Issue 10 Volume 41 May 16, 2003

worthwhile because it provides the necessary means to compare the efficiency of competing estimation techniques and,
furthermore, provides a stopping rule in the search for the best unbiased estimator. Consequently, the CRB for both the simple
and broken power law energy spectra are derived herein and the conditions under which they are attained in practice are
investigated. The ML technique is then extended to estimate spectra information from an arbitrary number of astrophysics data
sets produced by vastly different science instruments. This theory and its successful implementation will facilitate the
interpretation of spectral information from multiple astrophysics missions and thereby permit the derivation of superior
spectral parameter estimates based on the combination of data sets.
Author
Maximum Likelihood Estimates; Cramer-Rao Bounds; Spectrum Analysis; Cosmic Rays; Statistical Distributions; Parameter
Identification; Mathematical Models; Spectra
20030032951 Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA
The Nearest Black Holes
Oliversen, Ronald J., Technical Monitor; Garcia, M.; April 2003; 3 pp.; In English
Contract(s)/Grant(s): NAG5-10889; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A01, Hardcopy
The goal of this program is to study black holes, both in our Galaxy and in nearby galaxies. We aim to study both ‘stellar
mass’ x-ray binaries containing black holes (both in our Galaxy and in nearby galaxies), and super-massive black holes in
nearby galaxies. This program facilitates this study by funding related travel, computer equipment, and partial salary for a
post-doc.
Derived from text
Black Holes (Astronomy); Galaxies; X Ray Binaries; X Ray Astronomy
20030032982 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
Coronagraphic Imaging with HST and STIS
Grady, C. A.; Proffitt, C.; Malumuth, E.; Woodgate, B. E.; Gull, T. R.; Bowers, C. W.; Heap, S. R.; Kimble, R. A.; Lindler,
D.; Plait, P.; [2002]; 11 pp.; In English; 2002 Hubble Space Telescope Calibration Workshop, 17-18 Oct. 2002, Baltimore,
MD, USA
Contract(s)/Grant(s): NAS5-26555; GO-7088; GO-8037; GO-8491; GO-8896; GO-9241; Copyright; Avail: CASI; A03,
Hardcopy
Revealing faint circumstellar nebulosity and faint stellar or substellar companions to bright stars typically requires use of
techniques for rejecting the direct, scattered, and diffracted light of the star. One such technique is Lyot coronagraphy. We
summarize the performance of the white-light coronagraphic capability of the Space Telescope Imaging spectrograph, on
board the Hubble Space Telescope.
Author
Coronagraphs; Hubble Space Telescope; Imaging Techniques; Astrophysics
20030032994 Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA
Studying X-Ray Binaries with High Energy Frequency Quasi-Periodic Oscillations
Oliversen, Ronald J., Technical Monitor; Kaaret, P.; April 2003; 3 pp.; In English
Contract(s)/Grant(s): NAG5-7405; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A01, Hardcopy
The goal of this investigation is to further our understanding of the dynamics of accreting neutron stars and black holes
in the hope of using these systems as probes of the physics of strong gravitational fields. The main focus of this work has been
a multi-year program of simultaneous millisecond x-ray timing and spectral observations carried out with the Rossi X-Ray
Timing Explorer (RXTE) to perform the x-ray timing and one of the satellites Asca, BeppoSAX, or Chandra to perform x-ray
spectral measurements. With the advent of Chandra, we have extended our work to include imaging of X-ray jets from binaries
and the study of extragalactic X-ray binaries. Significant progress was made over the past year.
Author
X Ray Binaries; Black Holes (Astronomy); Gravitation Theory; X Ray Astronomy; Energetic Particles; Plasmas (Physics);
Neutron Stars; Stellar Oscillations
20030033077 Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA
Exotic Molecules in Space: A Coordinated Astronomical Laboratory and Theoretical Study
Stringfellow, Guy, Technical Monitor; Thaddeus, Patrick; April 2003; 6 pp.; In English
Contract(s)/Grant(s): NAG5-9379; Copyright; Avail: CASI; A02, Hardcopy
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