other missions. In 2012, more than 4,000 registered 

external users installed the HEASOFT package on 

their local computers.  As an alternative to installing 

the HEASOFT package locally, the HEASARC staff 

also continued to enhance the on-line Hera data analysis service which enables researchers to analyze their 

data with the HEASOFT package within the computing environment provided by the HEASARC over the 

Internet. The major focus of development has been to 

integrate Hera more closely with Xamin, so that researchers can seamlessly query the HEASARC archive 

with Xamin to locate relevant observations and then 

analyze the selected data using Hera, all within the 

same Web browser session.

Dr. Stephen Drake worked on the creation and/or 

updating of 120 database tables in 2012, bringing the 

total number of tables available to the HEASARC’s 

Browse and Xamin interfaces to 718 unique tables. 

Among the newly created tables, five were new Chandra source lists and five were new XMM-Newton 

source lists. The others included a broad range of missions including MAXI, ROSAT, Swift, Planck and 

WMAP, as well as many new and updated tables of 

stars, galaxies, and quasars and 20 new tables of radio sources. Dr. Drake also continues to support the 

HEASARC’s web pages and RSS feed. This feed combines feeds from projects ranging from XMM-Newton 

through WMAP, items such as recent calibration updates and upcoming proposal and meeting deadlines, 

and links to selected NASA press releases and major 

new science results of relevance to the HEASARC 

user community. In 2012, four to five new items per 

week appeared in the HEASARC RSS/Latest News, 

providing an important and timely resource to the astronomical community. Dr. Drake participated in the 

HEASARC’s NuSTAR team, planning the ingest and 

distribution of these data when they become public in 

2013, and also continued to serve as XMM-Newton 

and RXTE Archive Scientist. For RXTE, he oversaw 

the handover of the responsibilities for the RXTE 

Guest Observer Facility website to the HEASARC, 

following the termination of RXTE operations in January 2012. Dr. Drake was a co-author on two refereed 

papers published in 2012, and was appointed a member of the science team of the Neutron star Interior 

Composition ExploreR (NICER) mission.

Dr. Michael Corcoran continued to serve as the 

manager of the HEASARC Calibration Database, as 

Fermi and ROSAT Archive Scientist, and is also assisting with the NuSTAR mission archive. During 

the past year Dr. Corcoran maintained and updated 

the calibration database for the RXTE, Swift, Suzaku, 

Chandra, and Fermi missions. He helped develop two 

new Fermi Browse tables, worked with the Fermi LAT 

team to help implement full CalDB access in the Fermi 

Science tools, participated in weekly FSSC meetings 

plus telecons, and worked on documentation updates 

and discussions regarding Fermi calibration data. Dr. 

Corcoran continued to improve the implementation 

of the GBM response matrix generation software in 

the HEASARC BROWSE environment, and worked 

with the GBM and LAT teams to release the calibration databases for both instruments. In 2012 there 

were a total of 24 updates of the Swift, Suzaku, Chandra, and Fermi CalDB areas, and Corcoran performed 

the final update of the RXTE calibration database after 

mission closeout in January 2012. As CalDB manager, 

Corcoran implements these updates and maintains 

the HEASARC CalDB website, including the news 

archive and the RSS feed. Dr. Corcoran also worked 

with the NuSTAR team to incorporate the NuSTAR 

calibration files into the HEASARC. Corcoran writes 

the HEASARC Picture of the Week website, and administers a HEAPOW Facebook group which currently has over 190 members from around the world. 

He also maintains the Astro-Update website, used by 

scientists to keep track of updates to important highenergy astrophysics software packages. In 2012 Corcoran was PI of a successful Very Large Project Chandra 

proposal to observe the massive binary Delta Ori. He 

was co-author on two refereed publications, served as 

an editor of the proceedings of the R.H. Koch Memorial Conference, “Stars, Companions and their Interactions,” which was published electronically this year 

by the Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences, and 

published a chapter (with K. Ishibashi) for the book, 

“Eta Carinae and the Supernova Impostors” (ed. K. 

Davidson and R. Humphreys, Springer). Dr. Corcoran was invited to present a talk on research involving the variability of Eta Carinae at the XIth Hvar Astrophysical Colloquium in Hvar, Croatia, and at the 

“16 Years of Discovery with RXTE: A Celebration of 

the Mission” meeting at Goddard. Dr. Corcoran also 

serves as USRA director for the Center for Research 

and Exploration in Space Science and Technology, 

with oversight of 11 Ph.D. research scientists in the 

Astrophysics Science Division, and mentored Univer-
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sity of Delaware graduate student Chris Russell, and 

University of Denver graduate student Jamie Lomax. 

Dr. Arnaud has continued his support of X-ray astronomical data analysis tools in a variety of ways. This 

year he completed a major rewrite of the XSPEC models that include Compton scattering, ensuring that 

they all use common code and improved precision. 

He participated in the latest release of the HEASOFT 

software, which included XSPEC v12.7.1. Also included in this release was a new version of Dr. Arnaud’s HEASP library, a major update replacing the 

previous C code with C++ (and C bindings) and a Python module created using SWIG. Since the release, 

Dr. Arnaud has continued to expand this library to 

provide better support for multiwavelength data. As 

part of this effort, he wrote a tool to convert Sloan 

Digital Sky Survey spectra into XSPEC format. Dr. 

Arnaud also overhauled the WebSpec interface used 

for simulating spectra for proposals, improving security, restructuring code, and adding new features, and 

provided updates to support Suzaku, XMM-Newton, 

and Chandra proposal rounds.

This year Dr. Arnaud took over as Treasurer of the 

High Energy Astrophysics Division (HEAD) of the 

American Astronomical Society (AAS). He attended 

the one-day AAS HEAD Executive Committee retreat 

prior to the winter AAS meeting. Dr. Arnaud was also 

a member of the scientific organizing committee and 

session chair for the Energetic Astronomy meeting in 

Annapolis.

Throughout 2012 Dr. Steven Sturner maintained 

the INTEGRAL public data archive at the HEASARC, 

mirroring the public data archive maintained at the 

ISDC in Geneva. The ISDC has public data releases 

approximately twice per month which are downloaded and installed in the HEASARC archive. Dr. Sturner 

is also the interface between the HEASARC and both 

the ISDC and ESA’s INTEGRAL management.

Within the HEASARC, the Legacy Archive for 

Microwave Background Data Analysis (LAMBDA) is 

NASA’s thematic archive devoted to serving Cosmic 

Microwave Background (CMB) and related data sets 

to the research community. LAMBDA’s holdings include data from NASA’s two CMB missions: the COsmic Background Explorer (COBE) and the Wilkinson 

Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP). In 2012 the 

nine-year results from WMAP were released through 

LAMBDA. These data and scientific papers are the 

final results from the WMAP mission that has pioneered our understanding of cosmology. Other holdings include data from the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS), the InfraRed Astronomical 

Satellite (IRAS), numerous ground and balloon-based 

CMB experiments, and a collection of diffuse Galactic 

emission maps that are needed to enable foreground 

subtraction from CMB data. 

Under the leadership of CMB Archive Scientist 

Dr. David Chuss, LAMBDA continued to increase 

its data holdings in 2012. In support of the Decadal 

Survey recommendations regarding the importance of 

suborbital data for pioneering technology and techniques in advance of a potential Inflation Probe mission, LAMBDA has added new products from the 

latest ground-based CMB polarimetry experiments. 

These include QUIET, BICEP, and QUaD. LAMBDA is also hosting additional data from the Atacama 

Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and the South Pole Telescope (SPT). ACT and SPT are fine-scale groundbased CMB instruments that complement spacebased measurements and provide exciting probes of 

dark matter, dark energy, and the large-scale structure 

of the universe. In addition, as part of its charter to 

provide a comprehensive data archive for the CMB, 

and as a complement to the SPT and ACT data archives, LAMBDA is mirroring the Planck SZ catalog.

In Development

James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large 

(6.5m), cold (50K), facility-class, general-purpose observatory that will be launched into orbit around the 

Sun-Earth L2 point. It is the successor to the Hubble 

and Spitzer space telescopes. Its science goals include 

detecting the first galaxies to form in the early universe, galaxy evolution, star formation, exoplanets and 

objects in our solar system. Time on the telescope will 

be allocated to the community through annual peerreviewed proposals in a manner similar to Hubble. 

The prime contractor is Northrop Grumman; the Science and Operations Center is located at the Space 

Telescope Science Institute. JWST is a partnership between NASA and the European and Canadian Space 

Agencies.

The ASD provides scientific direction for JWST 

through a team consisting of 11 project scientists. 

The Senior Project Scientist is John Mather, his deputy is Jonathan Gardner and his technical deputy is 

Malcolm Niedner. The other members of the team: 

Matthew Greenhouse (Instrumentation), Bernard 

Rauscher (deputy); Mark Clampin (Observatory), 

Charles Bowers (deputy); Randy Kimble (Integration and Test); George Sonneborn (Operations), Jane 
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Rigby (deputy) and Amber Straughn (Outreach). In 

addition, Stefanie Milam is currently on detail from 

the Planetary Sciences Division to study Solar System 

observations with JWST. ASD science staff members 

are also directly involved in the provision of key flight 

systems for the JWST near-infrared multi-object spectrometer (NIRSpec), including its detector and microshutter array systems.

Mather chairs the JWST Science Working Group 

(SWG), and the Project Scientists work closely with 

the management and engineering teams, participating 

in reviews, project meetings, serving on change-configuration boards, and participating in decisions. The 

JWST SWG published a thorough description of the 

JWST science goals and technical implementation as 

a special issue of the refereed journal, Space Science Reviews (Gardner et al. 2006). It has since also updated 

and extended the science case in a series of white papers that include astrobiology, dark energy, exoplanet 

coronagraphy, exoplanet transits, first-light galaxies, 

resolved stellar population, solar system observations 

and the role of JWST in the decadal survey, New 

Worlds, New Horizons. The Space Science Reviews paper 

and the white papers are available from jwst.gsfc.nasa.

gov/scientists.html. There have been two conferences 

for community discussion of JWST science, in 2007 

and 2011.

The JWST Project is currently in development, 

and is conducting the Integration and Test (I&T) 

phase for many systems. The budget and schedule 

went through a replan in 2011 and the mission is now 

fully funded for launch in 2018; there has been no 

change to the budget or schedule since the replan. The 

Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) consists of the four science instruments and nine subsystems. ISIM began its integration and testing phase in 

2011 (Greenhouse, et al., 2011, Proc SPIE 8146, p. 

8146606). In 2012, two instruments, the Mid-Infrared Instrument and the Fine Guidance Sensor/NearInfrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph were delivered to Goddard. The Near-Infrared Camera and the 

Near-Infrared Spectrograph are undergoing I&T for 

delivery in 2013. In 2012, there was a vacuum test of 

the cryogenic telescope simulator, which will be used 

to test the ISIM in the Space Environment Simulator 

chamber at Goddard. The first cryo vacuum test of 

the ISIM will take place in 2013 with the two instruments that have already been delivered; two later ISIM 

cryo-vacuum tests will include all the instruments and 

systems.

Engineers move the Fine Guidance Sensor instrument into the Goddard cleanroom after its delivery.
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The ASD is directly responsible for provision of 

two flight systems, both within the Near-Infrared 

Spectrograph (NIRSpec), an instrument that is part of 

the ESA contribution to the mission. The Microshutter Assembly (MSA) is led by PI Harvey Moseley with 

contributions from a number of contractor scientists. 

The MSA will enable simultaneous spectra of more 

than 100 objects—the first time that a true multi-object spectrograph has flown in space. An initial MSA 

system was delivered to ESA in 2010; a replacement is 

currently being made. The NIRSpec detector system 

is also being built at Goddard, under the leadership of 

PI Bernard Rauscher. Moseley and Rauscher are members of the NIRSpec Science Team and will participate 

in their Guaranteed Time Observations.

All of the flight mirrors have been polished and 

coated. The secondary mirror and the first three flight 

primary mirror segments with their actuator supports 

were delivered to Goddard in 2012. The center section 

of flight backplane was also completed in 2012 and 

the two deployed side wings of the backplane will be 

completed in 2013. The primary mirror will be assembled onto the back plane in the Goddard clean room 

over the next few years.

When the primary mirror is complete and the 

ISIM is finished with its I&T, the two will be put together and tested in the Johnson Space Center Chamber A. The JWST project has modified the historic 

Chamber A for use in JWST testing by installing a 

gaseous helium shroud. During a test of the shroud, 

the Chamber reached as low as 11K. This conversion 

was completed in 2012, along with the Center of Curvature Optical Assembly which will be used for testing 

the primary mirror in the chamber. 

Development of the JWST Science and Operations Center at Space Telescope Science Institute is 

progressing with the rest of the project. The Critical 

Design Review for the telescope-ground communication system was completed, along with a System Design Review for the Data Management System, which 

will process, calibrate and archive the science and engineering data.

Outreach to the scientific community in 2012 included a Town Hall at the American Astronomical Society winter meeting and a workshop on JWST Solar 

System observations at the Division of Planetary Science meeting. Public outreach and communications 

highlights for 2012 include a large increase in Social 

Media reach and impact, with more than double the 

followers than the previous year (over 40,000 Twitter and over 50,000 Facebook followers) and an extremely successful Reddit “Ask Me Anything” online 

discussion with John Mather. The project averaged 

four press releases and features per month and released 

numerous “Webb Snapshot” and other multimedia 

products. The outreach team and project scientists 

supported several large-scale outreach events, such as 

the Shuttle Celebration at the Intrepid Museum and 

the USA Science and Engineering Festival, as well 

as local events at the Goddard Visitor’s Center, and 

hosted several film crews for different local, national, 

and international television programs. For Education, 

JWST’s flight secondary mirror undergoes inspection after 

its arrival at the Goddard Space Flight Center.

In preparation for installation of JWST’s flight mirrors 

onto the backplane, a robotic arm practices the installation of a dummy primary mirror segment assembly onto a 

three cell mockup of the backplane.
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JWST partnered again in 2012 with the RealWorld/

InWorld Engineering Design Challenge, in which student teams compete in both a classroom and virtual/

The Johnson Space Flight Center JWST team stands in front of the massive door of the Chamber-A test facility. 

Chamber-A will be used to conduct a cryogenic, end-to-end optical test of JWST. 

online setting, and have online interactions and learning with JWST scientists and engineers.
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Astro-H

The X-ray Astrophysics Laboratory is collaborating 

with ISAS/JAXA to implement an X-ray calorimeter 

spectrometer for the Astro-H mission. The project, 

headed by Richard Kelley of the X-ray Astrophysics 

Laboratory, is implemented as an Explorer Program 

Mission of Opportunity to provide key components 

of a high-resolution X-ray calorimeter spectrometer 

that will constitute one of the observatory’s primary 

science instruments. Among laboratory scientists, 

Caroline Kilbourne and Scott Porter are responsible 

for the detector subsystem, and Peter Serlemitsos and 

his team of Takashi Okajima and Yang Soong are responsible for X-ray mirrors for both the SXS and the 

ISAS/JAXA Soft X-ray Imager (SXI). Megan Eckart 

and Maurice Leutenegger are developing the calibration program for the detector system. Prof. Dan McCammon of the University of Wisconsin, a long-term 

collaborator with the X-ray Astrophysics Laboratory 

and a pioneer in X-ray calorimeters, is developing a 

new generation of blocking filters for the instrument. 

Rob Petre is the U.S. Project Scientist for Astro-H.

The Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) will consist 

of a 36-pixel X-ray calorimeter array with better than 

7-eV resolution to provide high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy over the 0.3–12 keV band with moderate 

imaging capability. The Goddard team is to provide 

the detector system, adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (50 mK operational temperature), electronics, 

blocking filters, and X-ray mirror, while ISAS/JAXA 

is responsible for the dewar system and the rest of the 

science instruments, the spacecraft, launcher, and mission operations. The Space Research Organization of 

the Netherlands (SRON) is separately providing to 

JAXA a filter wheel and in-flight calibration sources 

based on the technology originally developed by Keith 

Gendreau.

The dewar will be a hybrid cryogen/mechanical 

cooler system for redundancy, and the X-ray mirror 

will build on the Goddard legacy of providing lightweight, high-throughput mirrors.

Astro-H is a facility-class mission to be launched 

on a JAXA H-IIA into low Earth orbit in 2015. The 

Astro-H mission objectives:

• Trace the growth history of the largest structures in the universe

• Provide insights into the behavior of material 

in extreme gravitational fields

• Determine the spin of black holes and the 

equation of state of neutron stars

• Trace shock-acceleration structures in clusters 

of galaxies and supernova remnants

• Investigate the detailed physics of jets

Achieving these objectives requires the SXS and 

three additional scientific instruments to provide a 

very broad, simultaneous energy bandpass. The Hard 

X-ray Imager (HXI) will perform sensitive imaging 

spectroscopy in the 5–80 keV band; the non-imaging 

Soft Gamma-ray Detector (SGD) extends the Astro-H 

energy band to 600 keV, and the Soft X-ray Imager 

(SXI) expands the field of view with a new-generation 

CCD camera.

The SXS science investigation comprises building 

and delivering the SXS instrumentation and carrying 

out a six-month observing program in collaboration 

with ISAS/JAXA. The baseline mission includes two 

years of funding for the SXS science team and support 

for processing and archiving the SXS data for a total of 

three years. An approved Science Enhancement Option (SEO) will provide the U.S. community with access to Astro-H beyond the baseline program. Under 

the SEO, U.S. scientists will be able to propose for 

Astro-H observing time and obtain grant support.

Working collaboratively with JAXA, the U.S. 

Guest Observer Facility will process, distribute, and 

archive data from all four Astro-H instruments, and 

provide observers with analysis tools and support. LoThe Astro-H/SXS engineering model dewar during tests at the 

Institute of Space and Astronautical Science in Japan. The 

unit is a complete high-fidelity model of the flight instrument 

containing the detector assembly, low-temperature refrigerator, 

aperture and electronics all provided by Goddard. The system 

is capable of 5 eV spectral resolution in the X-ray band and 

was constructed to qualify the design of the SXS for flight and 

identify issues that need to be addressed before finalizing the 

flight version.
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rella Angelini is leading the design and development 

of this program.

There were many major accomplishments this 

year. These include successfully integrating the engineering model (EM) components of the SXS with the 

EM dewar in Japan and conducting qualification tests. 

These tests demonstrated that the inherent performance of the detector system in the EM dewar is capable of an energy resolution of about 5 eV (FWHM), 

but is degraded by vibration originating from the cryocooler compressors that produce time-variable heating 

of the detector stage. This problem is under investigation and several mitigations are being considered. ForThe first of two flight X-ray mirrors built for the Astro-H mission, one of which is shown here, will be delivered to Japan in early 

2013. One mirror is for the Soft X-ray Spectrometer and the other for the Soft X-ray Imager. The mirror contains over 1,600 individual reflectors, has a focal length of 5.6 m, is about 45 cm in diameter and weighs about 46 kg. This is the 21st high-throughput, 

low-mass X-ray mirror produced for flight by the X-ray mirror group in the X-ray Astrophysics Laboratory at Goddard.

tunately, this issue was caught in time to be addressed 

on the flight dewar system for the SXS.

In addition to the work on completing and testing the EM SXS, Scott Porter, Caroline Kilbourne and 

Meng Chiao have successfully completed the flight detector assembly and major components of the aperture assembly for the flight model dewar. The energy 

resolution of the flight detector system at the subsystem level is also about 5 eV and meets all of its other 

performance requirements. The system was acceptance 

tested and integrated with a series of X-ray sources and 

monchromators for characterization and calibration 

continuously over a period of about four months. This 
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was a large effort led by Megan Eckart and Maurice 

Leutenegger, leading to nearly 10 TB of data to be analyzed. The calibration of the flight X-Ray filters (primarily for X-Ray transmission) was also carried out at 

the facilities of the Brookhaven National Synchrotron 

Light Source by Eckart and Leutenegger, with assistance from Sarah Busch and Jan-Patrick Porst. This activity was briefly interrupted by “superstorm” Sandy, 

but continued successfully! The detector system will 

be integrated with the flight adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator later this year before going through 

extensive testing and then on to Japan next year. Once 

integrated, the dewar will be closed out and the aperture assembly components will be installed.

The first of two flight X-ray mirrors was completed by Peter Serlemitsos, Takashi Okajima, and Yang 

Soong, and will be delivered to Japan in early 2013. 

The measured performance is 1.3 arcmin (HPD), exceeding the requirement of 1.7 arcmin. The second 

X-ray mirror is in the final stages of assembly and will 

then go into performance and acceptance testing before being delivered to Japan in summer 2013.

The Astro-H Science Enhancement Option has 

been approved by NASA/HQ and includes activities 

related to data analysis, the Guest Observer (GO) program and user support. To manage and implement 

these activities, Lorella Angelini has established an 

Astro-H U.S. data center at Goddard that is working 

closely with Japan. The pre-launch operations, rapidly 

ramping up, are focused on data processing, instrument software, collection of calibration information 

and preparing the necessary documentation and simulation software to support the GO program for all four 

Astro-H instruments. The Astro-H U.S. data center 

will be the liaison between GOs and the Astro-H program with a help desk that will open at times near 

launch. Mike Loewenstein and Hans Krimm joined 

this activity this year and are supporting the Soft 

X-Ray Spectrometer and Soft X-Ray Imager instruments, respectively.

HAWC+ for SOFIA

NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared 

Astronomy, SOFIA, achieved its first light in May 

2010. In August 2011, NASA released an Announcement of Opportunity for SOFIA second-generation 

instrument investigations and received 11 proposals, 

of which two were judged to have the best science 

value and feasible development plans.

The first was the High-resolution Airborne Wideband Camera Polarization (HAWC-Pol), led by PI C. 

Darren Dowell of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 

Pasadena, Calif. This investigation planned to upgrade 

the far-infrared imager HAWC (PI Al Harper, University of Chicago, with a detector array for HAWC proWith the large door over its 2.5-meter German-built telescope wide open, NASA’s SOFIA 747SP aircraft soars over 

Southern California’s high desert during flight tests in 2010. NASA/Jim Ross.
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vided by NASA Goddard) to include the capability to 

obtain polarimetric observations at far-infrared wavelengths. Dave Chuss from the Observational Cosmology Lab was a Co-I on this proposal.

The other was HAWC++, led by PI Johannes 

Staguhn of ASD’s Observational Cosmology Laboratory and Johns Hopkins University. The core group 

included Dominic Benford, Steve Maher (also SSAI) 

S. H. Moseley, Elmer Sharp (also GST) and Ed Wollack, all from the Observational Cosmology Lab, and 

Christine Jhabvala and Tim Miller from Goddard’s 

Detector Systems Branch. Additionally to adding 

optics enabling differential polarimetry, this investigation provides for a detector upgrade with two sensitive, large-format (64 × 40 pixels) TES-based Backshort Under Grid (BUG) detector arrays provided by 

the Detector Systems Branch. The proposal also added 

one additional broadband filter centered at 63 mm to 

the existing four FIR bands of HAWC, plus R=300 

filters for all five bands, enabling fine-structure line 

mapping and polarimetry.

As requested by NASA, both proposals were 

merged, and Dowell is the PI of the combined investigation. The instrument, HAWC+, has practically the 

same capabilities as the one proposed in the HAWC++ 

investigation with the exception of the fine-structure 

line filters, although there is a possibility that those 

might be added later.

HAWC+ will give SOFIA the ability to study magnetic fields in the molecular material from which stars 

emerge and the ability to efficiently obtain large maps 

of the emission from dust. The scientific rationale for 

HAWC+ polarimetry arises from the fact that the farinfrared (l = 30–300 mm) continuum dust emission 

from Galactic sources has been found to show linear 

polarization of 5 percent or greater, and that the polarization can be used to study the magnetic field in the 

emission regions.

Magnetic fields are known to exist throughout 

the universe and to be possibly a crucial ingredient in 

the formation of stars and molecular clouds. Only a 

few types of magnetic field measurement are possible. 

Among them, far-infrared polarimetry is particularly 

well suited to the study of magnetic fields in the molecular material from which new stars emerge. In addition to observing the orientation of galactic magnetic fields in dense gas in our own galaxy, HAWC+ 

will measure the global orientation of magnetic fields 

in other galaxies. These observations can address outstanding problems in galactic dynamo theory, help 

discriminate between theories and models for galactic 

winds, and help understand the FIR-radio correlation 

in galaxies. The phenomenon of interstellar polarization was discovered by Hall and Hiltner in 1949, but 

the mechanism by which grains are aligned by magnetic fields is still one of the longest-standing mysteries of ISM physics. The 2010 Decadal Survey “New 

Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics” stressed the importance of polarimetry in understanding the magnetic field in the report by the “Panel 

on the Galactic Neighborhood.” In particular, they 

note that, “Using aligned dust as a tracer for magnetic 

fields requires understanding the shapes and optical 

properties of dust grains and how variations in the degree of dust alignment depend on local conditions in 

clouds.” Through its winning combination of spectral 

coverage, sensitivity, high angular resolution, and wide 

field in the far infrared, HAWC+ can provide crucial 

tests of theories of grain alignment.

Mission and Instrument Concepts

The RATIR and RIMAS Infrared 

Instruments

The Reionization and Transients InfraRed camera 

(RATIR) is an optical/infrared imager for fast followup on gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) detected by NASA’s 

Swift observatory. The project collaboration includes 

the University of California, Berkeley; Arizona State 

University (PI, N. Butler); NASA’s Goddard Space 

Flight Center (N. Gehrels); and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. The camera is designed 

for simultaneous image acquisition in four bands (two 

visible and two infrared), tailored to the primary goal 

of detecting “dark GRB” afterglow and prompt redshift of the burst. RATIR is permanently mounted 

on the 1.5-meter Johnson telescope of the Mexican 

The RIMAS dewar assembled in the lab with the detector 

readout electronics attached.
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Observatorio Astronomico Nacional on Sierra San Pedro Martir in Baja California and operates each night, 

supporting ancillary science that requires systematic 

long-term monitoring. The first GRB afterglow was 

detected Dec. 11, 2012. 

The Rapid IMAger-Spectrometer (RIMAS) is a 

joint project with the University of Maryland to develop a facility instrument for the Discovery Channel 

Telescope (DCT) at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, 

Ariz. The DCT is a new 4-meter telescope at Lowell 

observatory. RIMAS covers the near infrared band and 

combines an imager, a low-resolution spectrometer 

(grism) and a high-resolution cross-dispersed echelle 

spectrometer. It will be used for follow-up of astronomical transient sources, including gamma-ray bursts 

and supernovae. The combination of a large telescope, 

rapid response and NIR imager/spectrometer will give 

unique capabilities for transient domain science. The 

instrument is at the final stage of development and is 

currently under construction. 

Primordial Inflation Explorer (PIXIE)

How did the Universe begin? Humans have asked this 

question since our species first looked skyward. Recent progress in cosmology suggests that we may have 

begun to answer it. We live in an expanding Universe 

filled with microwave background radiation, the leftover heat from the Big Bang. In this “concordance” 

model, the universe is flat, largely composed of dark 

energy and dark matter, and seeded with density fluctuations from the early universe. 

The concordance model postulates that early in 

its history, the universe underwent a rapid period of 

superluminal expansion called inflation. The exponential growth of the scale size during inflation neatly 

produces the observed conditions of our universe, but 

relies on extrapolation of physics to energies a trillion 

times beyond those accessible to direct experimentation in particle accelerators.

The Primordial Inflation Explorer (PIXIE) will 

test the inflationary paradigm by searching for the 

“smoking gun” signature of primordial inflation 

in the linear polarization of the cosmic microwave 

background (CMB). Quantum fluctuations in the 

space-time metric during inflation create a stochastic 

background of gravity waves, which in turn imprint a 

distinctive spatial signature in the CMB. The amplitude of the gravity waves depends on the energy scale 

at inflation. Detection of the gravity-wave signature 
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would establish inflation as a physical reality, provide 

a model-independent determination of the relevant 

energy, and probe physics at energies near the Grand 

Unified Theory scale (1016 GeV). The search for the 

inflationary signal is widely recognized as one of the 

most compelling questions in cosmology, endorsed as 

a priority for the coming decade in the 2010 Decadal 

Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics, New Worlds, 

New Horizons. 

PIXIE is an Explorer mission concept to detect 

and characterize the signature of primordial inflation. 

Principal Investigator Alan Kogut (665) leads a team 

including GSFC Co-Investigators D. Chuss, E. Dwek, 

D. Fixsen, S.H. Moseley, and E. Wollack. PIXIE’s innovative design uses a multi-moded “light bucket” and 

a polarizing Fourier Transform Spectrometer to measure the differential spectrum between two co-aligned 

beams in orthogonal linear polarizations. PIXIE will 

measure the frequency spectra in 400 spectral bands 

from 30 GHz to 6 THz for each of the Stokes I, Q, 

and U parameters in each of 49,152 independent pixels covering the full sky. 

The combination of sensitivity and broad spectral coverage answers exciting questions across cosmic 

history. PIXIE’s primary science goal is the characterization of primordial gravity waves through their signature in the CMB polarization. PIXIE will measure 

linear polarization to sensitivity 70 nK per 1°  ́ 1° pixel. Averaged over the sky, PIXIE can detect CMB polarization to 3 nK sensitivity, a factor of 10 below the 

minimum signal predicted from large-field inflation 

models. PIXIE reaches the cosmological “noise floor” 

imposed by the gravitational lensing below which further instrumental sensitivity is unimportant.

PIXIE’s unique combination of high sensitivity 

and broad spectral coverage enables a broad range of 

ancillary science goals. PIXIE will measure both the 

temperature and ionization fraction of the intergalactic medium at redshifts 5–30 to determine the nature 

of the first luminous objects in the Universe. Measurements of the spectrum and anisotropy of the far-IR 

background test models of star formation at redshift 

2–4. PIXIE determines the properties of the diffuse 

dust cirrus and maps the far-IR line emission from the 

molecules and ions that cool the interstellar medium 

within the Galaxy.

PIXIE was submitted to the 2011 Explorer Announcement of Opportunity. Although the mission 

was not selected for Phase A study, both the science 

and technical implementation were rated as Category 1. PIXIE can reach fundamental sensitivity limits 

imposed by unavoidable cosmological foregrounds, 

achieving key goals of NASA’s planned Inflation Probe 

mission at a small fraction of the cost and complexity. 

As such, the mission retains considerable interest for 

NASA. The PIXIE team has been urged to re-propose 

at the next MIDEX opportunity.

Wide Field InfraRed Survey Telescope 

(WFIRST)

The Astro 2010 report, released August 13, 2010, 

selected the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope 

(WFIRST) as the top priority for large space missions 

in the coming decade. This mission combines the 

dark energy science previously planned for the NASA/

DOE Joint Dark Energy Mission (JDEM) project, 

with observing programs to obtain a census of exoplanets by means of microlensing and to obtain a wide 

range of near infrared surveys. The JDEM “OMEGA” 

mission concept was to serve as the basis for the new 

mission design. NASA HQ designated Goddard as the 

lead center for managing the WFIRST project, with 

significant portions of the mission assigned to JPL. 

A Science Definition Team (SDT) representing 

the full spectrum of WFIRST science objectives was 

appointed at the end of 2010 to provide scientific advice on optimizing mission performance during the 

WFIRST pre-Phase A study, and to develop a Design 

Reference Mission (DRM). The Charter was revised 

in December 2011 to add a second DRM that did not 

duplicate capabilities of the recently-approved ESA 

Euclid mission and that further reduced cost. The SDT 

worked closely with scientists and engineers from the 

WFIRST Project Office to develop two Design Reference Missions for the Final Report, which was delivered 

in August 2012. This report summarized the scientific 

objectives of the mission, and described the expected 

scientific return from each of the DRM implementations. These implementations evolved significantly 

from the original JDEM Omega design: the 1.5m onaxis telescope was replaced with 1.3m and 1.1m offaxis telescopes for DRM1 and DRM2, respectively, 

and the multi-channel instrument design was replaced 

with a single-channel wide-field instrument. DRM1 

has a collecting area comparable to JDEM OMEGA, 

and for both DRMs the clean point-spread function 

of the off-axis telescope provided significant benefits 

to the challenging WFIRST observing programs. The 

single-channel instrument concept is better-suited to 

the wider scientific scope of WFIRST than the multichannel OMEGA design, which was optimized for 

Dark Energy observing programs. Slitless spectroscopy is provided by prisms mounted in a wheel placed in 
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Balloon Exoplanet Nulling Interferometer 

(BENI)

One approach to moving forward with exoplanet missions is to use suborbital platforms such as sounding 

rockets and long-duration balloons. Sounding rockets have short flights and small payload volumes that 

preclude any significant exoplanet science, however, 

Ultra Long Duration Balloons (ULDB) can ascend to 

> 100,000 feet, stay aloft for as long as 100 days, have 

subarcsecond pointing control, and can carry instruments with enough aperture to enable significant exoplanet science and to lower technology risk for those 

technologies deemed critical for space flight. The VNC 

team studied the feasibility of the BENI mission using 

a ULDB with a gondola with < 1 arcsecond pointing 

and a 1.2-meter-aperture telescope feeding light into 

a VNC and determined that with existing technology 

we could assess the luminosity and morphology for > 

20 target dust and debris disks and that some bright 

Jovian planets could be seen. 

Visible Nulling Coronagraph for 

Exoplanets

Exoplanet science is rapidly advancing due to its high 

scientific value, and broad interest in answering the 

question: Is there life elsewhere in the universe? Exoseries with the filter wheel. The SDT report is available 

online: http://wfirst.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/sdt_public/

WFIRST_SDT_Final_Report.pdf.

The availability of two 2.4m telescopes from the 

National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) for use by 

NASA was announced in mid-2012, and an informal 

workshop on use of these telescopes was held at Princeton in early September. Both Neil Gehrels and Jeffrey 

Kruk from ASD gave presentations on the use of such 

a telescope for WFIRST. (A whitepaper derived from 

this workshop is posted on astro-ph: http://arxiv.org/

pdf/1210.7809v2.pdf). A new SDT was appointed 

by NASA HQ in October 2012 to investigate use of 

an NRO telescope for WFIRST, with a report due by 

the end of April 2013. Neil Gehrels of Goddard and 

David Spergel of Princeton are co-chairs of this SDT. 

Weekly telecons are being held, and several face-toface meetings are scheduled. The Mission Study Office is located at Goddard, and Telescope and Coronagraph Study Offices are located at JPL. 

The WFIRST Project science team at Goddard 

includes Neil Gehrels (Project Scientist), Jeff Kruk 

(Instrument Scientist), Richard Barry, Ken Carpenter, 

Harvey Moseley, Bernie Rauscher and Ed Wollack. 

This team joined the engineers from the Project Office 

in working with the SDT to study the implementation of WFIRST. Rauscher and Gehrels are members 

of the SDT.

Balloon Exoplanet Nulling Interferometer (BENI). Left: A generic balloon. Middle: A gondola with the telescope and 

the major subsystems labeled. Right: One design of the telescope with the VNC located beneath the optical bench.
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planet imaging requires instrument contrasts (ratio of 

star to planet luminosity) exceeding >109

 at planetto-star angular separations (inner working angle) of 

typically less 100 milliarcseconds. High-contrast imaging of this magnitude requires a telescope coupled 

to a coronagraph to suppress the star light relative to 

the planet’s light at these small angular separations. 

Imaging over this range of contrast is extremely demanding and requires exquisite and stable control of 

wavefront, amplitude, and polarization errors over a 

range of wavelengths. Goddard developed the Visible 

Nulling Coronagraph (VNC) as a joint effort between 

the Sciences and Exploration Directorate, the Applied 

Engineering & Technology Directorate, and on-site 

The GSFC Vacuum Nuller Testbed. Light enters from the fiber feed into a light trap that collimates and filters the light 

to emulate the beam from a collecting telescope and define the aperture stop. An optical relay re-images the aperture 

stop onto both the MMA and its conjugate optic in the delay-line arm after splitting light 50:50 at beamsplitter-1 

(BS1). The light is combined at beamsplitter-2, yielding two output beams known as the bright and dark outputs. The 

dark output contains the planetary photons, while the bright output contains the stellar photons; both output channels 

are used for wavefront and amplitude control. The total number of photons is conserved across both channels, allowing 

realization of a null-control scheme that depends only on the brightness of the target star and is independent of the state 

of the VNC. This is a significant advantage over other approaches in that it allows rapid control. The angle of separation between the star and planet where the VNC operates is 2l/D, where l is the wavelength and D the diameter of 

the aperture. In visible light this is ~50 milliarcseonds for a 4m aperture.

contractors to better understand and meet these demanding science, instrument and technology requirements.

The VNC was designed, fabricated, assembled 

and tested within a vacuum tank at Goddard in Building 34 and is the only Goddard-led exoplanet coronagraph effort. Following completion, the VNC was 

used to achieve the highest contrast ever recorded, at 

unprecedented inner working angles, with a nulling 

coronagraph. This significant achievement provides 

Goddard with a viable instrument approach for upcoming flight opportunities that include the NRO 

telescope, an Exoplanet Probe, a future large-aperture 

successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, and subor-
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bital balloon-borne exoplanet missions. Additionally 

the VNC advanced critical technologies suitable for 

other competing exoplanet mission approaches; these 

include the hexagonal-packed MEMS deformable 

mirror, the spatial filter array, Lyot masks, the achromatic phase shifter, and extreme wavefront control. 

The overall VNC effort enhances Goddard’s science 

competitiveness and technology readiness for upcoming exoplanet mission opportunities.

Specifically the VNC effort consisted of:

• Design the VNC instrument: design, procurement, assembly, alignment; interfacing the 

control system, cameras and data collection/

processing system; and insertion into tank 

and test. This effort was funded by GSFC 

IRAD (FY08/09/10) and is currently funded under two (FY10/11 PI: M. Clampin & 

FY12/13 PI: R. Lyon) NASA/Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) awards.

• Hex-packed MEMS deformable mirror (DM): 

The VNC worked with IRIS-AO (Berkeley, 

Calif.) to obtain phase-I/II NASA SBIRs for 

the development and delivery of a sequence of 

successively better DMs, and two additional 

NASA SAT awards were funded to environmentally test two competing DM technologies. Goddard will perform the environment 

testing in 2013 and will pre- and post-test the 

DMs in the existing VNC.

• Spatial Filter Arrays (SFA): Four different 

vendors delivered different forms for the SFA 

that were, or are undergoing, testing with the 

VNC. Two of the vendors were funded under 

GSFC IRAD and two from NASA SBIRs.

• Achromatic Phase Shifters (APS): As part of the 

FY12/13 SAT the VNC team designed and 

developed custom APS that are undergoing 

fabrication and coating using Applied Engineering & Technology Directorate facilities. 

The APS will be available for initial testing in 

April 2013.

The top row shows contrast maps from four different data collection events (DCE) on a log and color-stretched scale to 

show residual structure. The dark hole where a planet would be searched for is evident just left of the image center. The 

image at upper left contains an inset of the dark-hole control mask shifted to the right side. The middle row shows the 

dark-hole region from the top row magnified by a factor of 2. The central core is masked to compress the image dynamic 

range for display purposes. The plots at the bottom show X (left to right) and Y (top to bottom) plots through the center 

of the dark hole versus radial distance in units of l/D.
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• Wavefront Sensing and Control: Developed the 

mathematical models/algorithms, coded in C 

on a multiprocessor workstation, to work in 

near real-time. This allows wavefront sensing 

at 40 frames per second in the VNC laboratory environment and serves to mitigate the 

residual lab vibration and thermal drift.

The first funded SAT (FY10/11) has been completed and the milestone, of 108

 contrast at 2 l/D, has 

been achieved. Additionally localized regions achieved 

better than 109

 contrast at less than 4 l/D. This milestone was achieved narrowband and required the DM, 

precision WFC, and photon counting, and this milestone was designed to assess the performance of the 

DM, relative to contrast, in closed loop as driven by 

the WFC.

The ongoing FY12/13 SAT is to expand the spectral bandpass of the previous milestone from 1 nm to 

60 nm and while achieving a contrast, across the band, 

of 109

. This milestone requires the ongoing development of APS and it is expected that the broadband 

milestone will be achieved in late 2013.

ISS as a Testbed for Future Complex 

Optical Systems

Large and complex space optical systems that may be 

launched in the 2020s and 2030s will be necessarily much larger than this decade’s James Webb Space 

Telescope. It is likely, therefore, that such missions will 

require assembly on orbit and may, in addition, be enhanced by subsequent upgrade and servicing. However, whether such challenging tasks are carried out via 

robots or astronauts—or a combination of both—the 

required capabilities do not now exist.

Dr. Harley Thronson continues to play a leading role in a small group of Goddard scientists and 

engineers that is working with colleagues at the Jet 

Propulsion Laboratory and NASA Johnson Space 

Center to assess the International Space Station (ISS) 

as a long-term testbed to develop the capabilities to 

use astronauts and robots to enable future very large 

optics. The Optical Testbed and Integration on ISS 

Experiment (OpTIIX) entered Phase B study in early 

2012, although is stalled due to lack of funding. The 

primary goal of OpTIIX, is to retire technical risk in 

complex robotic assembly in space before the 2020 

NRC Decadal Survey.

Although significant design work still needs to be 

carried out, the basic notion is to launch to ISS the 

components of a modular optical system, including a 

basic control system and instrument. Robots would 

then be used to assemble, test and upgrade the system over a few years. The team intends also to explore 

whether purely autonomous deployment/assembly 

would be more cost-effective than using external human or robotic agents. The resulting optical system 

on ISS would be capable of very limited observations, 

at least at the start. Even so, the knowledge and experience gained by attempting the construction and 

servicing of large, precise structures will be essential 

in enabling very ambitious optical systems in space in 

future decades.

An unsolicited proposal to restart the OpTIIX 

project is under consideration by NASA HQ.

Human Operations Beyond Low-Earth 

Orbit 

NASA’s human space flight program, although with 

continuing significant uncertainty in its goals and priorities, consistently identifies operations in free space 

beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO) as a priority. Whether 

as a staging site for long-duration voyages beyond the 

Earth-Moon system, supporting human and telerobotic exploration of the lunar surface, or advancing 

technologies developed on the International Space 

The Optical Testbed and Integration on ISS Experiment 

(OpTIIX) concept is intended to be a 1.4m optical system 

that will retire the risk of key elements of the robotic assembly and upgrade of future very large telescopes in space. 

NASA GSFC has overall responsibility for the imaging 

camera housed within one of the gray orbital replacement 

units at the base of the segmented telescope assembly.
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Station (ISS), continued human operations in free 

space have been recommended to NASA for decades 

as a major enabling capability.

Dr. Harley Thronson continues to lead a small 

working group of scientists and engineers at Goddard, 

other NASA centers, and in industry, which has for 

several years been developing concepts for how equipment and facilities developed for human space flight 

might be used to achieve other goals. Such work has 

a long history at Goddard: In the early 1970s, Frank 

Cepollina and colleagues persisted in advocating that 

the space shuttle be adapted to service and upgrade 

satellites in LEO. This was almost two decades before 

Cepollina’s team used the shuttle to rescue NASA’s 

premier astronomical observatory. Vision and perseverance eventually pays off!

Currently, Thronson’s team has taken on the 

ambitious task of designing a long-duration human 

habitation system for either the L1 or L2 Earth-Moon 

location. Its primary purpose would be to develop capabilities necessary for safe and comfortable human 

operations beyond LEO in the early 2020s. A major 

goal for this habitat—dubbed a “Gateway” by its designers—is to support lunar surface operations, either 

with astronauts or with telerobots. However, in addition, the capability to repair, assemble and upgrade 

complex science facilities, including large optical systems, is also under consideration.

More recently, Thronson has been leading a GSFC 

team that is assessing how on-orbit staging of a human 

mission to Mars in the 2030s could be achieved using conventional or near-term technologies, as well as 

pre-emplacing at Mars the elements necessary for safe 

return, perhaps within a total round-trip duration less 

than a year.

X-ray Mission and Concept Studies 

International X-ray Observatory (IXO) was to be an 

international flagship X-ray observatory with joint 

participation from NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency 

(JAXA). IXO is a facility-class mission for launch in 

the 2020s that would address major astrophysical 

questions in the “hot universe” by providing breakthrough capabilities in X-ray spectroscopy, imaging, 

timing and polarimetry. 

IXO was ranked as the fourth priority for NASA 

in the 2010 decadal survey report New Worlds, New 

Horizons. The panel recommended that NASA support a substantial technology development program 

over the next decade, primarily to mature the X-ray 

mirror technology. 

Nearly in parallel with the 2010 decadal survey, 

ESA was evaluating future missions through its Cosmic Visions study. IXO was one of three L-class missions, along with LISA and a Jupiter probe (JUICE), 

which were to be ranked by ESA in June 2011. As all 

three missions relied on substantial NASA contributions, and none were ranked highest in their respecOne concept for a long-duration human habitation system operating at the Earth-Moon L1 or L2 venue is shown here, 

shortly after an advanced robotic surface rover has been dispatched to the lunar surface. John Frassanito & Associates
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tive U.S. decadal surveys, ESA decided in March 2011 

to reconstitute all three at a lower cost and without 

substantial U.S. participation. NASA’s response was to 

terminate the IXO (and LISA) studies.

The replacement L-class candidate for IXO was 

called the Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics (ATHENA). It had very different architecture: 

a pair of identical co-axial mirrors, one of which illuminates an X-ray calorimeter, the other a Wide Field 

Imager. ATHENA would have addressed most of the 

IXO science objectives, at a considerably lower cost. 

U.S. participation would have been limited. In May 

2012, ESA selected JUICE as its L1 mission; a revised 

version of ATHENA will be proposed in 2013 as an 

L2/L3 candidate.

Subsequent to the termination of IXO, a concept 

for a mission that performs the high-priority IXO science at a total cost below $2 billion was developed 

and validated through the GSFC Mission Design 

Laboratory. This mission concept, the Advanced Xray Spectroscopy and Imaging Observatory (AXSIO), 

features an X-ray calorimeter and a retractable grating 

spectrometer behind a single large mirror, preserving 

IXO’s key components. 

In September 2011, NASA Headquarters requested that the PCOS Program Office coordinate a 

study to determine the degree to which missions at 

various cost levels between $300 million and $2 billion could accomplish the IXO science objectives. Rob 

Petre served as Study Scientist, and Andy Ptak was a 

member of the Science Support Team. This study was 

initiated through an HQ Request for Information 

(RFI) for mission concepts and supporting technology. A total of 29 responses were received, 15 of which 

described mission concepts. In November, NASA 

HQ selected a Community Science Team (CST) to 

provide science input for the study. The Study Team 

hosted two-day workshop in December 2011 to involve the larger community; attendance exceeded 100. 

Using the workshop discussion and the RFI responses 

as input, the CST defined four notional missions for 

further study: AXSIO, plus single instrument missions 

IXO’s science goals included the physics of black holes, the growth of large-scale structure, and other regions near and 

far whose physics could be revealed by a new flagship X-ray mission. This image is taken from ESA’s Athena Assessment 

Study Report.
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built around a calorimeter, gratings and wide-field 

imager. Through the first half of 2012, each of these 

notional missions was studied. The study included development of performance specifications by the CST, 

a design run through the GSFC Mission Design Laboratory, and subsequent costing using PRICE-H and 

other costing methods. Possible cost savings through 

descopes and foreign contributions were assessed. The 

study team also assessed the readiness of the enabling 

technology for each of the notional missions and the 

estimated cost to advance each technology to TRL-6 

(the level assumed in the mission cost estimates). All 

of this information was compiled in the X-ray Missions Concepts Study Report (http://pcos.gsfc.nasa.

gov/studies/x-ray-mission.php). 

The final report was submitted to NASA Headquarters in July 2012, and received favorably. Its primary conclusion is that X-ray observatories in the $1 

billion class that address the high-priority IXO science 

objectives are feasible for start within this decade, but 

only if technical risk is controlled by prior development of key technology to TRL-6. This report results 

were presented to the NASA Astrophysics Division 

(July 2012), the Physics of the Cosmos Program 

Analysis Group (PhysPAG) (August 2012), the newly 

reinstituted NRC Committee for Astronomy and Astrophysics (CAA, October 2012), and will be presented to the membership of the American Astronomical 

Society (January 2013).

The primary study outcome, that it is feasible to 

develop an X-ray observatory that addresses a substantial share of IXO science for ~$1 billion, factored 

into the NASA Astrophysics Division Implementation Plan. That plan calls for a 2015 decision about 

what strategic astrophysics mission NASA will start in 

2017. One candidate is an “X-ray Probe” mission, to 

be based on one of the notional missions in the X-ray 

Mission Concepts Study. 

As input to that decision, the GSFC-led study 

team is undertaking two activities. First, it is developing a Technology Development Plan (TDP) describing the steps, timeline and funding required for raising the critical instrumentation of an X-ray probe class 

mission to the appropriate readiness level. The TDP 

will be completed by May 2013. Second, a mission 

study will be performed in which one of the notional 

missions from the Study will be further developed in 

order to make possible an accurate cost estimate. This 

study will start in late 2013 and will be completed by 

mid-2015. 

Neutron Star Interior Composition 

Explorer (NICER)

NICER is a proposed Explorer Mission of Opportunity (PI: Keith Gendreau), an International Space 

Station (ISS) payload devoted to the study of neutron 

stars through soft-X-ray timing. Neutron stars are 

unique environments in which all four fundamental 

forces of nature are simultaneously important. They 

squeeze more than 1.4 solar masses into a city-size volume, giving rise to the highest stable densities known 

The interplay among the capabilities of ground-based radio and operating space-based X-ray and gamma-ray observatories amplifies the scientific returns from all.
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anywhere. The nature of matter under these conditions is a decades-old unsolved problem, one most directly addressed with measurements of the masses and, 

especially, radii of neutron stars to high precision (i.e., 

better than 10 percent uncertainty). With few such 

constraints forthcoming from observations, theory has 

advanced a host of models to describe the physics governing neutron star interiors. 

By answering a long-standing astrophysics question—How big is a neutron star?—NICER will confront nuclear physics theory with unique measurements, exploring the exotic states of matter within 

neutron stars through rotation-resolved X-ray spectroscopy. The capabilities that NICER brings to this 

investigation are unique: simultaneous fast timing and 

spectroscopy, with low background and high throughput. These capabilities will also enable NICER to: 

• Probe the dynamic processes associated with 

neutron stars

• Establish the sites and mechanisms of radiation in their extreme magnetospheres, and

• Definitively measure the stability of neutron 

stars as clocks, with implications for gravitational-wave detection, timekeeping, and 

spacecraft navigation.

Through synergies with radio and gamma-ray 

investigations, NICER will enable a vital multiwavelength approach to neutron star studies. NICER will 

also provide continuity in X-ray-timing astrophysics 

post-Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), a rapid 

response capability for study of the transient sky, and 

new discovery space in soft-X-ray timing science. 

NICER achieves these goals by deploying its X-ray 

Timing Instrument (XTI) as an attached payload on a 

zenith-side ExPRESS Logistics Carrier (ELC) aboard 

the International Space Station (ISS). 

The XTI represents an innovative configuration 

of high-heritage components. The heart of the instrument is an aligned collection of 56 X-ray “concentrator” optics (XRC) and silicon drift detector (SDD) 

pairs. Each XRC collects X-rays over a large geometric area from a 25 arcmin2 region of the sky and focuses them onto a small SDD. The SDD detects inAn artist’s view of NICER observing neutron stars from its perch on the ISS. 
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dividual photons, recording their energies with good 

(approximately 3 percent) spectral resolution and 

their detection times to an unprecedented 100 nanoseconds RMS relative to Universal Time. Together, 

this assemblage provides a high signal-to-noise-ratio 

photon-counting capability within the 0.2–12 keV 

X-ray band, perfectly matched to the typical spectra 

of neutron stars as well as a broad collection of other 

astrophysical sources.

From NICER’s ELC platform, a star-tracker–

based pointing system allows the XTI to point to and 

track neutron stars and other celestial targets over virtually a full hemisphere. The pointing system design 

accommodates the ISS vibration and contamination 

environments, and enables (together with NICER’s 

GPS-based absolute timing) high-precision pulsar 

light-curve measurements through ultra-deep exposures spanning the 18-month mission lifetime. Anticipated launch of NICER is in late 2016, and additional 

information is available via the HEASARC (http://

heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/nicer).

NICER was first proposed in February 2011 

and selected into Phase A in September 2011. A detailed 11-month engineering study to demonstrate 

the mission’s feasibility and technical readiness culminated with the submission, in September 2012, of a 

1,000-plus page Concept Study Report to the NASA 

Explorers program. The NICER team—a close-knit 

collaboration between ASD and GSFC’s Advanced 

Engineering and Technology Directorate—then began preparations for a site visit by the Explorer review 

panel, to be held Jan. 29, 2013, at Goddard. A selection decision is expected in the spring of 2013.

ASD members of the NICER science team are Zaven Arzoumanian (Deputy PI), Lorella Angelini, Alice 

Harding, Michael Loewenstein, Craig Markwardt, 

Takashi Okajima, Peter Serlemitsos, Yang Soong, Tod 

Strohmayer, and Stephen Drake. The mission team 

includes MIT (detectors) and commercial partners 

providing flight hardware; the Naval Research Laboratory and universities across the U.S., as well as in 

Canada and Mexico, are providing additional science 

expertise.

Space-based Gravitational-Wave 

Observatory (SGO) and New 

Gravitational-Wave Observatory (NGO)

For more than a decade, the Laser Interferometer 

Space Antenna (LISA) has been the preferred mission 

concept for carrying out gravitational wave observations from space. Although LISA was highly ranked 

for its compelling science in several reviews by the 

National Academy of Sciences, most recently in New 

Worlds, New Horizons, the Astro2010 Decadal Survey, 

funding constraints have forced the two agencies to 

end the partnership and identify new mission concepts compatible with their respective programmatic 

constraints. In the U.S., the class of missions under 

study is referred to as Space-based Gravitational-wave 

Observatory (SGO). In Europe, it is New Gravitational-wave Observatory (NGO) or enhanced LISA 

(eLISA)

During 2012, the SGO study team concluded a 

mission-concept study initiated in 2011 to explore 

lower-cost options and issued a final report. The study 

explored alternate architectures to establish how science performance varied with cost and began with a 

Request for Information and the formation of a Community Science Team. The final report (available for 

download from http://pcos.gsfc.nasa.gov/studies/

gravitational-wave-mission.php) concluded that there 

is no mission concept with compelling science at, or 

below, $1B, although it may be possible for NASA to 

partner with ESA at the Probe Class mission level or 

below. Four representative mission concepts were analyzed in detail for cost, risk, and science. Table 1 summarizes the results.

ESA concluded their study of NGO, a LISA-like 

design for the first large (L1) mission opportunity under the Cosmic Vision Programme. NGO differs from 

LISA in that there are two, rather than three, interferometer arms, and the arms are 1 rather than 5 million 

kilometers long. NGO would launch on two Soyuz 

spacecraft. The final report, or Yellow Book, is availNICER has twice the effective area and four times the 

sensitivity of the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton, and 25 times the time-tagging resolution of RXTE.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Projects 82

able for download from http://sci2.esa.int/cosmicvision/NGO_YB.pdf.

In April 2012 ESA selected the JUpiter ICy 

moons Explorer (JUICE) mission for the L1 opportunity. The European gravitational wave community has 

responded by organizing a consortium and adopting 

the name eLISA (enhanced LISA) to prepare for the 

next opportunity, which is an L2 mission. The L2 call 

for proposals is expected to be announced in February 

2013 with a selection in late 2013. The call is expected 

to be a “cornerstone” call, that is, for science themes 

with example mission concepts.

To prepare for the possible selection of gravitational 

waves as the theme by ESA, NASA is writing a 

technology development plan to outline a strategy 

to have several candidate technologies available at 

the TRL 5 level by 2015. The candidate technologies 

are micro-newton thrusters, a laser system, and a 

telescope. The development of a telescope, led by 

J. Livas, has been funded for two years through the 

Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) program.

J. I. Thorpe has continued to support the LISA 

Pathfinder (LPF) mission, currently expected to launch 

in 2015. LPF consists of an ESA payload called the 

LISA Test Package (LTP) and a NASA payload called 

the ST7 Disturbance Reduction System. Thorpe was 

awarded an IRAD along with P. Maghami (Attitude 

Control Systems Engineering Branch) and J. Baker 

to conduct four specific investigations to study the 

possibility of combining LTP interferometer data with 

ST-7 capacitive-sensing data to improve the baseline 

noise performance. The team is also planning an ST-7 

drift-mode experiment to study the noise added by 

the electrostatic suspension, and to study potential 

applications of the LPF mission to fundamental 

physics experiments in an extended mission phase.

A summary of U.S. study of four representative SGO mission concepts comparing science, risk, and cost.

† Based on median rate: estimates for EMRI rates vary by as much as an order of magnitude in each direction.

* Two-arm instruments such as LAGRANGE/McKenzie lack the “GW null” channel that can be used to distinguish between stochastic 

backgrounds & instrumental noise, making such measurements more challenging.

‡ The moderate risk for SGO High comes about from the thruster development necessary to demonstrate the required lifetime of 5 years for 

science operations.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Education and Public Outreach 83

2012 Education and Public Outreach Highlights of NASA’s Astrophysics Science 

Division

2012 has been a year of challenges for ASD’s E/PO 

team, but also one of many successes. Like many other 

programs and projects, this year we were faced with 

budget reductions that required some staffing changes 

and reassessment of our programs, but we have a strong 

team doing great work, so we expect the new year to 

bring even more success for our team, and therefore 

for the Division. We have extensive E/PO projects 

that align with the Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) and 

Cosmic Origins (COR) program offices, and our team 

also supports NASA astrophysics missions, including 

Astro-H, JWST, Suzaku, and HEASARC; as well as 

preliminary E/PO programs for missions in development.

This year Dr. Amber Straughn of the Observational Cosmology Laboratory has been the civil servant Lead for the team, Dr. Koji Mukai (CRESST/

USRA) the Acting Lead and Missions and Grants 

Lead, and Dr. Barbara Mattson (CRESST/USRA) the 

PCOS/COR Lead. Dr. Jim Lochner, who was the E/

PO Lead prior to his two-year detail to HQ, has accepted a position with USRA as Director of University 

Communications and Engagement. He will also be 

working with the USRA Vice President for Government Relations, interfacing with staffers on the Hill. 

Our team is very happy for Jim in this exciting new 

opportunity, but will miss the excitement and enthusiasm he brought to our team. We wish him the best 

in his new position. 

Our team has accomplished much in the past 

year; here we present some of the highlights.

PCOS/COR EPO

This was an exciting year for the PCOS/COR E/PO 

program, under the leadership of Barbara Mattson. As 

the first fully-funded year of PCOS/COR E/PO, this 

year was one full of building foundations for our new 

initiatives and new growth for our established programs.

Space Forensics

The year marked the kickoff of the Space Forensics 

project as a cornerstone element of the PCOS/COR 

E/PO program, led by Sara Mitchell. This project 

presents astronomical mysteries in the style of crimesolving narratives and activities for each “case.” Earlier 

this year, brainstorming sessions with ASD scientists 

and E/PO personnel created a list of dozens of prospective case concepts. Through focus groups conducted in conjunction with an external evaluator, the 

Space Forensics team whittled this down to four case 

topics that will be developed during FY12 and FY13: 

supernovae, black holes, gamma-ray bursts, and gravitational waves. Work is currently under way on the development of the first topic (“The Case of the Exploding Star”), with a professional science writer preparing 

a mystery-style narrative to frame classroom activities 

about supernovae. A PCOS/COR undergraduate 

summer intern performed a literature review and created a database of NASA E/PO activities about these 

topics, to leverage existing, evaluated content as much 

as possible. The project’s external evaluator is developing tools and methodologies for assessing the pilot 

implementation of this case in early 2013. Over the 

course of the year, the Space Forensics team presented 

the project to educators visiting Goddard as well as 

at nationwide conferences such as the National Science Teachers Association and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Summer Institute. They also 

presented a poster to E/PO peers at the Astronomical 

Society of the Pacific conference.

Blueshift

(http://universe.nasa.gov/blueshift/)

NASA Blueshift (team members Sara Mitchell and 

Maggie Masetti) celebrated 

its fifth anniversary this 

year as the Division’s social media and new media 

presence. The Blueshift 

team releases 8–10 blog 

posts per month on their 

website, providing a “backstage pass” to the missions, 

personnel, and discoveries 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Education and Public Outreach 84

within the Division. They also highlight connections 

between ASD science and pop culture. In addition to 

blogs, this year saw the return of regular Blueshift podcasts, including episodes interviewing Dr. Dan Wik 

about NuSTAR, Dr. Amber Straughn about galaxies and JWST, “The Big Bang Theory” science advisor (and former Goddard intern) Dr. David Saltzberg 

about astrophysics in pop culture, and “Bad Astronomer” Dr. Phil Plait about skeptical thinking and public engagement in science. Blueshift also connects with 

the public through Twitter and Facebook, and these 

platforms have shown steady growth in followers and 

engagement. Over the course of 2012, audiences on 

both sites have nearly doubled.

Big Explosions & Strong Gravity

(http://bigexplosions.gsfc.nasa.gov/)

Big Explosions and Strong 

Gravity (BESG) is a highly 

successful outreach program begun in 2004 in 

cooperation with the Girl 

Scouts of Central Maryland and led by Sarah Eyermann. In a one-day event, 

girls explore the science 

behind supernovae and 

black holes with hands-on activities tailored to the 

middle school level. Whenever possible, professional 

scientists, engineers, postdocs, and graduate students 

assist with these activities, giving the girls a chance 

to interact with professionals in science and technology fields. Though BESG was initially created for Girl 

Scouts, the individual activities are appropriate for a 

much broader audience. The program resources are 

currently being expanded to be useful to a wider variety of out-of-school settings and groups under Physics 

of the Cosmos/Cosmic Origins umbrella. In 2012, an 

initial list was generated of possible target groups for 

this expansion, and research into the needs of those 

groups has been started. In addition, the BESG team 

presented posters and workshops about the program 

and its expansion at four different conferences around 

the country.

Astrophysics Missions E/PO

Suzaku & Astro-H

This year, Suzaku E/PO prepared to close out as Astro-H E/PO began, both programs led by Barbara 

Mattson. To provide continuity from one mission to 

another, Barbara created a new public website, titled 

“Collaboration Across Cultures,” to combine the educational pages from NASA/JAXA collaborations in Xray astronomy. The collaboration site consists of pages 

ported from the original Suzaku Learning Center website along with new pages written to highlight AstroH, ASCA, and Ginga. 

Mattson also finished the development of the Suzaku-funded Science in the Media curriculum module. 

The Science in the Media module leads high school 

students through an exploration of a new scientific 

discovery as it goes from the scientist to the media. 

This module was submitted, and passed, NASA’s education product review this year, and will be unveiled 

with a press feature in early 2013. 

JWST

JWST E/PO and Communications is a partnership 

between Goddard and the Space Telescope Science Institute, as well as other contractor collaborations. This 

has been a very active and successful year for JWST; 

here we present some of the highlights. STScI is leading the JWST “STEM Innovation Project,” which is 

an interdisciplinary approach that focuses on the engineering aspects of JWST as well as future potential 

scientific discoveries through project-based learning. 

This project is currently being piloted in several states. 

JWST social media (led by Maggie Masetti) grew 

a great deal in 2012. We started the year with just over 

19,000 Twitter followers and more than doubled that 

number, with over 40,000 followers currently. On 

Facebook, we started 2012 with just over 24,000 followers and have more than doubled this number as 

well, with over 50,000. We have had over 132,000 

views of our YouTube videos and more than 160,000 

views of our images on Flickr in 2012. We’ve held two 

tweetchats during which John Mather answered questions about JWST science, and also held a Reddit “Ask 

Me Anything,” also with Mather, where he took questions from people in the online Reddit community. 

This resulted in well over 600 comments on the AMA 

thread, and it reached the #1 spot on Reddit’s “Top” 

page the day after the event. These online chats have 

been archived on www.jwst.nasa.gov.

In other JWST Outreach and Communications 

news, the team averaged ~4 Press Releases and Features per month, produced numerous Webb Snapshot 

and Behind the Webb videos, supported numerous 

outreach events such as the Shuttle Celebration at the 

Intrepid Museum in New York City and the USA Science and Engineering Festival as well as local events 

at the GSFC Visitor’s Center, and hosted several film 

crews at GSFC for different local, national, and international television programs. JWST partnered again 

in 2012 with the RealWorld InWorld Engineering 

Design Challenge, in which student teams compete in 

both a classroom and virtual world setting, and have 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Education and Public Outreach 85

online interactions with NASA scientists and engineers.

HEASARC

The HEASARC E/PO program continues to fulfill its 

mission of bringing high-energy astronomy and cosmology to teachers and their students. Dr. Barbara 

Mattson (CRESST/USRA) leads the E/PO program.

As part of an Education and Public Outreach 

for Earth and Space Sciences (EPOESS) grant, Mattson, with the assistance of Meredith Gibb (Syneren 

Technologies), produced in 2012 the 16th edition of 

the Imagine the Universe! DVD-ROM, featuring the 

websites for Imagine and StarChild as well as the 2011 

collection of Astronomy Pictures of the Day. The guest 

website on the 16th edition DVD was Afterschool 

Universe, an ASD E/PO initiative aimed at providers 

of afterschool programs. 

In addition, Mattson worked with our evaluator, 

Dr. Allyson Walker (Cornerstone Evaluation Associates), to develop two surveys to determine the utility 

of continuing the production of the annual Imagine! 

DVD. The first survey probed how requesters of the 

15th edition use the DVD. The critical question in 

this first survey probed users to find if there was anything they currently did that they would not be able 

to do if the DVD was no longer produced—half of 

those who answered the survey said there was something they would not be able to do. Further analysis 

showed that those who would miss the annual DVD 

used the DVD in more ways and with more audiences 

than those who would not miss the DVD. This second 

survey sought to determine how users value the Imagine! DVD as compared to the Imagine! website. Responses were solicited from subscribers of the Imagine 

the Universe! News mailing list and Imagine! DVD 

requesters from the past five years. This second survey 

found that there is still a number of Imagine! users 

who value the DVD, despite the same information being available on the Internet; frequently these users are 

those without reliable Internet connections for their 

educational activities. The E/PO team is reviewing the 

results of both surveys to determine the future of the 

Imagine! DVD.

The HEASARC E/PO team, through George Gliba (Syneren Technologies) continued to fulfill requests 

for our educational materials from educators across 

the country. These orders for materials came through 

the Imagine the Universe! site order form and through 

a partnership with the Night Sky Network, a nationwide coalition of amateur astronomy clubs bringing 

the science, technology, and inspiration of NASA’s 

missions to the general public. Gliba filled over 900 

requests during 2012. By far, the most requested item 

is the Imagine the Universe! DVDs, with over 7,000 

sent out to educators, NASA educator ambassadors, 

workshop providers, and amateur astronomers. During this time, Gliba also distributed over 600 educational posters and associated booklets (when available). 

Updates to the Imagine the Universe! web pages 

continued throughout 2012. Most notably, Mattson 

and freelance writer Kate Carroll (USRA) created a 

special exhibit on the Imagine! site celebrating the 

50th anniversary of cosmic X-ray astronomy. For this 

series of articles, Carroll interviewed current and former ASD scientists (Drs. Peter Serlemitsos, Kimberly 

Weaver, Koji Mukai, Katja Pottschmidt (UMBC), Joe 

Hill, and Richard Mushotzky(UMCP)) to get their 

perspectives on the past, present and future of cosmic 

X-ray astronomy. 

Grants and External Collaborations

Family Science Night

(http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php)

The NASA Family Science Night (FSN) program is a 

joint endeavor between the Astrophysics and Heliophysics Science Divisions at Goddard, which began 

in 2006. The project taps into the immense influence 

that parents and families have on children’s interest 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Education and Public Outreach 86

and engagement in science, encouraging families to 

explore science activities together in a comfortable 

learning environment. The FSN program currently 

offers a portfolio of nine evaluated sessions about a variety of topics in astronomy, with a network of dozens 

of implementation sites around the country. Through 

a supplemental E/PO grant from PI Dr. Aki Roberge, 

the FSN team has expanded the program’s portfolio in 

2012 to include new content about extrasolar planets 

and astrobiology. The sessions developed under this 

grant have been pilot tested at Goddard and are currently undergoing refinement before further release. 

Afterschool Universe

(http://universe.nasa.gov/au/)

Afterschool Universe (AU) is a curriculum developed 

for use with middle-school-aged children in afterschool programs, summer camps, and other out-ofschool-time venues. It explores basic astronomy concepts through engaging activities, with a focus on the 

Universe outside the solar system, introducing topics 

of great interest not typically studied in school. Developed by the Astrophysics Science Division at NASA’s 

Goddard Space Flight Center, AU was successfully pilot tested in 2006 and 2007, and has since been implemented around the country (and in a few others). 

For the past 3 years, and EPOESS grant has funded 

the continued expansion of the AU program through 

a train-the-trainer initiative. 2012 was the final year 

of this effort. The networks and ambassadors that had 

been trained by the AU team continued running their 

own trainings, and submitted their evaluation data to 

an external evaluator. The collected data was analyzed, 

and has been compiled into a final evaluation report.

Astro4Girls

In 2012, the ASD EPO 

team participated in a 

NASA-funded astrophysics 

forum collaboration called 

“Astro4Girls and Their 

Families.” This pilot program offered a variety of 

informal science events at nine public libraries nationwide during Women’s History Month (March) 2012. 

The goals were to engage girls and their families to 

discover the Universe for themselves, and celebrate the 

contribution of women to astronomy and science. The 

team partnered with the Varnum Memorial Library in 

Jeffersonville, VT, and provided them with resources 

about the electromagnetic spectrum and spectroscopy. 

They ran an event with 4th and 6th graders during 

the first week in May, using activities drawn from Afterschool Universe, Big Explosions & Strong Gravity, 

and Family Science Night.

ASD Press and Communications

One of the primary means by which ASD science news 

is communicated to the general public is through press 

releases and web features. Francis Reddy (Syneren 

Technologies) fills this crucial role for the Division, 

and was recognized this year by a Peer Award. In 2012 

numerous press releases and features on Fermi, Swift, 

and other Division mission and science news were issued, many accompanied with videos, which dramatically furthered the reach and impact. This partnership 

with NASA TV has resulted in very successful visualizations which are accessed via the Goddard SVS server, YouTube, and the very popular NASAViz iPad app. 

Many of the most popular videos featured on NASA.

gov have been astrophysics-themed. In addition to the 

ASD-specific releases, we also partner with Headquarters for releases as well.
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 87

2012 Publications

The characterization of Virgo data and its impact on gravitational-wave searches. Aasi, J., Abadie, J., Abbott, B. 

P., et al. 2012 Class. Quantum Gravity 29, 155002, doi:10.1088/0264-9381/29/15/155002

 Search for gravitational waves associated with gamma-ray bursts during LIGO Science Run 6 and Virgo Science 

Runs 2 and 3. Abadie, J., Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R. et al. 2012 Astrophys. J. 760, 12, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/760/1/12

Search for gravitational waves from intermediate mass binary black holes. Abadie, J., Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R., 

et al. 2012 Phys. Rev. D 85, 102004, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.85.102004

First low-latency LIGO+Virgo search for binary in spirals and their electromagnetic counterparts. Abadie, J., Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R. et al. 2012 Astron. Astrophys. 2012 541, A155, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201218860

All-sky search for gravitational-wave bursts in the second joint LIGO-Virgo run. Abadie, J., Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R., et al. 2012 Phys. Rev. D 85, 122007, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.85.122007 

Upper limits on a stochastic gravitational-wave background using LIGO and Virgo interferometers at 600–

1000 Hz. Abadie, J., Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R., et al. 2012 Phys. Rev. D 85, 122001, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.85.122001 

Search for gravitational waves from low mass compact binary coalescence in LIGO’s sixth science run and 

Virgo’s science runs 2 and 3. Abadie, J., Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R., et al. 2012 Phys. Rev. D 85, 82002, 

doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.85.082002

All-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in the full S5 LIGO data. Abadie, J., Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R. et 

al. 2012 Phys. Rev. D 85, 22001, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.85.022001

Implementation and testing of the first prompt search for gravitational wave transients with electromagnetic counterparts . Abadie, J., Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R., et al. 2012 Astron. Astrophys. 539, A124, doi:10.1051/0004-

6361/201118219 

Erratum: Search for gravitational waves from binary black hole inspiral, merger, and ringdown [Phys. Rev. D

83, 122005 (2011)]. Abadie, J., Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R., et al. 2012 Phys. Rev. D 85, 89904, doi:10.1103/

PhysRevD.86.069903 

Publisher’s note: Search for gravitational waves from compact binary coalescence in LIGO and Virgo data from 

S5 and VSR1 [Phys. Rev. D 82, 102001(2010)]. Abadie, J., Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R., et al. 2012 Phys. Rev. 

D 85, 89903, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.85.089903

Publisher’s note: All-sky search for gravitational-wave bursts in the first joint LIGO-GEO-Virgo run [Phys. Rev. 

D 81, 102001 (2010)]. Abadie, J., Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R., et al. Phys. Rev. D 85, 89905, doi:10.1103/

PhysRevD.85.089905

Publisher’s note: Search for gravitational waves associated with the August 2006 timing glitch of the Vela pulsar 

[Phys. Rev. D 83, 042001 (2011)]. Abadie, J., Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R., et al. 2012 Phys. Rev. D 85, 89902, 

doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.85.089902 

Implications for the origin of GRB 051103 from LIGO observations. Abadie, J., Abbott, B. P., Abbott, T. D., 

et al. 2012 Astrophys. J. 755, 2, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/755/1/2 

Model independent search for new phenomena in ppˉ collisions at √s=1.96TeV. Abazov, V. M., Abbott, B., 

Acharya, B. S., et al. 2012 Phys. Rev. D 85, 92015, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.85.092015 

Observation of anisotropy in the Galactic cosmic-ray arrival directions at 400 TeV with IceCube. Abbasi, R., 

Abdou, Y., Abu-Zayyad, T., et al. Astrophys. J. 746, 33, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/746/1/33

The design and performance of IceCube DeepCore. Abbasi, R., Abdou, Y., Abu-Zayyad, T., et al. 2012 Astropart. Phys. 35, 615, doi:10.1016/j.astropartphys.2012.01.004

Multiyear search for dark matter annihilations in the Sun with the AMANDA-II and IceCube detectors. Abbasi, 

R., Abdou, Y., Abu-Zayyad, T., et al. 2012 Phys. Rev. D 85, 42002, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.85.042002 

Neutrino analysis of the 2010 September Crab Nebula flare and time-integrated constraints on neutrino emission from the Crab using IceCube. Abbasi, R., Abdou, Y., Abu-Zayyad, T., et al. 2012 Astrophys. J. 745, 45, 

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/745/1/45 

Time-dependent searches for point sources of neutrinos with the 40-string and 22-string configurations of 

IceCube. Abbasi, R., Abdou, Y., Abu-Zayyad, T., et al. 2012 Astrophys. J. 744, 1, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/744/1/1

Background studies for acoustic neutrino detection at the South Pole. Abbasi, R., Abdou, Y., Abu-Zayyad, T., 

et al. 2012 Astropart. Phys. 35, 312, doi:10.1016/j.astropartphys.2011.09.004
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 88

Constraints on the emission model of the “Naked-eye Burst” GRB 080319B. Abdo, A. A., Abeysekara, A. U., 

Allen, B. T., et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 753, L31, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/753/2/L31

Spectrum and morphology of the two brightest Milagro sources in the Cygnus region: MGRO J2019+37 

and MGRO J2031+41. Abdo, A. A., Abeysekara, U., Allen, B. T., et al. 2012 Astrophys. J. 753, 159, 

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/753/2/159

Fermi observations of g-ray emission from the Moon. Abdo, A. A., Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., et al. 2012 

Astrophys. J. 758, 140, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/758/2/140

Observation and spectral measurements of the Crab Nebula with Milagro. Abdo, A. A., Allen, B. T., Atkins, R., 

et al. 2012 Astrophys. J. 750, 63, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/750/1/63

PSR J0007+7303 in the CTA1 supernova remnant: New gamma-ray results from two years of Fermi Large 

Area Telescope observations. Abdo, A. A., Wood, K. S., DeCesar, M. E., et al. 2012 Astrophys. J. 744, 146, 

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/744/2/146

Search for antihelium with the BESS-Polar spectrometer. Abe, K., Fuke, H., Haino, S., et al. Phys. Rev. Lett.

108, 131301, doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.131301

Measurement of the cosmic-ray antiproton spectrum at solar minimum with a long-duration balloon flight over 

Antarctica. Abe, K., Fuke, H., Haino, S. et al. 2012 Phys. Rev. Lett., 108, 51102, doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.051102

On the sensitivity of the HAWC observatory to gamma-ray bursts. Abeysekara, A. U., Aguilar, J. A., Aguilar, S., 

et al. 2012 Astropart. Phys. 35, 641, doi:10.1016/j.astropartphys.2012.02.001

The 2010 very high energy g-ray flare and 10 years of multi-wavelength observations of M87. Abramowski, A., 

Acero, F., Aharonian, F., et al. 2012 Astrophys. J. 746, 151, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/746/2/151 

Search for dark matter annihilation signals from the Fornax Galaxy Cluster with H.E.S.S. Abramowski, A., 

Acero, F., Aharonian, F., et al. 2012 Astrophys. J. 750, 123, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/750/2/123

Spectral analysis and interpretation of the g-ray emission from the starburst galaxy NGC 253. Abramowski, A., 

Acero, F., Aharonian, F., et al. 2012 Astrophys. J. 757, 158, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/757/2/158

Discovery of gamma-ray emission from the extragalactic pulsar wind nebula N157B with H.E.S.S. Abramowski, A., Acero, F., Aharonian, F., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 545, L2, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219906

Discovery of hard-spectrum g-ray emission from the BL Lacertae object 1ES0414+009. Abramowski, A., Acero, 

F., Aharonian, F., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 538, A103, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118406

Discovery of VHE and gamma-ray emission and multi-wavelength observations of the BL Lacertae object 

1RXS J101015.9-311909. Abramowski, A., Acero, F., Aharonian, F., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 542, A94, 

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201218910

Constraints on the gamma-ray emission from the cluster-scale AGN outburst in the Hydra A galaxy cluster. Abramowski, A., Acero, F., Aharonian, F., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 545, A103, doi:10.1051/0004-

6361/201219655 

HESS observations of the Carina Nebula and its enigmatic colliding wind binary Eta Carinae. Abramowski, A., 

Acero, F., Aharonian, F., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 424, 128, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21180.x 

Search for gamma-ray emission from X-ray-selected Seyfert galaxies with Fermi-LAT. Ackermann, M., Abel, 

M., Allafort, A., et al. 2012 Astrophys. J. 747, 104, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/747/2/104

The Fermi Large Area Telescope on orbit: Event classification, instrument response functions, and calibration. Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Albert, A., et al. 2012 Astrophys. J. Suppl. 203, 4, doi:10.1088/0067-

0049/203/1/4 

Anisotropies in the diffuse gamma-ray background measured by the Fermi LAT. Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., 

Albert, A., et al. Phys. Rev. D 85, 83007, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.85.083007

Publisher’s note: Anisotropies in the diffuse gamma-ray background measured by the Fermi LAT [Phys. Rev. D

85, 083007 (2012)]. Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Albert, A., et al. Phys. Rev. D 85, 109901, doi:10.1103/

PhysRevD.85.109901

Fermi LAT search for dark matter in gamma-ray lines and the inclusive photon spectrum. Ackermann, M., 

Ajello, M., Albert, A., et al. Phys. Rev. D 86, 22002, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.86.022002

Gamma-ray observations of the Orion molecular clouds with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. Ackermann, M., 

Ajello, M., Allafort, A., et al. Astrophys. J. 756 4, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/756/1/4 

A statistical approach to recognizing source classes for unassociated sources in the first Fermi-LAT catalog. Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Allafort, A., et al. Astrophys. J. 753, 83, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/753/1/83
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 89

In-flight measurement of the absolute energy scale of the Fermi Large Area Telescope. Ackermann, M., Ajello, 

M., Allafort, A., et al. Astropart. Phys. 35, 346, 10.1016/j.astropartphys.2011.10.007

Measurement of separate cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Allafort, A., et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 11103, doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.011103. 

Fermi detection of g-ray emission from the M2 soft X-ray flare on 2010 June 12. Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., 

Allafort, A., et al. Astrophys. J. 745, 144, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/745/2/144

Fermi Large Area Telescope study of cosmic rays and the interstellar medium in nearby molecular clouds. Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Allafort, A., et al. Astrophys. J. 755, 22, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/755/1/22

The cosmic-ray and gas content of the Cygnus region as measured in g-rays by the Fermi Large Area Telescope. Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Allafort, A., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 538, A71, doi:10.1051/0004-

6361/201117539

GeV observations of star-forming galaxies with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., 

Allafort, A., et al. Astrophys. J. 755, 164, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/755/2/164

Fermi-LAT observations of the diffuse g-ray emission: Implications for cosmic rays and the interstellar medium. 

Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Atwood, W. B., et al. Astrophys. J. 750, 3, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/750/1/3

Constraints on the Galactic halo dark matter from Fermi-LAT diffuse measurements. Ackermann, M., Ajello, 

M., Atwood, W. B., et al. Astrophys. J. 761, 91, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/761/2/91

Multi-wavelength observations of blazar AO 0235+164 in the 2008–2009 flaring state. Ackermann, M., Ajello, 

M., Ballet, J., et al. Astrophys. J. 751, 159, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/751/2/159

Search for dark matter satellites using Fermi-LAT. Ackermann, M., Albert, A., Baldini, L., et al. Astrophys. J.

747, 121 doi:10.1088/0004-637X/747/2/121

Periodic emission from the gamma-ray binary 1FGL J1018.6-5856. Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Ballet, J., et al. 

Science 335, 189, doi:10.1126/science.1213974

Wavefront sensing and controls for the James Webb Space Telescope. Acton, D. Scott, Knight, J. Scott, Contos, 

A., et al. Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 

84422H, doi:10.1117/12.925015

Chandra grating spectroscopy of three hot white dwarfs. Adamczak, J., Werner, K., Rauch, T., et al. Astron. 

Astrophys. 546, A1, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219718 

Power-law template for infrared point-source clustering. Addison, Graeme E., Dunkley, Joanna, Hajian, Amir, 

et al. Astrophys. J. 752, 120, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/752/2/120 

Fermi Large Area Telescope observations of the supernova remnant G8.7-0.1. Ajello, M., Allafort, A., Baldini, 

L., et al. Astrophys. J. 744, 80, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/744/1/80

Limits on large extra dimensions based on observations of neutron stars with the Fermi-LAT. Ajello, M., Baldini, L., Barbiellini, G., et al. J. Cosmo. Astropart. Phys. 2,12, doi:10.1088/1475-7516/2012/02/012

A search for active galactic nuclei in the most extreme UV-selected starbursts using the European VLBI Network. Alexandroff, R., Overzier, R. A., Paragi, Z., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 423, 1325, doi:10.1111/

j.1365-2966.2012.20959.x

Discovery of high-energy and very high energy g-ray emission from the blazar RBS 0413. Aliu, E., Archambault, 

S., Arlen, T., et al. Astrophys. J. 750, 94, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/750/2/94

VERITAS observations of six bright, hard-spectrum Fermi-LAT blazars. Aliu, E., Archambault, S., Arlen, T., et 

al. Astrophys. J. 759, 102, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/759/2/102

Multiwavelength Observations of the AGN 1ES 0414+009 with VERITAS, Fermi-LAT, Swift-XRT, and MDM. 

Aliu, E., Archambault, S., Arlen, T., et al. Astrophys. J. 755, 118, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/755/2/118

VERITAS deep observations of the dwarf spheroidal galaxy Segue 1. Aliu, E., Archambault, S., Arlen, T., et al. 

Phys. Rev. D 85, 62001, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.85.062001

VERITAS observations of the nova in V407 Cygni. Aliu, E., Archambault, S., Arlen, T., et al. Astrophys. J. 754, 

77, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/754/1/77

Search for a correlation between very-high-energy gamma rays and giant radio pulses in the Crab pulsar. Aliu, 

E., Archambault, S., Arlen, T., et al. Astrophys. J. 760, 136, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/760/2/136 

VERITAS Observations of Day-scale Flaring of M 87 in 2010 April. Aliu, E., Arlen, T., Aune, T., et al. Astrophys. J. 746, 141, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/746/2/141

Low-frequency (11 mHz) oscillations in H1743-322: A new class of black hole quasi-periodic oscillations? 

Altamirano, D. and Strohmayer, T. Astrophys. J. 754, L23, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/754/2/L23 Aug 2012 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 90

Low-frequency gravitational-wave science with eLISA/NGO. Amaro-Seoane, Pau, Aoudia, Sofiane, Babak, 

Stanislav, et al. Class. Quantum Gravity 29, 124016, doi:10.1088/0264-9381/29/12/124016

Constraints on cosmic rays, magnetic fields, and dark matter from gamma-ray observations of the Coma cluster of galaxies with VERITAS and Fermi. Arlen, T., Aune, T., Beilicke, M., et al. Astrophys. J. 757, 123, 

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/757/2/123

Current status of ASTRO-H Hard X-ray Telescopes (HXTs). Awaki, Hisamitsu, Kunieda, Hideyo, Furuzawa, Akihiro, et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 

844324, doi:10.1117/12.926753

GRB110721A: An extreme peak energy and signatures of the photosphere. Axelsson, M., Baldini, L., Barbiellini, G., et al. Astrophys. J. 757, L31, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/757/2/L31 

Implications of weak link effects on thermal characteristics of transition-edge sensors. Bailey, C. N., Adams, J. 

S., Bandler, S. R., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys. 167, 121, doi:10.1007/s10909-012-0562-2

Development of a TES-Based anti-coincidence detector for future X-ray observatories. Bailey, C. N., Adams, J. 

S., Bandler, S. R., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys. 167, 236, doi:10.1007/s10909-012-0567-x

An analysis of the rapidly rotating Bp star HD 133880. Bailey, J. D., Grunhut, J., Shultz, M., et al. Mon. Not. 

R. Astron. Soc. 423, 328, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.20881.x

Comparison of atom interferometers and light interferometers as space-based gravitational wave detectors. Baker, John G. and Thorpe, J. I. Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 211101, doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.211101

Development of full shell foil X-ray mirrors. Balsamo, Erin, Gendreau, Keith C., Arzoumanian, Zaven, et al. 

Proc. SPIE 8450, Modern Technologies in Space- and Ground-based Telescopes and Instrumentation II, 845052, 

doi:10.1117/12.926152

Suzaku observations of the non-thermal supernova remnant HESS J1731-347. Bamba, Aya, Pühlhofer, Gerd, 

Acero, Fabio, Astrophys. J. 756, 149, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/756/2/149 

Magnetically coupled microcalorimeters. Bandler, S. R., Irwin, K. D., Kelly, D., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys. 167, 

254, doi:10.1007/s10909-012-0544-4

Can the lateral proximity effect be used to create the superconducting transition of a micron-sized TES? Barrentine, E. M., Brandl, D. E., Brown, A. D., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys.167, 195, doi:10.1007/s10909-012-

0578-7 

A precise physical orbit for the M-dwarf binary Gliese 268. Barry, R. K., Demory, B.-O., Ségransan, D., Astrophys. J. 760, 55, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/760/1/55 

The search for high-mass X-ray binaries in the Phoenix dwarf galaxy. Bartlett, E. S., Coe, M. J., Haberl, F., et al. 

Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 422, 2302, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.20791.x

IGR J12319-0749: Evidence for another extreme blazar found with INTEGRAL. Bassani, L., Landi, R., Marshall, F. E., Astron. Astrophys. 543, A1, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219243 

GEMS X-ray polarimeter performance simulations. Baumgartner, Wayne H., Strohmayer, Tod, Kallman, Tim, 

et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 84434K, 

doi:10.1117/12.927270

Concepts for high-performance soft X-ray grating spectroscopy in a moderate-scale mission. Bautz, Marshall 

W., Cash, Webster C., Davis, John E., et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: 

Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 844315, doi:10.1117/12.926810

The proper motion of the central compact object RX J0822-4300 in the supernova remnant Puppis A. Becker, 

Werner, Prinz, Tobias, Winkler, P. Frank, and Petre, Robert. Astrophys. J. 755, 141, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/755/2/141

What turns galaxies off? The different morphologies of star-forming and quiescent galaxies since z ~ 2 from CANDELS. Bell, Eric F., van der Wel, Arjen, Papovich, Casey, et al. Astrophys. J. 753, 167, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/753/2/167

Precision attitude control for the BETTII balloon-borne interferometer. Benford, Dominic J., Fixsen, Dale 

J., Rinehart, Stephen A., et al. Proc. SPIE 8444, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes IV, 84442P, 

doi:10.1117/12.927224

Characterization of new hard X-ray cataclysmic variables. Bernardini, F., de Martino, D., Falanga, M., et al. 

Astron. Astrophys. 542, A22, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219233

An unexpectedly low oscillator strength as the origin of the Fe XVII emission problem. Bernitt, S., Brown, G. 

V., Rudolph, J. K., et al. Nature 492, 225, doi:10.1038/nature11627 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 91

The Milky Way tomography with Sloan Digital Sky Survey. IV. Dissecting dust. Berry, Michael, Ivezić, Željko, 

Sesar, Branimir, et al. Astrophys. J. 757, 166, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/757/2/166

Temporal deconvolution study of long and short gamma-ray burst light curves. Bhat, P. N., Briggs, Michael S., 

Connaughton, Valerie, et al. Astrophys. J. 744, 141, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/744/2/141

Precise alignment and permanent mounting of thin and lightweight X-ray segments. Biskach, Michael P., Chan, 

Kai-Wing, Hong, Melinda N., et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet 

to Gamma Ray, 84433Z, doi:10.1117/12.927279

High resolution rapid response observations of compact radio sources with the Ceduna Hobart Interferometer 

(CHI). Blanchard, J. M., Lovell, J. E. J., Ojha, R., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 538, A150, doi:10.1051/0004-

6361/201117593

The Keck aperture masking experiment: Dust-enshrouded red giants. Blasius, T. D., Monnier, J. D., Tuthill, P. 

G., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 426, 2652, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21543.x

SPICES: Spectro-polarimetric Imaging and Characterization of Exoplanetary Systems. From planetary disks 

to nearby super Earths. Boccaletti, Anthony, Schneider, Jean, Traub, Wes et al. Exp. Astron. 34, 355, 

doi:10.1007/s10686-012-9290-5

Demonstration of the wide-field imaging interferometer testbed using a calibrated hyperspectral image projector. Bolcar, Matthew R., Leisawitz, David, Maher, Stephen, and Rinehart, Stephen. Proc. SPIE 8445, Optical and Infrared Interferometry III, 84452D, doi:10.1117/12.926221

Approaches for achieving broadband achromatic phase shifts for visible nulling coronagraphy. Bolcar, Matthew R. and Lyon, Richard G. Proc. SPIE 8445, Optical and Infrared Interferometry III, 84452C, 

doi:10.1117/12.926237

The infrared properties of sources matched in the WISE all-sky and Herschel ATLAS surveys. Bond, Nicholas A., Benford, Dominic J., Gardner, Jonathan P., et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 750, L18, doi:10.1088/2041-

8205/750/1/L18

Evolution in the continuum morphological properties of Lya-emitting galaxies from z = 3.1 to z = 2.1. Bond, 

Nicholas A., Gawiser, Eric, Guaita, Lucia, et al. Astrophys. J. 753, 95, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/753/2/95

The Advanced X-ray Spectroscopic Imaging Observatory (AXSIO). Bookbinder, Jay A., Smith, Randall K., 

Bandler, Simon, et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma 

Ray, 844317, doi:10.1117/12.927309

Properties of Galactic early-type O-supergiants. A combined FUV-UV and optical analysis. Bouret, J.-C., Hillier, D. J., Lanz, T., and Fullerton, A. W. Astron. Astrophys. 544, A67, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118594 

AXIOM: advanced X-ray imaging of the magnetosphere. Branduardi-Raymont, Graziella, Sembay, Steve F., 

Eastwood, Jonathan P., et al. Exp. Astron. 33, 403, doi:10.1007/s10686-011-9239-0

A Swift look at SN 2011fe: The earliest ultraviolet observations of a Type Ia supernova. Brown, Peter J., Dawson, Kyle S., de Pasquale, Massimiliano, et al. Astrophys. J. 753, 22, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/753/1/22

Flash mixing on the white dwarf cooling curve: Spectroscopic confirmation in NGC 2808. Brown, Thomas M., 

Lanz, Thierry, Sweigart, Allen V., et al. Astrophys. J. 748, 85, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/748/2/85

Gamma-ray activity in the Crab Nebula: The exceptional flare of 2011 April. Buehler, R., Scargle, J. D., 

Blandford, R. D., et al. Astrophys. J. 749, 26, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/748/2/85

A new method to constrain supernova fractions using X-ray observations of clusters of galaxies. Bulbul, Esra, 

Smith, Randall K., and Loewenstein, Michael. Astrophys. J. 753, 54, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/753/1/54

High-resolution XMM-Newton spectroscopy of the cooling flow cluster A3112. Bulbul, G. Esra, Smith, Randall K., Foster, Adam, et al. Astrophys. J. 747, 32, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/747/1/32

First Light with RATIR: An Automated 6-band Optical/NIR Imaging Camera. Butler, Nat, Klein, Chris, 

Fox, Ori, et al. Proc. SPIE 8446, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IV, 844610, 

doi:10.1117/12.926471

X-ray and optical observations of A 0535+26. Camero-Arranz, A., Finger, M. H., Wilson-Hodge, C. A., et al. 

Astrophys. J. 754, 20, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/754/1/20 

4U 1626-67 as seen by Suzaku before and after the 2008 torque reversal. Camero-Arranz, A., Pottschmidt, K., 

Finger, M. H., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 546, A40, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219656

PSR J2030+3641: Radio discovery and gamma-ray study of a middle-aged pulsar in the now identified 

Fermi-LAT source 1FGL J2030.0+3641. Camilo, F., Kerr, M., Ray, P. S., et al. Astrophys. J. 746, 39, 

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/746/1/39
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 92

XMM-Newton and Swift observations of the Type IIb supernova 2011dh in Messier 51. Campana, Sergio and 

Immler, Stefan. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc., 427, L70, doi:10.1111/j.1745-3933.2012.01347.x 

The shape of long outbursts in U Gem type dwarf novae from AAVSO data. Cannizzo, John K. Astrophys. J.

757, 174, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/757/2/174

The Kepler light curves of V1504 Cygni and V344 Lyrae: A study of the outburst properties. Cannizzo, John K., 

Smale, Alan P., Wood, Matt A., et al. Astrophys. J. 747, 117, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/747/2/117

The nature of the unresolved extragalactic cosmic soft X-ray background. Cappelluti, N., Ranalli, P., Roncarelli, 

M., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 427, 651, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21867.x

Simultaneous Swift X-ray and UV views of comet C/2007 N3 (Lulin). Carter, J. A., Bodewits, D., Read, A. M., 

and Immler, S. Astron. Astrophys. 541, A70, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201117950

Swift J2058.4+0516: Discovery of a possible second relativistic tidal disruption flare? Cenko, S. Bradley, Krimm, 

Hans A., Horesh, Assaf, et al. Astrophys. J. 753, 77, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/753/1/77

Cryogenic photogrammetry and radiometry for the James Webb Space Telescope Microshutters. Chambers, 

Victor J., Morey, Peter A., Zukowski, Barbara J., et al. Proc. SPIE 8450, Modern Technologies in Space- and 

Ground-based Telescopes and Instrumentation II, 84501F, doi:10.1117/12.924171

Reflective coating for lightweight X-ray optics. Chan, Kai-Wing, Zhang, William W., Windt, David, Hong, 

et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 84433S, 

doi:10.1117/12.926890

Radio and X-ray observations of SN 2006jd: Another strongly interacting Type IIn supernova. Chandra, Poonam, Chevalier, Roger A., Chugai, Nikolai, et al. Astrophys. J. 755, 110, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/755/2/110 

Fabrication of microstripline wiring for large format transition edge sensor arrays. Chervenak, J. A., Adams, J. 

M., Bailey, C. N., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys.167, 547, doi:10.1007/s10909-012-0552-4

Chandra X-ray observations of the two brightest unidentified high Galactic latitude Fermi-LAT g-ray sources. 

Cheung, C. C., Donato, D., Gehrels, N., et al. Astrophys. J. 756, 33, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/756/1/33 

The dependence of quenching upon the inner structure of galaxies at 0.5 ≤ z < 0.8 in the DEEP2/AEGIS 

survey. Cheung, Edmond, Faber, S. M., Koo, David C., et al. Astrophys. J. 760, 131, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/760/2/131

The radio light curve of the gamma-ray nova in V407 Cyg: Thermal emission from the ionized symbiotic envelope, devoured from within by the nova blast. Chomiuk, Laura, Krauss, Miriam I., Rupen, Michael P., et 

al. Astrophys. J. 761, 173, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/761/2/173

Electromagnetic design of feedhorn-coupled transition-edge sensors for cosmic microwave background polarimetry. Chuss, D. T., Bennett, C. L., Costen, N., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys. 167, 923, doi:10.1007/s10909-

011-0433-2

Phase-controlled polarization modulators. Chuss, David T., Wollack, Edward J., Novak, G., et al. Proc. SPIE 

8452, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy VI, 84521Y, 

doi:10.1117/12.925214

The evolution of Lya-emitting galaxies between z = 2.1 and z = 3.1. Ciardullo, Robin, Gronwall, Caryl, Wolf, 

Christopher, et al. Astrophys. J. 744, 110, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/744/2/110

Status of the James Webb Space Telescope Observatory. Clampin, Mark C. Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes and 

Instrumentation 2012: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 84422A, doi:10.1117/12.926429

Space telescopes. Clampin, Mark and Flanagan, Kathryn A. Opt. Eng. 51, 11001, doi:10.1117/1.OE.51.1.011001

On dark peaks and missing mass: A weak-lensing mass reconstruction of the merging cluster system A520. 

Clowe, Douglas, Markevitch, Maxim, Bradač, Maruša, et al. Astrophys. J. 758, 128, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/758/2/128 

A giant radio flare from Cygnus X-3 with associated g-ray emission. Corbel, S., Dubus, G., Tomsick, J. A., et al. 

Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 421, 2947, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.20517.x

Observed limits on charge exchange contributions to the diffuse X-ray background. Crowder, S. G., Barger, K. 

A., Brandl, D. E., et al. Astrophys. J. 758, 143, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/758/2/143

Lithium abundances of the super-metal-rich open cluster NGC 6253. Cummings, Jeffrey D., Deliyannis, Constantine P., Anthony-Twarog, et al. Astron. J. 144, 137, doi:10.1088/0004-6256/144/5/137 

Direct imaging confirmation and characterization of a dust-enshrouded candidate exoplanet orbiting Fomalhaut. 

Currie, Thayne, Debes, John, Rodigas, Timothy J., et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 760, L32, doi:10.1088/2041-

8205/760/2/L32
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 93

Direct detection and orbital analysis of the exoplanets HR 8799 bcd from archival 2005 Keck/NIRC2 data. Currie, Thayne, Fukagawa, Misato, Thalmann, Christian, et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 755, L34, doi:10.1088/2041-

8205/755/2/L34

Keck/NIRC2 imaging of the warped, asymmetric debris disk around HD 32297. Currie, Thayne, Rodigas, 

Timothy J., Debes, John, et al. Astrophys. J. 757, 28, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/757/1/28

SBS 0846+513: A new g-ray-emitting narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy. D’Ammando, F., Orienti, M., Finke, J., et 

al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 426, 317, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21707.x

PKS 2123-463: A confirmed g-ray blazar at high redshift. D’Ammando, F., Rau, A., Schady, P., et al. Mon. Not. 

R. Astron. Soc. 427, 893, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.22041.x

The cosmic history of hot gas cooling and radio active galactic nucleus activity in massive early-type galaxies. Danielson, A. L. R., Lehmer, B. D., Alexander, D. M., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 422, 494, 

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.20626.x 

New brown dwarf discs in Upper Scorpius observed with WISE. Dawson, P., Scholz, A., Ray, T. P., et al. Mon. 

Not. R. Astron. Soc. 429, 903, doi:10.1093/mnras/sts386 

Measuring the redshift dependence of the cosmic microwave background monopole temperature with Planck 

data. de Martino, I., Atrio-Barandela, F., da Silva, A., et al. Astrophys. J. 757, 144, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/757/2/144 

Star formation in H I tails: HCG 92, HCG 100 and six interacting systems. de Mello, D. F., Urrutia-Viscarra, F., 

Mendes de Oliveira, C., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 426, 2441, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21429.x

Calibration sources for the soft X-ray spectrometer instrument on ASTRO-H. de Vries, C. P., Lowes, P., den 

Herder, J. W., et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 

844353, doi:10.1117/12.924146

ORIGIN: Metal creation and evolution from the cosmic dawn. den Herder, Jan-Willem, Piro, Luigi, Ohashi, 

Takaya, et al. Exp. Astron. 34, 519, doi:10.1007/s10686-011-9224-7

The X-ray microcalorimeter spectrometer onboard Athena. den Herder, J. W., Bagnali, D., Bandler, S., et 

al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 84432B, 

doi:10.1117/12.924269

Very high-resolution solar X-ray imaging using diffractive optics. Dennis, B. R., Skinner, G. K., Li, M. J., and 

Shih, A. Y. Solar Phys. 279, 573, doi:10.1007/s11207-012-0016-7 

A multi-epoch timing and spectral study of the ultraluminous X-ray NGC 5408 X-1 with XMM-Newton. 

Dheeraj, Pasham R. and Strohmayer, Tod E. Astrophys. J. 753, 139, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/753/2/139

RXTE observations of anomalous X-ray pulsar 1E 1547.0-5408 during and after its 2008 and 2009 outbursts. 

Dib, Rim, Kaspi, Victoria M., Scholz, Paul, and Gavriil, Fotis P. Astrophys. J. 748, 3, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/748/1/3

Herschel PACS observations and modeling of debris disks in the Tucana-Horologium Association. Donaldson, 

J. K., Roberge, A., Chen, C. H., et al. Astrophys. J. 753, 147, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/753/2/147

The HEASARC Swift gamma-ray burst archive: The pipeline and the catalog. Donato, D., Angelini, L., Padgett, 

C. A., et al. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 203, 2

The missing cavities in the SEEDS polarized scattered light images of transitional protoplanetary disks: 

A generic disk model. Dong, R., Rafikov, R., Zhu, Z., et al. Astrophys. J. 750, 161, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/750/2/161

The structure of pre-transitional protoplanetary disks. I. Radiative transfer modeling of the disk+cavity in 

the PDS 70 system. Dong, Ruobing, Hashimoto, Jun, Rafikov, Roman, et al. Astrophys. J. 760, 111, 

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/760/2/111 

Active galactic nucleus obscuration from winds: From dusty infrared-driven to warm and X-ray photoionized. 

Dorodnitsyn, A. and Kallman, T. Astrophys. J. 761, 70, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/761/1/70

AGN obscuration through dusty, infrared-dominated flows. II. Multidimensional, radiation-hydrodynamics 

modeling. Dorodnitsyn, A., Kallman, T., and Bisnovatyi-Kogan, G. S. Astrophys. J. 747, 8, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/761/1/70

A method for localizing energy dissipation in blazars using Fermi variability. Dotson, Amanda, Georganopoulos, Markos, Kazanas, Demosthenes, and Perlman, Eric S. Astrophys. J. Lett. 758, L15, doi:10.1088/2041-

8205/758/1/L15
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 94

Imposing a Lagrangian particle framework on an Eulerian hydrodynamics infrastructure in FLASH. Dubey, 

A., Daley, C., ZuHone, J., Ricker, P. M., Weide, K., and Graziani, C. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 201, 27, 

doi:10.1088/0067-0049/201/2/27

Kilopixel X-ray microcalorimeter arrays for astrophysics: Device performance and uniformity. Eckart, M. E., 

Adams, J. S., Bailey, C. N., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys. 167, 732, doi:10.1007/s10909-012-0514-x 

The gas distribution in the outer regions of galaxy clusters. Eckert, D., Vazza, F., Ettori, S., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 541, A57, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118281

The Cosmology Large Angular Scale Surveyor (CLASS): 40 GHz optical design. Eimer, Joseph R., Bennett, 

Charles L., Chuss, David T., et al. Proc. SPIE 8452, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors 

and Instrumentation for Astronomy VI, 845220, doi:10.1117/12.925464

The first hyper-luminous infrared galaxy discovered by WISE. Eisenhardt, Peter R. M., Wu, Jingwen, Tsai, 

Chao-Wei, et al. Astrophys. J. 755, 173, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/755/2/173 

Spectral comparison of weak short bursts to the persistent X-rays from the magnetar 1E 1547.0-5408 in its 

2009 outburst. Enoto, T., Nakagawa, Y. E., Sakamoto, T., and Makishima. K. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 

427, 2824, 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.22086.x

A peculiar class of debris disks from Herschel/DUNES. A steep fall off in the far infrared. Ertel, S., Wolf, S., 

Marshall, J. P. et al. Astron. Astrophys. 541, A148, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118077 

Swift follow-up observations of candidate gravitational-wave transient events. Evans, P. A., Fridriksson, J. K., 

Gehrels, N., et al. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 203, 28, doi:10.1088/0067-0049/203/2/28

Staring at 4U 1909+07 with Suzaku. Fürst, F., Pottschmidt, K., Kreykenbohm, I., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 547, 

A2, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219845Nov 2012 

On the determination of the spin of the black hole in Cyg X-1 from X-ray reflection spectra. Fabian, A. C., Wilkins, 

D. R., Miller, J. M., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 424, 217, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21185.x 

Mechanical design and integration of the support structure for the Reionization And Transients InfRared Instrument RATIR. Farah, Alejandro, González, J. Jesús, Kutyrev, Alexander S., et al. Proc. SPIE 8446, Groundbased and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IV, 84469O, doi:10.1117/12.927040

Numerical solution of the radiative transfer equation: X-ray spectral formation from cylindrical accretion onto 

a magnetized neutron star. Farinelli, R., Ceccobello, C., Romano, P., and Titarchuk, L. Astron. Astrophys.

538, A67, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118008 

James Webb Space Telescope optical telescope element mirror development history and results. Feinberg, Lee 

D., Clampin, Mark, Keski-Kuha, Ritva, et al. Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: 

Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 84422B, doi:10.1117/12.924271

LOFT: the Large Observatory For X-ray Timing. Feroci, M., den Herder, J. W., Bozzo, E., et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, 

Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 84432D, doi:10.1117/12.926310

MARE-1 in Milan: Status and perspectives. Ferri, E., Arnaboldi, C., Ceruti, et al. J. Low Temp. Phys. 167, 1035, 

doi:10.1007/s10909-011-0421-6

Update on the Micro-X Sounding Rocket payload. Figueroa-Feliciano, E., Adams, J. S., Baker, R., et 

al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 84431B, 

doi:10.1117/12.927167

Herschel-ATLAS: VISTA VIKING near-infrared counterparts in the Phase 1 GAMA 9-h data. Fleuren, S., Sutherland, W., Dunne, L., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 423, 2407, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21048.x

Very early ultraviolet and optical observations of the Type Ia supernova 2009ig. Foley, Ryan J., Challis, P. J., 

Filippenko, A. V., et al. Astrophys. J. 744, 38, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/744/1/38 

A jet break in the X-ray light curve of short GRB 111020A: Implications for energetics and rates. Fong, W., 

Berger, E., Margutti, R., et al. Astrophys. J. 756, 189, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/756/2/189 

Performance and calibration of H2RG detectors and SIDECAR ASICs for the RATIR camera. Fox, Ori D., 

Kutyrev, Alexander S., Rapchun, David A., et al. Proc. SPIE 8453, High Energy, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy V, 84531O, doi:10.1117/12.926620

Time-resolved ultraviolet spectroscopy of the M-dwarf GJ 876 exoplanetary system. France, Kevin, Linsky, Jeffrey L., Tian, Feng, et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 750, L32, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/750/2/L32 

Physical structure and nature of supernova remnants in M101. Franchetti, Nicholas A., Gruendl, Robert A., 

Chu, You-Hua, et al. Astron. J. 143, 85, doi:10.1088/0004-6256/143/4/85 

Carnegie Hubble program: A mid-infrared calibration of the Hubble constant. Freedman, Wendy L., Madore, 

Barry F., Scowcroft, Victoria, et al. Astrophys. J. 758, 24, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/758/1/24 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 95

Spatially Resolved HST Grism Spectroscopy of a Lensed Emission Line Galaxy at z ~ 1. Frye, Brenda L., Hurley, 

Mairead, Bowen, David V., et al. Astrophys. J. 754, 17, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/758/1/24 

Evidence for helical magnetic fields in kiloparsec-scale AGN jets and the action of a cosmic battery. Gabuzda, D. C., Christodoulou, D. M., Contopoulos, I., and Kazanas, D. J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 355, 12019, 

doi:10.1088/1742-6596/355/1/012019

Mirror illumination and spillover measurements of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope. Gallardo, Patricio, Dünner, Rolando, Wollack, Edward, et al. Proc. SPIE 8452, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors 

and Instrumentation for Astronomy VI, 845224, doi:10.1117/12.926585

The James Webb Space Telescope: extending the science. Gardner, Jonathan P. Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes 

and Instrumentation 2012: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 844228, doi:10.1117/12.926551

An Fe XXIV absorption line in the persistent spectrum of the dipping low-mass X-ray binary 1A 1744-361. 

Gavriil, Fotis P., Strohmayer, Tod E., and Bhattacharyya, Sudip Astrophys. J. 753, 2, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/753/1/2

A Substellar Common Proper-motion Companion to the Pleiad H II 1348. Geißler, Kerstin, Metchev, Stanimir 

A., Pham, Alfonse, et al. Astrophys. J. 746, 44, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/746/1/44

The X-ray Advanced Concepts Testbed (XACT) sounding rocket payload. Gendreau, Keith, Arzoumanian, Zaven, Asami, Fumi, et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma 

Ray, 84434V, doi:10.1117/12.926418

The Neutron star Interior Composition ExploreR (NICER): an Explorer mission of opportunity for soft X-ray 

timing spectroscopy. Gendreau, Keith C., Arzoumanian, Zaven, and Okajima, Takashi. Proc. SPIE 8443, 

Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 844313, doi:10.1117/12.926396

General relativistic simulations of magnetized plasmas around merging supermassive black holes. Giacomazzo, Bruno, Baker, John G., Miller, M. Coleman, et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 752, L15, doi:10.1088/2041-

8205/752/1/L15

NIRSpec detectors: noise properties and the effect of signal dependent inter-pixel crosstalk. Giardino, Giovanna, Sirianni, Marco, Birkmann, Stephan M., Rauscher, Bernard J., Lindler, Don, Boeker, Torsten, Ferruit, Pierre, et al. Proc. SPIE 8453, High Energy, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy V, 84531T, 

doi:10.1117/12.925357

Simultaneous Planck, Swift, and Fermi observations of X-ray and g-ray selected blazars. Giommi, P., Polenta, 

G., Lähteenmäki, A., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 541, A160, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201117825 

The Fermi GBM gamma-ray burst spectral catalog: The first two years. Goldstein, Adam, Burgess, J. Michael, 

Preece, Robert D., et al. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 199, 19, doi:10.1088/0067-0049/199/1/19.

Optimizing the observing efficiency of the James Webb Space Telescope. Gordon, Karl D., Balzano, Victoria, 

Blair, William, et al. Proc. SPIE 8448, Observatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems IV, 84481U, 

doi:10.1117/12.926130

Study of the dependency on magnetic field and bias voltage of an AC-biased TES microcalorimeter. Gottardi, 

L., Adams, J., Bailey, C., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys., 167, 214, doi:10.1007/s10909-012-0494-x

Breakthrough capability for the NASA astrophysics explorer program: reaching the darkest sky. Greenhouse, 

Matthew A., Benson, Scott W., Falck, Robert D., et al. Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 844214, doi:10.1117/12.923658

Spitzer photometry of WISE-selected brown dwarf and hyper-luminous infrared galaxy candidates. Griffith, 

Roger L., Kirkpatrick, J. Davy, Eisenhardt, Peter R. M., et al. Astron. J. 144, 148, doi:10.1088/0004-

6256/144/5/148 

Laboratory measurements of the dielectronic recombination satellite transitions of He-like Fe XXV and H-like 

Fe XXVI. Gu, M. F., Beiersdorfer, P., Brown, G. V., et al. Can. J. Phys. 90, 351, doi:10.1139/P2012-025 

Discovery of the millisecond pulsar PSR J2043+1711 in a Fermi source with the Nançay radio telescope. Guillemot, L., Freire, P. C. C., Cognard, I., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 422, 1294, doi:10.1111/j.1365-

2966.2012.20694.x 

Pulsed gamma rays from the original millisecond and black widow pulsars: A case for caustic radio emission? 

Guillemot, L., Johnson, T. J., Venter, C., et al. Astrophys. J. 744, 33, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/744/1/33 

The XMM-Newton survey of the Small Magellanic Cloud. Haberl, F., Sturm, R., Ballet, J., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 545, A128, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219758 

Long-term monitoring of the high-energy g-ray emission from LS I +61°303 and LS 5039. Hadasch, D., Torres, 

D. F., Tanaka, T., et al. Astrophys. J. 749, 54, doi:doi:10.1088/0004-637X/749/1/54 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 96

X-raying the beating heart of a newborn star: Rotational modulation of high-energy radiation from V1647 

Ori. Hamaguchi, Kenji, Grosso, Nicolas, Kastner, Joel H., et al. Astrophys. J. 754, 32, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/754/1/32 

Evidence of galaxy cluster motions with the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effect. Hand, Nick, Addison, Graeme 

E., Aubourg, Eric, et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 41101, doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.041101 

Erratum: A decade of timing an accretion-powered millisecond pulsar: The continuing spin-down and orbital 

evolution of SAX J1808.4–3658 [(2009, Astrophys. J., 702, 1673)]. Hartman, Jacob M., Patruno, Alessandro, Chakrabarty, Deepto, et al. Astrophys. J. 757, 193, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/757/2/193 

Polarimetric imaging of large cavity structures in the pre-transitional protoplanetary disk around PDS 70: Observations of the disk. Hashimoto, J., Dong, R., Kudo, T., et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 758, L19, doi:10.1088/2041-

8205/758/1/L19

Joint analysis of X-ray and Sunyaev-Zel’dovich observations of galaxy clusters using an analytic model of the 

intracluster medium. Hasler, Nicole, Bulbul, Esra, Bonamente, Massimiliano, et al. Astrophys. J. 748, 113, 

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/748/2/113 

The structure and emission model of the relativistic jet in the quasar 3C 279 inferred from radio to high-energy 

g-ray observations in 2008-2010. Hayashida, M., Madejski, G. M., Nalewajko, K., et al. Astrophys. J. 754, 

114, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/754/2/114

Reconstructing the g-ray photon optical depth of the universe to z ~ 4 from multiwavelength galaxy survey data. 

Helgason, Kari and Kashlinsky, Alexander. Astrophys. J. Lett. 758, L13, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/758/1/L13 

Reconstructing the near-infrared background fluctuations from known galaxy populations using multiband 

measurements of luminosity functions. Helgason, Kari, Ricotti, Massimo, and Kashlinsky, Alexander. Astrophys. J. 752, 113, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/752/2/113 

CfA4: Light curves for 94 Type Ia supernovae. Hicken, Malcolm, Challis, Peter, Kirshner, Robert P., et al. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 200, 12, doi:10.1088/0067-0049/200/2/12 

The design and qualification of the GEMS X-ray polarimeters. Hill, J. E., Baker, R. G., Black, J. K., et al. 

Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 84431Q, 

doi:10.1117/12.928435

Optical TiO and VO band emission in two embedded protostars: IRAS 04369+2539 and IRAS 05451+0037. 

Hillenbrand, Lynne A., Knapp, Gillian R., Padgett, Deborah L., et al. Astron. J. 143, 37, doi:10.1088/0004-

6256/143/2/37

GRB 081029: A gamma-ray burst with a multi-component afterglow. Holland, Stephen T., De Pasquale, Massimiliano, Mao, Jirong, et al. Astrophys. J. 745, 41, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/745/1/41

PDS 144: The first confirmed Herbig Ae-Herbig Ae wide binary. Hornbeck, J. B., Grady, C. A., Perrin, M. D., 

et al. Astrophys. J. 744, 54, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/744/1/54 

Gas, stars, and star formation in ALFALFA dwarf galaxies. Huang, Shan, Haynes, Martha P., Giovanelli, Riccardo, et al. Astron. J. 143, 133, doi:10.1088/0004-6256/143/6/133

An all silicon feedhorn-coupled focal plane for cosmic microwave background polarimetry. Hubmayr, J., Appel, 

J. W., Austermann, J. E., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys. 167, 904, doi:10.1007/s10909-011-0420-7

On the weak-wind problem in massive stars: X-ray spectra reveal a massive hot wind in μ Columbae. Huenemoerder, David P., Oskinova, Lidia M., Ignace, Richard, et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 756, L34, doi:10.1088/2041-

8205/756/2/L34

Development of a telescope for medium-energy gamma-ray astronomy. Hunter, Stanley D., Bloser, Peter F., 

Dion, Michael P., et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma 

Ray, 84430F, doi:10.1117/12.925216

A Chandra X-ray survey of ejecta in the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant. Hwang, Una and Laming, J. Martin. 

Astrophys. J. 746, 130, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/746/2/130

A ground calibration of the engineering model of the SXT onboard ASTRO-H using the ISAS 30m pencil 

beam facility. Ichihara, K., Hayashi, T., Ishida, M., et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 844357, doi:10.1117/12.925860

Possible detection of an emission cyclotron resonance scattering feature from the accretion-powered pulsar 4U 1626-67. Iwakiri, W. B., Terada, Y., Mihara, T., et al. Astrophys. J. 751, 35, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/751/1/35

Constructing a WISE high resolution galaxy atlas. Jarrett, T. H., Masci, F., Tsai, C. W., et al. Astron. J. 144, 68, 

doi:10.1088/0004-6256/144/2/68
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 97

A Chandra observation of the ultraluminous infrared galaxy IRAS 19254–7245 (the Superantennae): X-ray 

emission from the compton-thick active galactic nucleus and the diffuse starburst. Jia, Jianjun, Ptak, Andrew, Heckman, Timothy M., et al. Astrophys. J. 759, 41, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/759/1/41 

Sloshing gas in the core of the most luminous galaxy cluster RXJ1347.5–1145. Johnson, Ryan E., Zuhone, 

John, Jones, Christine, et al. Astrophys. J. 751, 95, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/751/2/95

Ultra-low noise large-area InGaAs quad photoreceiver with low crosstalk for laser interferometry space antenna. 

Joshi, Abhay, Datta, Shubhashish, Rue, Jim, et al. Proc. SPIE 8453, High Energy, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy V, 84532G, doi:10.1117/12.918285

ACCESS: design and sub-system performance. Kaiser, Mary Elizabeth, Morris, Matthew J., McCandliss, 

Stephan R.,et al. Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 844246, doi:10.1117/12.927204

The extended pulsar magnetosphere. Kalapotharakos, Constantinos, Contopoulos, Ioannis, and Kazanas, Demos. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 420, 2793, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19884.x 

Gamma-ray light curves from pulsar magnetospheres with finite conductivity. Kalapotharakos, Constantinos, Harding, Alice K., Kazanas, Demosthenes, and Contopoulos, Ioannis. Astrophys. J. Lett. 754, L1, 

doi:10.1088/2041-8205/754/1/L1

Toward a realistic pulsar magnetosphere. Kalapotharakos, Constantinos, Kazanas, Demosthenes, Harding, Alice, and Contopoulos, Ioannis. Astrophys. J. 749, 2, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/749/1/2

Seeking counterparts to Advanced LIGO/Virgo transients with Swift. Kanner, Jonah, Camp, Jordan, Racusin, 

Judith, et al. Astrophys. J. 759, 22, 

New measurements of the cosmic infrared background fluctuations in deep Spitzer/IRAC survey data and their 

cosmological implications. Kashlinsky, A., Arendt, R. G., Ashby, M. L. N., et al. Astrophys. J. 753, 63, 

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/759/1/22

The radius of baryonic collapse in disc galaxy formation. Kassin, Susan A., Devriendt, Julien, Fall, S. Michael, 

et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 424, 502, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21219.x

The epoch of disk settling: z ~ 1 to now. Kassin, Susan A., Weiner, Benjamin J., Faber, S. M., et al. Astrophys. J.

758, 106, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/758/2/106 

Discovery of a pulsar wind nebula candidate in the Cygnus Loop. Katsuda, Satoru, Tsunemi, Hiroshi, Mori, 

Koji, et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 754, L7, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/754/1/L7 

High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of the Galactic supernova remnant Puppis A with XMM-Newton/RGS. Katsuda, Satoru, Tsunemi, Hiroshi, Mori, Koji, et al. Astrophys. J. 756, 49, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/756/1/49

XMM-Newton view of the N 206 superbubble in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Kavanagh, P. J., Sasaki, M., and 

Points, S. D. Astron. Astrophys. 547, A19, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219532 

The insignificance of major mergers in driving star formation at z ~ 2. Kaviraj, S., Cohen, S., Windhorst, R. A., 

et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. Lett. 429, L40, doi:10.1093/mnrasl/sls019 

Five new millisecond pulsars from a radio survey of 14 unidentified Fermi-LAT gamma-ray sources. Kerr, M., 

Camilo, F., Johnson, T. J., et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 748, L2, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/748/1/L2 

James Webb Space Telescope optical telescope element mirror coatings. Keski-Kuha, Ritva A., Bowers, Charles 

W., Quijada, Manuel A., et al. Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Optical, Infrared, 

and Millimeter Wave, 84422J, doi:10.1117/12.925470

The resolved stellar population in 50 regions of M83 from HST/WFC3 early release science observations. 

Kim, Hwihyun, Whitmore, Bradley C., Chandar, Rupali, et al. Astrophys. J. 753, 26, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/753/1/26

The integration and test program of the James Webb Space Telescope. Kimble, Randy A., Davila, Pamela S., 

Diaz, Charles E., et al. Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Optical, Infrared, and 

Millimeter Wave, 84422K, doi:10.1117/12.926793

An extreme X-ray disk wind in the black hole candidate IGR J17091-3624. King, A. L., Miller, J. M., Raymond, J., et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 746, L20, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/746/2/L20

Software solution for autonomous observations with H2RG detectors and SIDECAR ASICs for the RATIR 

camera. Klein, Christopher R., Kubánek, Petr, Butler, Nathaniel R., et al. Proc. SPIE 8453, High Energy, 

Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy V, 84532S, doi:10.1117/12.925817

Outburst of GX 304-1 monitored with INTEGRAL: Positive correlation between the cyclotron line energy and 

flux. Klochkov, D., Doroshenko, V., Santangelo, A., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 542, L28, doi:10.1051/0004-

6361/201219385
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 98

Swift J045106.8–694803: A highly magnetized neutron star in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Klus, H., Bartlett, 

E. S., Bird, A. J., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 428, 3607, doi:10.1093/mnras/sts304 0 

Why do compact active galactic nuclei at high redshift scintillate less? Koay, J. Y., Macquart, J.-P., Rickett, B. J., 

et al. Astrophys. J. 756, 29, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/756/1/29

CANDELS: Constraining the AGN-Merger Connection with Host Morphologies at z ~ 2. Kocevski, Dale D., 

Faber, S. M., Mozena, Mark, et al. Astrophys. J. 744, 148, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/744/2/148 

Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer observations of the evolution of massive star-forming regions. Koenig, X. 

P., Leisawitz, D. T., Benford, D. J., et al. Astrophys. J. 744, 130, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/744/2/130 

Synchrotron spectral curvature from 22 MHz to 23 GHz. Kogut, A. Astrophys. J. 753, 110, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/753/2/110

The Primordial Inflation Polarization Explorer (PIPER). Kogut, Alan, Ade, Peter A. R., Benford, Dominic, et 

al. Proc. SPIE 8452, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy 

VI, 84521J, doi:10.1117/12.925204

The Hard X-ray Imager (HXI) for the ASTRO-H mission. Kokubun, Motohide, Nakazawa, Kazuhiro, Enoto, Teruaki, et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 

844325, doi:10.1117/12.925648

Discovery of an unidentified Fermi object as a black widow-like millisecond pulsar. Kong, A. K. H., Huang, R. 

H. H., Cheng, K. S., et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 747, L3, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/747/1/L3 

The merger history, active galactic nucleus, and dwarf galaxies of Hickson Compact Group 59. Konstantopoulos, I. S., Gallagher, S. C., Fedotov, K., et al. Astrophys. J. 745, 30, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/745/1/30

Observations of outflowing ultraviolet absorbers in NGC 4051 with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph. Kraemer, S. B., Crenshaw, D. M., Dunn, J. P., et al. Astrophys. J. 751, 84, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/751/2/84 

Calorimetric low-temperature detectors for X-ray spectroscopy on trapped highly-charged heavy ions. KraftBermuth, S., Andrianov, V., Bleile, A., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys. 167, 765, doi:10.1007/s10909-012-0520-z 

Hubble Space Telescope observations of the HD 202628 debris disk. Krist, John E., Stapelfeldt, Karl R., Bryden, 

Geoffrey, and Plavchan, Peter. Astron. J. 144, 45, doi:10.1088/0004-6256/144/2/45 

The Galactic centre mini-spiral with CARMA. Kunneriath, D., Eckart, A., Vogel, S. N., et al. J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 

372, 12063, doi:10.1088/1742-6596/372/1/012063

The Galactic centre mini-spiral in the mm-regime. Kunneriath, D., Eckart, A., Vogel, S. N., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 538, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201117676

MuSE: a novel experiment for CMB polarization measurement using highly multimoded bolometers. Kusaka, 

Akito, Fixsen, Dale J., Kogut, Alan J., et al. Proc. SPIE 8452, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared 

Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy VI, 84521L, doi:10.1117/12.926271

High-contrast near-infrared polarization imaging of MWC 480. Kusakabe, N., Grady, C. A., Sitko, M. L., et 

al. Astrophys. J. 753, 153, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/753/2/153

Formation and destruction of jets in X-ray binaries. Kylafis, N. D., Contopoulos, I., Kazanas, D., and Christodoulou, D. M. Astron. Astrophys. 538, A5, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201117052

Modelling the huge, Herschel-resolved debris ring around HD 207129. Löhne, T., Augereau, J.-C., Ertel, S., et 

al. Astron. Astrophys. 537, A110, 10.1051/0004-6361/201117731

Disentangling AGN and star formation in soft X-rays. LaMassa, Stephanie M., Heckman, T. M., and Ptak, A. 

Astrophys. J. 758, 82, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/758/2/82

Exploring the connection between star formation and active galactic nucleus activity in the local universe. LaMassa, Stephanie M., Heckman, T. M., Ptak, A., et al. Astrophys. J. 758, 1, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/758/1/1

An icy Kuiper belt around the young solar-type star HD 181327. Lebreton, J., Augereau, J.-C., Thi, W.-F., et 

al. Astron. Astrophys. 539, A17, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201117714 

The 4 Ms Chandra Deep Field-South number counts apportioned by source class: Pervasive active galactic nuclei and the ascent of normal galaxies. Lehmer, B. D., Xue, Y. Q., Brandt, W. N., et al. Astrophys. J. 752, 46, 

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/752/1/46 

Developing wide-field spatio-spectral interferometry for far-infrared space applications. Leisawitz, David, Bolcar, Matthew R., Lyon, Richard G., et al. Proc. SPIE 8445, Optical and Infrared Interferometry III, 84450A, 

doi:10.1117/12.926812

The path to far-IR interferometry in space: recent developments, plans, and prospects. Leisawitz, David and 

Rinehart, Stephen A. Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Optical, Infrared, and 

Millimeter Wave, 844223, doi:10.1117/12.926806
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 99

Large proton anisotropies in the 18 August 2010 solar particle event. Leske, R. A., Cohen, C. M. S., Mewaldt, 

R. A., et al. Solar Phys. 281, 301, doi:10.1007/s11207-012-0018-5

Evolution of chorus waves and their source electrons during storms driven by corotating interaction regions. Li, 

Wen, Thorne, Richard, Bortnik, Jacob, et al. J. Geophy. Res. Space Phys. 117, 8209, doi:10.1029/2012JA017797 

The diffuse gamma-ray background from Type Ia supernovae. Lien, Amy and Fields, Brian D. Astrophys. J. 747, 

120, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/747/2/120 

James Webb Space Telescope: Large deployable cryogenic telescope in space. Lightsey, Paul A., Atkinson, 

Charles, Clampin, Mark, and Feinberg, Lee D. Opt. Eng. 51, 11003, doi:10.1117/1.OE.51.1.011003

Spitzer evidence for a late-heavy bombardment and the formation of ureilites in η Corvi at ~1 Gyr. Lisse, C. M., 

Wyatt, M. C., Chen, C. H., et al. Astrophys. J. 747, 93, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/747/2/93

Hubble Space Telescope Ha imaging of star-forming galaxies at z ~ 1–1.5: Evolution in the size and luminosity 

of giant H II regions. Livermore, R. C., Jones, T., Richard, J., Bower, et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 427, 

688, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21900.x 

An in-depth study of the abundance pattern in the hot interstellar medium in NGC 4649. Loewenstein, Michael and Davis, David S. Astrophys. J. 757, 121, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/757/2/121 

Dark matter search using XMM-Newton observations of Willman 1. Loewenstein, Michael and Kusenko, Alexander. Astrophys. J. 751, 82, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/751/2/82 

Status of the James Webb Space Telescope integrated science instrument module. Lundquist, Ray A., Balzano, 

Vicki, Davila, Pam, et al. Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Optical, Infrared, and 

Millimeter Wave, 84422M, doi:10.1117/12.925515

Probing the X-ray binary populations of the ring galaxy NGC 1291. Luo, B., Fabbiano, G., Fragos, T., et al. 

Astrophys. J. 749, 130, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/749/2/130 

Dust attenuation and Ha star formation rates of z ~ 0.5 galaxies. Ly, Chun, Malkan, Matthew A., Kashikawa, 

Nobunari, et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 747, L16, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/747/1/L16

Space telescope sensitivity and controls for exoplanet imaging. Lyon, Richard G. and Clampin, Mark. Opt. Eng. 

51, 11002, doi:10.1117/1.OE.51.1.011002

Wide-field imaging interferometry spatial-spectral image synthesis algorithms. Lyon, R. G., Leisawitz, D. T., Rinehart, S. A., et al. Proc. SPIE 8445, Optical and Infrared Interferometry III, 84450B, doi:10.1117/12.926920

High contrast vacuum nuller testbed (VNT) contrast, performance, and null control. Lyon, Richard G., 

Clampin, Mark, Petrone, Peter, et al. Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Optical, 

Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 844208, doi:10.1117/12.926889

Constraining the absolute orientation of h Carinae’s binary orbit: A 3D dynamical model for the broad [Fe III] 

emission. Madura, T. I., Gull, T. R., Owocki, S. P., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 420, 2064, doi:10.1111/

j.1365-2966.2011.20165.x 

HST/STIS spectroscopy of the magnetic Of?p star HD 108: The low state at ultraviolet wavelengths. Marcolino, W. L. F., Bouret, J.-C., Walborn, N. R., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 422, 2314, doi:10.1111/j.1365-

2966.2012.20820.x 

Inverse Compton X-ray emission from supernovae with compact progenitors: Application to SN2011fe. Margutti, R., Soderberg, A. M., Chomiuk, L., et al. Astrophys. J. 751, 134, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/751/2/134 

Observational effects of magnetism in O stars: Surface nitrogen abundances. Martins, F., Escolano, C., Wade, 

G. A., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 538, A29, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118039

Astronomy: A conversation about observation. Mather, John and Mao, Minnie. Nature 490, S5, 

doi:10.1038/490S5a 

Parasitic interference in classical and nulling stellar interferometry. Matter, A., Defrère, D., Danchi, W. C., et al. 

Proc. SPIE 8445, Optical and Infrared Interferometry III, 84453J, doi:10.1117/12.926456

Direct imaging of extra-solar planets in star forming regions. Lessons learned from a false positive around 

IM Lupi. Mawet, D., Absil, O., Montagnier, G., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 544, A131, doi:10.1051/0004-

6361/201219662

Subaru imaging of asymmetric features in a transitional disk in upper Scorpius. Mayama, S., Hashimoto, J., 

Muto, T., et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 760, L26, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/760/2/L26 

Design and analysis of modules for segmented X-ray optics. McClelland, Ryan S., Biskach, Michael P., Chan, 

Kai-Wing, et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 

84433Y, doi:10.1117/12.927200
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 100

A massive, cooling-flow-induced starburst in the core of a luminous cluster of galaxies. McDonald, M., Bayliss, 

M., Benson, B. A., et al. Nature 488, 349, doi:10.1038/nature11379 

Scientific design of a high contrast integral field spectrograph for the Subaru Telescope. McElwain, Michael W., 

Brandt, Timothy D., Janson, Markus, et al. Proc. SPIE 8446, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation 

for Astronomy IV, 84469C, doi:10.1117/12.927108

NIMBUS: the Near-infrared Multi-Band Ultraprecise Spectroimager for SOFIA. McElwain, Michael W., Mandell, Avi, Woodgate, Bruce, et al. Proc. SPIE 8446, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IV, 84467B, doi:10.1117/12.927094

Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope. McEnery, Julie E., Michelson, Peter F., Paciesas, William S., Ritz, Steven. 

Opt. Eng. 51, 11012, doi:10.1117/1.OE.51.1.011012 

Running a distributed virtual observatory: U.S. Virtual Astronomical Observatory operations. McGlynn, 

Thomas A., Hanisch, Robert J., Berriman, G. Bruce, and Thakar, Aniruddha R. Proc. SPIE 8448, Observatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems IV, 84480E, doi:10.1117/12.926083

Observations of Herbig Ae/Be stars with Herschel/PACS. The atomic and molecular contents of their protoplanetary discs. Meeus, G., Montesinos, B., Mendigutía, I., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 544, A78, doi:10.1051/0004-

6361/201219225 

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: ACT-CL J0102-4915 “El Gordo,” a massive merging cluster at redshift 

0.87. Menanteau, Felipe, Hughes, John P., Sifón, Cristóbal, et al. Astrophys. J. 748, 7, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/748/1/7 

Keck Interferometer Nuller science highlights. Mennesson, Bertrand, Millan-Gabet, Rafael, Colavita, M. M., et 

al. Proc. SPIE 8445, Optical and Infrared Interferometry III, 844507, doi:10.1117/12.926548

Energy spectra, composition, and other properties of ground-level events during Solar Cycle 23. Mewaldt, R. 

A., Looper, M. D., Cohen, C. M. S., et al. Space Sci. Rev. 171, 97, doi:10.1007/s11214-012-9884-2

On the role of the accretion disk in black hole disk-jet connections. Miller, J. M., Pooley, G. G., Fabian, A. C., 

et al. Astrophys. J. 757, 11, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/757/1/11 

The disk-wind-jet connection in the black hole H 1743–322. Miller, J. M., Raymond, J., Fabian, A. C., et al. 

Astrophys. J. Lett. 759, L6, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/759/1/L6

Using the XMM-Newton optical monitor to study cluster galaxy evolution. Miller, Neal A., O’steen, Richard, 

Yen, Steffi, et al. Pub. Astron. Soc. Pacific 124, 95, doi:10.1086/664187

Disc-jet coupling in the 2009 outburst of the black hole candidate H1743–322. Miller-Jones, J. C. A., Sivakoff, 

G. R., Altamirano, D., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 421 468, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.20326.x 

The high-resolution X-ray microcalorimeter spectrometer, SXS, on Astro-H. Mitsuda, Kazuhisa, Kelley, Richard L., Boyce, Kevin R., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys.167, 795, doi:10.1007/s10909-012-0482-1

Search for X-ray emission associated with the Shapley Supercluster with Suzaku. Mitsuishi, Ikuyuki, Gupta, 

Anjali, Yamasaki, Noriko Y., et al. Pub. Astron. Soc. Japan 64, 18.

The Carnegie Hubble Program: The Leavitt Law at 3.6 and 4.5 μm in the Milky Way. Monson, Andrew J., 

Freedman, Wendy L., Madore, Barry F., et al. Astrophys. J. 759, 146, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/759/2/146 

WISE detections of dust in the habitable zones of planet-bearing stars. Morales, Farisa Y., Padgett, D. L., 

Bryden, G., et al. Astrophys. J. 757, 7, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/757/1/7 

Enabling large focal plane arrays through mosaic hybridization. Miller, Timothy M., Jhabvala, Christine A., Leong, Edward, et al. Proc. SPIE 8453, High Energy, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy V, 84532H, 

doi:10.1117/12.926491

The pre-collimator for the ASTRO-H X-ray telescopes: shielding from stray lights. Mori, Hideyuki, Maeda, 

Yoshitomo, Ishida, Manabu, et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet 

to Gamma Ray, 84435B, doi:10.1117/12.925902

The reawakening of the sleeping X-ray pulsar XTE J1946+274. Müller, S., Kühnel, M., Caballero, I., et al. 

Astron. Astrophys. 546, A125, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219580

Chandra observations of dying radio sources in galaxy clusters. Murgia, M., Markevitch, M., Govoni, F., et al. 

Astron. Astrophys. 548, A75, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219702 

Discovery of small-scale spiral structures in the disk of SAO 206462 (HD 135344B): Implications for the 

physical state of the disk from spiral density wave theory. Muto, T., Grady, C. A., Hashimoto, J., et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 748, L22, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/748/2/L22

Performance of magnetic penetration thermometers for X-ray astronomy. Nagler, P. C., Adams, J. S., Balvin, M. 

A., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys. 167, 455, doi:10.1007/s10909-012-0516-8 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 101

Long-duration X-ray flash and X-ray-rich gamma-ray bursts from low-mass Population III stars. Nakauchi, 

Daisuke, Suwa, Yudai, Sakamoto, Takanori, et al. Astrophys. J. 759, 128, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/759/2/128

X-ray emission from an asymmetric blast wave and a massive white dwarf in the gamma-ray emitting Nova 

V407 Cyg. Nelson, Thomas, Donato, Davide, Mukai, Koji, et al. Astrophys. J. 748, 43, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/748/1/43

A universal scaling for the energetics of relativistic jets from black hole systems. Nemmen, R. S., Georganopoulos, M., Guiriec, S., et al. Science 338, 1445, doi:10.1126/science.1227416 

The Gemini NICI planet-finding campaign: Discovery of a multiple system orbiting the young A star HD 

1160. Nielsen, Eric L., Liu, Michael C., Wahhaj, Zahed, et al. Astrophys. J. 750, 53, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/750/1/53 

Fermi Large Area Telescope second source catalog. Nolan, P. L., Abdo, A. A., Ackermann, M., et al. Astrophys. 

J. Suppl. 199, 31, doi:10.1088/0067-0049/199/2/31

Suzaku observations of 4U 1957+11: Potentially the most rapidly spinning black hole in (the halo of) the galaxy. Nowak, Michael A., Wilms, Jörn, Pottschmidt, Katja, et al. Astrophys. J. 744, 107, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/744/2/107

Development of a quasi-monoenergetic 6 MeV Gamma Facility at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Nowicki, 

S. F., Hunter, S. D., Parsons, A. M. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Section A 705, 111, doi:10.1016/j.

nima.2012.12.066

Development of a quasi-monoenergetic 6 MeV gamma facility. Nowicki, Suzanne F., Hunter, Stanley D., Bodnarik, Julia G., et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 

844337, doi:10.1117/12.925473

Precision laser development for interferometric space missions NGO, SGO, and GRACE follow-on. Numata, 

K. and Camp, J. J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 363, 12054, doi:10.1088/1742-6596/363/1/012054 

Estimation of frequency noise in semiconductor lasers due to mechanical thermal noise. Numata, Kenji and 

Camp, Jordan. Phys. Lett. A 376, 798, doi:10.1016/j.physleta.2012.01.013

Precision and fast wavelength tuning of a dynamically phase-locked widely-tunable laser. Numata, Kenji, Chen, 

Jeffrey R., and Wu, Stewart T. Opt. Express 20, 14234, doi:10.1364/OE.20.014234 

Multiwavelength observations of the Type IIb supernova 2009mg. Oates, S. R., Bayless, A. J., Stritzinger, M. 

D., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 424, 1297, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21311.x 

A correlation between the intrinsic brightness and average decay rate of Swift/UVOT gamma-ray burst optical/

ultraviolet light curves. Oates, S. R., Page, M. J., De Pasquale, M., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc.

Lett. 426, L86, doi:10.1111/j.1745-3933.2012.01331.x 

From radio with love: An overview of the role of radio observations in understanding high-energy emission from 

active galaxies. Ojha, Roopesh. J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 355, 12006, doi:10.1088/1742-6596/355/1/012006 

First measurement of the ASTRO-H soft X-ray telescope performance. Okajima, Takashi, Serlemitsos, Peter J., 

Soong, Yang, and Hahne, Devin J. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet 

to Gamma Ray, 844320, doi:10.1117/12.926443

The Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey: HerMES. Oliver, S. J., Bock, J., Altieri, B., et al. Mon. Not. R. 

Astron. Soc. 424, 1614, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.20912.x 

The Fermi GBM gamma-ray burst catalog: The first two years. Paciesas, William S., Meegan, Charles A., von 

Kienlin, Andreas, et al. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 199, 18, doi:10.1088/0067-0049/199/1/18

The suppression of star formation by powerful active galactic nuclei. Page, M. J., Symeonidis, M., Vieira, J. D., 

et al. Nature 485, 213, doi:10.1038/nature11096 

Atomic decay data for modeling K lines of iron peak and light odd-Z elements. Palmeri, P., Quinet, P., Mendoza, C., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 543, A44, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219438

Monte-Carlo simulations of the Suzaku-XRS residual background spectrum. Perinati, E., Kilbourne, C. A., 

Colasanti, L., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys. 167, 721, doi:10.1007/s10909-012-0608-5 

Accelerator experiments with soft protons and hyper-velocity dust particles: application to ongoing projects of 

future X-ray missions. Perinati, E., Diebold, S., Kendziorra, E., et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and 

Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 84430O, doi:10.1117/12.926118

Conceptual design of the Coronagraphic High Angular Resolution Imaging Spectrograph (CHARIS) for the 

Subaru Telescope. Peters, Mary A., Groff, Tyler, Kasdin, N. et al. Proc. SPIE 8446, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IV, 84467U, doi:10.1117/12.926381
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 102

The NASA X-ray Mission concepts study. Petre, R., Bregman, J., Bautz, M., et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 84431I, doi:10.1117/12.926212

Constraining g-ray pulsar gap models with a simulated pulsar population. Pierbattista, M., Grenier, I. A., Harding, A. K., and Gonthier, P. L. Astron. Astrophys. 545, A42, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219135 

maXs: Microcalorimeter Arrays for High-Resolution X-ray Spectroscopy at GSI/FAIR. Pies, C., Schäfer, S., 

Heuser, S., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys. 167, 269, doi:10.1007/s10909-012-0557-z

Discovery of nine gamma-ray pulsars in Fermi Large Area Telescope data using a new blind search method. 

Pletsch, H. J., Guillemot, L., Allen, B., et al. Astrophys. J. 744, 105, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/744/2/105 

Binary millisecond pulsar discovery via gamma-ray pulsations. Pletsch, H. J., Guillemot, L., Fehrmann, H., et 

al. Science 338, 1314, doi:10.1126/science.1229054

Advanced Technology Large-Aperture Space Telescope: Science drivers and technology developments. Postman, 

Marc, Brown, Tom, Sembach, Kenneth, et al. Opt. Eng. 51, 11007, doi:10.1117/1.OE.51.1.011007 

Using the ISS as a testbed to prepare for the next generation of space-based telescopes. Postman, Marc, Sparks, 

William B., Liu, Fengchuan, et al. Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Optical, 

Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 84421T, doi:10.1117/12.926492

Characterization of the silicon drift detector for NICER instrument. Prigozhin, G., Gendreau, K., Foster, R., et al. Proc. SPIE 8453, High Energy, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy V, 845318, 

doi:10.1117/12.926667

Early ultraviolet observations of a Type IIn supernova (2007pk). Pritchard, T. A., Roming, P. W. A., Brown, P. 

J., et al. Astrophys. J. 750, 128, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/750/2/128 

The kinematics of HH 34 from HST images with a nine-year time baseline. Raga, A. C., Noriega-Crespo, A., 

Rodríguez-González, A., et al. Astrophys. J. 748, 103, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/748/2/103 

First Keck nulling observations of a young stellar object: Probing the circumstellar environment of the Herbig Ae 

Star MWC 325. Ragland, S., Ohnaka, K., Hillenbrand, L., et al. Astrophys. J. 746, 126, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/746/2/126

Weak-lensing Results for the Merging Cluster A1758. Ragozzine, B., Clowe, D., Markevitch, M., et al. Astrophys. J. 744, 94, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/744/2/94 

Variability of the blazar 4C 38.41 (B3 1633+382) from GHz frequencies to GeV energies. Raiteri, C. M., Villata, M., Smith, P. S., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 545, A48, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219492 

On the X-ray low- and high-velocity outflows in active galactic nuclei. Ramírez, J. M. and Tombesi, F. Mon. 

Not. R. Astron. Soc. Lett. 419, L64, doi:10.1111/j.1745-3933.2011.01180.x 

Kepler observations of V447 Lyr: An eclipsing U Gem cataclysmic variable. Ramsay, Gavin, Cannizzo, John 

K., Howell, Steve B., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 425, 1479, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21657.x 

Development of metallic magnetic calorimeters for high precision measurements of calorimetric 187Re and 

163Ho Spectra. Ranitzsch, P. C.-O., Porst, J.-P., Kempf, S., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys. 167, 1004, doi:10.1007/

s10909-012-0556-0

Stellar laboratories: New Ge V and Ge VI oscillator strengths and their validation in the hot white dwarf 

RE 0503-289. Rauch, T., Werner, K., Biémont, É., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 546, A55, doi:10.1051/0004-

6361/201220014 

Reducing the read noise of HAWAII-2RG detector systems with improved reference sampling and subtraction 

(IRS2

). Rauscher, Bernard J., Arendt, Richard G., Fixsen, D. J., et al. Proc. SPIE 8453, High Energy, Optical, 

and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy V, 84531F, doi:10.1117/12.926089

Spatial distribution of solar energetic particles in the inner heliosphere. Reames, Donald V., Ng, Chee K., and 

Tylka, Allan J. Solar Phys. 126, doi:10.1007/s11207-012-0038-1

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: High-resolution Sunyaev-Zel’dovich array observations of ACT SZE-selected clusters from the equatorial strip. Reese, Erik D., Mroczkowski, Tony, Menanteau, Felipe, et al. 

Astrophys. J. 751, 12, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/751/1/12 

A 200-second quasi-periodicity after the tidal disruption of a star by a dormant black hole. Reis, R. C., Miller, 

J. M., Reynolds, M. T., et al. Science 337, 949, doi:10.1126/science.1223940 

Near-Earth solar wind flows and related geomagnetic activity during more than four solar cycles (1963-2011). 

Richardson, Ian G. and Cane, Hilary V. J. Space Weather Space Clim. 2, A01, doi:10.1051/swsc/2012001

Solar wind drivers of geomagnetic storms during more than four solar cycles. Richardson, Ian G. and Cane, 

Hilary V. J. Space Weather Space Clim. 2, A01, doi:10.1051/swsc/2012001 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 103

Near-infrared band strengths of molecules diluted in n2 and h2o ice mixtures relevant to interstellar and planetary ices. Richey, C. R. and Gerakines, P. A. Astrophys. J. 759, 74, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/759/1/74

Science operations with the James Webb Space Telescope. Rigby, Jane, Sonneborn, George, Pollizzi, Joe, et al. 

Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 844229, 

doi:10.1117/12.926504

Using statistical multivariable models to understand the relationship between interplanetary coronal mass ejecta 

and magnetic flux ropes. Riley, P. and Richardson, I. G. Solar Phys. 102, doi:10.1007/s11207-012-0006-9

Design and status of the Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope for infrared interferometry (BETTII): an interferometer at the edge of space. Rinehart, S. A., Barclay, R. B., Barry, R. K., et al. Proc. SPIE 8445, Optical 

and Infrared Interferometry III, 844508, doi:10.1117/12.926376

HD 172555: Detection of 63 μm [OI] emission in a debris disc. Riviere-Marichalar, P., Barrado, D., Augereau, 

J.-C., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 546, L8, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219745

Tracking near-infrared fringes on BETTII: a balloon-borne, 8m-baseline interferometer. Rizzo, Maxime J., 

Rinehart, Stephen A., Barry, Richard K., et al. Proc. SPIE 8445, Optical and Infrared Interferometry III, 

84451T, doi:10.1117/12.925593

The exozodiacal dust problem for direct observations of exo-Earths. Roberge, Aki, Chen, Christine H., MillanGabet, Rafael, et al. Pub. Astron. Soc. Pacific 124, 799, doi:10.1086/667218 

The Gray Needle: Large grains in the HD 15115 debris disk from LBT/PISCES/Ks and LBTI/LMIRcam/L’ 

adaptive optics imaging. Rodigas, Timothy J., Hinz, Philip M., Leisenring, Jarron, et al. Astrophys. J. 752, 

57, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/752/1/57 

Fast simulations of gas sloshing and cold front formation. Roediger, E. and Zuhone, J. A. Mon. Not. R. Astron. 

Soc. 419, 1338, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19794.x 

The unusual temporal and spectral evolution of the Type IIn supernova 2011ht. Roming, P. W. A., Pritchard, T. 

A., Prieto, J. L., et al. Astrophys. J. 751, 92, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/751/2/92

The Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey: SPIRE-mm photometric redshifts. Roseboom, I. G., Ivison, R. 

J., Greve, T. R., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 419, 2758, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19827.x

Detector architecture of the Cosmology Large Angular Scale Surveyor. Rostem, K., Bennett, C. L., Chuss, D. 

T., et al. Proc. SPIE 8452, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy VI, 84521N, doi:10.1117/12.927056

The longitudinal properties of a solar energetic particle event investigated using modern solar imaging. Rouillard, A. P., Sheeley, N. R., Tylka, A., et al. Astrophys. J. 752, 44, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/752/1/44 

Fermi-LAT constraints on the pulsar wind nebula nature of HESS J1857+026. Rousseau, R., Grondin, M.-H., 

Van Etten, A., et al. Astron. Astrophys. 544, A3, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118685Aug 2012 

Large Binocular Telescope and Spitzer spectroscopy of star-forming galaxies at 1 < z < 3: Extinction and star 

formation rate indicators. Rujopakarn, W., Rieke, G. H., Papovich, C. J., et al. Astrophys. J. 755, 168, 

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/755/2/168

Swift X-ray upper limits on Type Ia supernova environments. Russell, B. R. and Immler, S. Astrophys. J. Lett.

748, L29, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/748/2/L29

A panchromatic catalog of early-type galaxies at intermediate redshift in the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field 

Camera 3 early release science field. Rutkowski, M. J., Cohen, S. H., Kaviraj, S., et al. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 

199, 4, doi:10.1088/0067-0049/199/1/4 

The size evolution of passive galaxies: Observations from the Wide-Field Camera 3 early release science program. Ryan, R. E., Jr., McCarthy, P. J., Cohen, S. H., et al. Astrophys. J. 749, 53, doi:doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/749/1/53 

SN 2010ay is a luminous and broad-lined Type Ic supernova within a low-metallicity host galaxy. Sanders, N. 

E., Soderberg, A. M., Valenti, S., et al. Astrophys. J. 756, 184, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/756/2/184

Observations of the post-shock break-out emission of SN 2011dh with XMM-Newton. Sasaki, M. and Ducci, 

L. Astron. Astrophys. 546, A80, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201220200 

Short timescale variations of the Ha double-peaked profile of the nucleus of NGC 1097. Schimoia, Jaderson S., Storchi-Bergmann, Thaisa, Nemmen, Rodrigo S., et al. Astrophys. J. 748, 145, doi:10.1051/0004-

6361/201220200 

GX 3+1: The stability of spectral index as a function of mass accretion rate. Seifina, Elena and Titarchuk, Lev. 

Astrophys. J. 747, 99, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/747/2/99
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 104

Development of dielectric X-ray microcalorimeter. Sekiya, N., Yamasaki, N. Y., Mitsuda, Ket al. J. Low Temp. 

Phys. 167, 435, doi:10.1007/s10909-012-0563-1

The Keck Interferometer Nuller. Serabyn, E., Mennesson, B., Colavita, M. M., et al. Astrophys. J. 748, 55, 

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/748/1/55

Development of the onboard digital processing system for the soft X-ray spectrometer of ASTRO-H: performance in the engineering model tests. Seta, H., Tashiro, M. S., Ishisaki, Y., et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space 

Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 84435D, doi:10.1117/12.924638

Advances in the RXTE proportional counter array calibration: Nearing the statistical limit. Shaposhnikov, 

Nikolai, Jahoda, Keith, Markwardt, Craig, et al. Astrophys. J. 757, 159, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/757/2/159

Source-plane reconstruction of the bright lensed galaxy RCSGA 032727–132609. Sharon, Keren, Gladders, 

Michael D., Rigby, Jane R., et al. Astrophys. J. 746, 161, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/746/2/161

Stray light suppression in the Goddard IRAM 2-Millimeter Observer (GISMO). Sharp, E. H., Benford, D. J., 

Fixsen, D. J., et al. Proc. SPIE 8452, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy VI, 84523I, doi:10.1117/12.926828

SOFIA observations of S106: Dynamics of the warm gas. Simon, R., Schneider, N., Stutzki, J., et al. Astron. 

Astrophys. 542, L12, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201218931

Hubble Space Telescope FUV spectra of the post-common-envelope Hyades binary V471 Tauri. Sion, Edward 

M., Bond, Howard E., Lindler, Don, et al. Astrophys. J. 751, 66, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/751/1/66 

Variability of disk emission in pre-main sequence and related stars. II.

Variability in the gas and dust emission of the Herbig Fe Star SAO 206462. Sitko, Michael L., Day, Amanda 

N., Kimes, Robin Let al. Astrophys. J. 745, 29, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/745/1/29 

Inverse Compton X-ray halos around high-z radio galaxies: A feedback mechanism powered by far-infrared 

starbursts or the cosmic microwave background? Smail, Ian, Blundell, Katherine M., Lehmer, B. D., and 

Alexander, D. M. Astrophys. J. 760, 132, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/760/2/132

Anomalous low states and long-term variability in the black hole binary LMC X-3. Smale, Alan P. and Boyd, 

Patricia T. Astrophys. J. 756, 146, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/756/2/146 

Fast X-ray transients towards the Galactic bulge with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. Smith, D. M., Markwardt, C. B., Swank, J. H., and Negueruela, I. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 422, 2661, doi:10.1111/j.1365-

2966.2012.20836.x 

Science metrics for a NASA large optic X-ray microcalorimeter mission. Smith, Randall K., Bookbinder, Jay, 

Garcia, Michael, et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma 

Ray, 84431J, doi:10.1117/12.926534

Small pitch transition-edge sensors with broadband high spectral resolution for solar physics. Smith, S. J., Adams, J. S., Bailey, C. N., et al. J. Low Temp. Phys. 167, 168, doi:10.1007/s10909-012-0574-y 

Panchromatic observations of SN 2011dh point to a compact progenitor star. Soderberg, A. M., Margutti, R., 

Zauderer, B. A., et al. Astrophys. J. 752, 78, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/752/2/78

The first stars: mass growth under protostellar feedback. Stacy, Athena, Greif, Thomas H., and Bromm, Volker. 

Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 422, 290, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.20605.x. 

Effect of Population III multiplicity on dark star formation. Stacy, Athena, Pawlik, Andreas H., Bromm, Volker, 

and Loeb, Abraham. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 421, 894, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.20373.x 

The GISMO-2 bolometer camera. Staguhn, Johannes G., Benford, Dominic J., Fixsen, Dale J., et al. Proc. SPIE 

8452, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy VI, 84520T, 

doi:10.1117/12.927037

A determination of the intergalactic redshift-dependent ultraviolet-optical-NIR photon density using deep galaxy survey data and the gamma-ray opacity of the universe. Stecker, Floyd W., Malkan, Matthew A., and 

Scully, Sean T. Astrophys. J. 761, 128, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/761/2/128 

Mid-infrared selection of active galactic nuclei with the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer. I. Characterizing 

WISE-selected active galactic nuclei in COSMOS. Stern, Daniel, Assef, Roberto J., Benford, Dominic J., 

et al. Astrophys. J. 753, 30, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/753/1/30

Multi-wavelength observations of the enduring type IIn supernovae 2005ip and 2006jd. Stritzinger, Maximilian, Taddia, Francesco, Fransson, Claes, et al. Astrophys. J. 756, 173, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/756/2/173 

Broadband spectroscopy using two Suzaku observations of the HMXB GX 301-2. Suchy, Slawomir, Fürst, Felix, Pottschmidt, Katja, et al. Astrophys. J. 745, 124, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/745/2/124 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 105

Measurement of reflectivity of X-ray mirror for soft X-ray telescope onboard ASTRO-H. Sugita, Satoshi, Furuzawa, Akihiro, Ishibashi, Kazunori, et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: 

Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 844358, doi:10.1117/12.926711

Luminosity correlations for gamma-ray bursts and implications for their prompt and afterglow emission mechanisms. Sultana, J., Kazanas, D., and Fukumura, K. Astrophys. J. 758, 32, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/758/1/32

Bending of light in modified gravity at large distances. Sultana, Joseph and Kazanas, Demosthenes. Phys. Rev. D

85, 81502, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.85.081502

Conformal Weyl gravity and perihelion precession. Sultana, Joseph, Kazanas, Demosthenes, and Said, Jackson 

Levi. Phys. Rev. D 86, 84008, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.86.084008 

A generalized porosity formalism for isotropic and anisotropic effective opacity and its effects on X-ray line attenuation in clumped O star winds. Sundqvist, Jon O., Owocki, Stanley P., Cohen, David H., et al. Mon. 

Not. R. Astron. Soc. 420, 1553, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.20141.x

The ASTRO-H X-ray Observatory. Takahashi, Tadayuki, Mitsuda, Kazuhisa, Kelley, Richard, et al. Proc. SPIE 

8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 84431Z, doi:10.1117/12.926190

Use of incident and reflected solar particle beams to trace the topology of magnetic clouds. Tan, Lun C., Malandraki, Olga E., Reames, Donald V., et al. Astrophys. J. 750, 146, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/750/2/146

Detection of a cool, accretion-shock-generated X-ray plasma in EX Lupi during the 2008 optical eruption. 

Teets, William K., Weintraub, David A., Kastner, Joel H., et al. Astrophys. J. 760, 89, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/760/1/89

Infrared and x-ray spectroscopy of the Kes 75 supernova remnant shell: Characterizing the dust and gas properties. Temim, Tea, Slane, Patrick, Arendt, Richard G., and Dwek, Eli. Astrophys. J. 745, 46, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/745/1/46 

Properties and spatial distribution of dust emission in the Crab Nebula. Temim, Tea, Sonneborn, George, 

Dwek, Eli, Arendt, Richard G., et al. Astrophys. J. 753, 72, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/753/1/72

Chandra observations of Galaxy Zoo mergers: Frequency of binary active nuclei in massive mergers. Teng, Stacy 

H., Schawinski, Kevin, Urry, C. Megan, et al. Astrophys. J. 753, 165, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/753/2/165

He II l4686 in h Carinae: Collapse of the wind-wind collision region during periastron passage. Teodoro, M., 

Damineli, A., Arias, J. I., et al. Astrophys. J. 746, 73, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/746/1/7 

Constraining the high-energy emission from gamma-ray bursts with Fermi. Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Baldini, L., et al. Astrophys. J. 754, 121, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/754/2/121

Cosmic ray studies with the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope Large Area Telescope. Thompson, D. J., Baldini, L., & Uchiyama, Y. Astropart. Phys. 39, 22, doi:10.1016/j.astropartphys.2011.10.009 

Gas modelling in the disc of HD 163296. Tilling, I., Woitke, P., Meeus, G., Astron. Astrophys. 538, A20, 

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201116919

Current flow and pair creation at low altitude in rotation-powered pulsars’ force-free magnetospheres: space 

charge limited flow. Timokhin, A. N. and Arons, J. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 356, 20, doi:10.1093/mnras/

sts298

An upscattering spectral formation model for the prompt emission of gamma-ray bursts. Titarchuk, Lev, Farinelli, 

Ruben, Frontera, Filippo, and Amati, Lorenzo. Astrophys. J. 752, 116, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/752/2/116

X-ray Emission from the Wolf-Rayet bubble S 308. Toalá, J. A., Guerrero, M. A., Chu, Y.-H., et al. Astrophys. 

J. 755, 77, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/755/1/77 

Evidence for ultrafast outflows in radio-quiet AGNs - III. Location and energetics. Tombesi, F., Cappi, M., 

Reeves, J. N., and Braito, V. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. Lett. 422, L1, doi:10.1111/j.1745-3933.2012.01221.x

Comparison of ejection events in the jet and accretion disc outflows in 3C 111. Tombesi, F., Sambruna, R. M., 

Marscher, A. P., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 424, 754, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21266.x

NGC 2782: a merger remnant with young stars in its gaseous tidal tail. Torres-Flores, S., de Oliveira, C. Mendes, 

de Mello, D. F., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 421, 3612, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.20589.x

The Chandra Multi-wavelength Project: Optical spectroscopy and the broadband spectral energy distributions 

of X-ray-selected AGNs.Trichas, Markos, Green, Paul J., Silverman, John D., et al. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 200, 

17, doi:10.1088/0067-0049/200/2/17

Broadband study of GRB 091127: A sub-energetic burst at higher redshift? Troja, E., Sakamoto, T., Guidorzi, 

C., et al. Astrophys. J. 761, 50, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/761/1/50 

Sonification of of Kepler Field SU UMa cataclysmic variable stars V344 Lyr and V1504 Cyg. Tutchton, R. M., 

Wood, M. A., Still, M. D., et al. J. Southeast. Assoc. Res. Astron. 6, 21. 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 106

A Suzaku study of ejecta structure and origin of hard X-ray emission in the supernova remnant G156.2+5.7. 

Uchida, Hiroyuki, Tsunemi, Hiroshi, Katsuda, Satoru, et al. Publ. Astron. Soc. Japan 64, 61.

The lag-luminosity relation in the GRB source frame: an investigation with Swift BAT bursts. Ukwatta, 

T. N., Dhuga, K. S., Stamatikos, M., et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 419, 614, doi:10.1111/j.1365-

2966.2011.19723.x

Coronagraphic imaging of debris disks from a high altitude balloon platform. Unwin, Stephen, Traub, Wesley, 

Bryden, Geoffrey, et al. Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Optical, Infrared, and 

Millimeter Wave, 84420G, doi:10.1117/12.924175

Effects of helium enrichment in globular clusters. I. Theoretical plane with PGPUC stellar evolution code. 

Valcarce, A. A. R., Catelan, M., and Sweigart, A. V. Astron. Astrophys. 547, A5, doi:10.1051/0004-

6361/201219510

SGR J1550-5418 bursts detected with the Fermi Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor during its most prolific activity. 

van der Horst, A. J., Kouveliotou, C., Gorgone, N. M., et al. Astrophys. J. 749, 122, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/749/2/122

Modeling phase-aligned gamma-ray and radio millisecond pulsar light curves. Venter, C., Johnson, T. J., and 

Harding, A. K. Astrophys. J. 744, 34, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/744/1/34

SMART-X: Square Meter Arcsecond Resolution X-ray Telescope. Vikhlinin, A., Reid, P., Tananbaum, H., 

et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 844316, 

doi:10.1117/12.926851

Detection of spectral evolution in the bursts emitted during the 2008-2009 active episode of SGR J1550–5418. 

von Kienlin, Andreas, Gruber, David, Kouveliotou, Chryssa, et al. Astrophys. J. 755, 150, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/755/2/150

Present-day descendants of z = 3 Lya-emitting galaxies in the Millennium-II halo merger trees. Walker-Soler, 

Jean P., Gawiser, Eric, Bond, Nicholas A., et al. Astrophys. J. 752, 160, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/752/2/160 

Probing pre-galactic metal enrichment with high-redshift gamma-ray bursts. Wang, F. Y., Bromm, Volker, Greif, 

Thomas H., et al. Astrophys. J. 760, 27, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/760/1/27 

Evidence for type Ia supernova diversity from ultraviolet observations with the Hubble Space Telescope. 

Wang, Xiaofeng, Wang, Lifan, Filippenko, Alexei V., et al. Astrophys. J. 749, 126, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/749/2/126

Automation of the OAN/SPM 1.5-meter Johnson telescope for operations with RATIR. Watson, Alan M., 

Richer, Michael G., Bloom, Joshua S., et al. Proc. SPIE 8444, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes IV, 

84445L, doi:10.1117/12.926927

First detection of krypton and xenon in a white dwarf. Werner, Klaus, Rauch, Thomas, Ringat, Ellen, and Kruk, 

Jeffrey W. Astrophys. J. Lett. 753, L7, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/753/1/L7

The Swift Burst Alert Telescope perspective on non-thermal emission in HIFLUGCS galaxy clusters. Wik, Daniel R., Sarazin, Craig L., Zhang, Yu-Ying, et al. Astrophys. J. 748, 67, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/748/1/67 

Responding to the event deluge. Williams, Roy D., Barthelmy, Scott D., Denny, Robert B., et al. Proc. SPIE 

8448, Observatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems IV, 84480R, doi:10.1117/12.925252

The Swift Burst Alert Telescope detected Seyfert 1 galaxies: X-ray broadband properties and warm absorbers. Winter, Lisa M., Veilleux, Sylvain, McKernan, Barry, and Kallman, T. R. Astrophys. J. 745, 107, doi: 

10.1088/0004-637X/745/2/107 

Submillimeter follow-up of WISE-selected hyperluminous galaxies. Wu, Jingwen, Tsai, Chao-Wei, Sayers, Jack, 

et al. Astrophys. J. 756, 96, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/756/1/96 

Stellar populations of highly magnified lensed galaxies: Young starbursts at z ~ 2. Wuyts, Eva, Rigby, Jane R., 

Gladders, Michael D., et al. Astrophys. J. 745, 86, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/745/1/86 

Constraints on the low-mass end of the mass-metallicity relation at z = 1-2 from lensed galaxies. Wuyts, 

Eva, Rigby, Jane R., Sharon, Keren, and Gladders, Michael D. Astrophys. J. 755, 73, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/755/1/73

Metallicities of emission-line galaxies from HST ACS PEARS and HST WFC3 ERS grism spectroscopy at 0.6 

< z < 2.4. Xia, Lifang, Malhotra, Sangeeta, Rhoads, James, et al. Astron. J. 144, 28, doi:10.1088/0004-

6256/144/1/28

Location prediction of electron TGFs. Xiong, S., Briggs, M. S., Connaughton, V., et al. J. Geophys Res. Space 

Phys. 117, 2309, doi:10.1029/2011JA017085 
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

Publications 107

Tracking down the source population responsible for the unresolved cosmic 6–8 keV background. Xue, Y. Q., 

Wang, S. X., Brandt, W. N., et al. Astrophys. J. 758, 129, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/758/2/129

Data-oriented diagnostics of pileup effects on the Suzaku XIS. Yamada, Shin’ya, Uchiyama, Hideki, Dotani, 

Tadayasu, et al. Publ. Astron. Soc. Japan 64, 53. 

Elemental abundances in the possible type Ia supernova remnant G344.7-0. Yamaguchi, H., Tanaka, M., 

Maeda, K., et al. Astrophys. J. 749, 137. 

Development of resistive electrode gas electron multiplier (RE-GEM). Yoshikawa, A., Tamagawa, T., Iwahashi, 

T., et al. J. Instrum. 7, 6006, doi:10.1088/1748-0221/7/06/C06006

Variability-selected low-luminosity active galactic nuclei in the 4 Ms Chandra Deep Field-South. Young, M., 

Brandt, W. N., Xue, Y. Q., et al. Astrophys. J. 748, 124, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/748/2/124 

A 3 pc scale Jet-driven outflow from Sgr A*. Yusef-Zadeh, F., Arendt, R., Bushouse, H., et al. Astrophys. J. Lett.

758, L11, doi:10.1088/2041-8205/758/1/L11

Energy-dependent orbital modulation of X-rays and constraints on emission of the jet in Cyg X-3. Zdziarski, Andrzej A., Maitra, Chandreyee, Frankowski, Adam, et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 426, 1031, 

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21635.x

h Carinae: Linelist for the emission spectrum of the Weigelt blobs in the 1700 to 10400 Å wavelength region. 

Zethson, T., Johansson, S., Hartman, H., and Gull, T. R. Astron. Astrophys. 540, A133, doi:10.1051/0004-

6361/201116696 

Unusual central engine activity in the double burst GRB 110709B. Zhang, Bin-Bin, Burrows, David N., Zhang, 

Bing, et al. Astrophys. J. 748, 132, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/748/2/132

Next generation astronomical x-ray optics: high angular resolution, light weight, and low production cost. 

Zhang, W. W., Biskach, M. P., Blake, P. N., et al. Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 

2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 84430S, doi:10.1117/12.926034

Panchromatic observations of the textbook GRB 110205A: Constraining physical mechanisms of prompt emission and afterglow. Zheng, W., Shen, R. F., Sakamoto, T., et al. Astrophys. J. 751, 90, doi:10.1088/0004-

637X/751/2/90

GRB 110709A, 111117A, and 120107A: Faint high-energy gamma-ray photon emission from Fermi-LAT 

observations and demographic implications. Zheng, WeiKang, Akerlof, Carl W., Pandey, Shashi B., et al. 

2012 Astrophys. J. 756, 64, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/756/1/64 

BD–22°3467, a DAO-type star exciting the nebula Abell 35. Ziegler, M., Rauch, T., Werner, K., et al. Astron. 

Astrophys. 548, A109, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219536
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Publications 108
Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2012

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120

 William Oegerle

(301) 286-8801