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Observatories

A One-Two Punch That Makes You See Stars
November 15 — A Los Alamos National Laboratory astrophysicist and his colleagues have discovered that a superbright supernova observed last year might have exhibited an unusual one-two punch.

Plethora of Papers Proves Crashed Mission a Success
October 23 — Despite a resounding crunch into the Utah desert floor in 2004, scientists have mined a treasure trove of data from the Genesis mission.

Los Alamos scientist to speak on gamma ray bursts
September 2 — A few times a day a special type of massive star transforms itself into a black hole, simultaneously collapsing and ejecting material in a jet that moves very close to the speed of light. During their fleeting existence, these jets flood much of the universe with an enormous burst of gamma rays.

Robotic telescope discovery sheds new light on gamma-ray bursts
May 18 — A new type of light was detected from a recent gamma-ray burst, as discovered by Los Alamos National Laboratory and NASA scientists using both burst-detection satellites and a Los Alamos-based robotic telescope.

New NASA IBEX mission to carry Los Alamos instrument
January 28 — A new NASA mission, IBEX, will probe the very edge of the solar system, capturing the quiet hum of a vast, distant shock wave. One of its two instruments is a compact Los Alamos device called the High Energy Neutral Atom Imager.

Southwestern Consortium pursues radio telescope project
June 11 — Working closely with Los Alamos National Laboratory as part of the Southwest Consortium, officials at the University of New Mexico announced today that they are leading the effort to propose a new low frequency radio astronomy observatory be built in a region covering New Mexico and Western Texas. The planned Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) radio telescope will be similar to the Very Large Array (VLA) telescope near Socorro, N.M. but will be more widely distributed across the region and will operate at longer wavelengths.

XMM-Newton satellite uncovers diffuse X-ray emission and the first accreting X-ray pulsar in Andromeda Galaxy
May 26 — In the most sensitive X-ray survey of our neighboring galaxy, Andromeda (M31), the X-ray Multi-Mirror satellite observatory (XMM-Newton) has uncovered hundreds of X-ray sources and provided new insights into the nature of the interstellar medium in the spiral arms of our own galaxy as well as those of Andromeda.

GENESIS' first year a success
December 10 — As scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory begin analysis of first-year data from the solar wind probe GENESIS they have determined the spacecraft is working so well that they are considering possibilities for research beyond the planned 2004 mission completion date. Three of GENESIS' instruments were designed and built at Los Alamos.

Hidden X-ray population revealed in satellite survey, new 'dipper' in Andromeda Galaxy
June 4 — In the most-sensitive study ever of our neighbor galaxy, the X-ray Multi-Mirror satellite observatory (XMM-Newton) has uncovered a new population of X-ray sources. Examining new satellite data, an international team of scientists led by researchers at the United States Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory discovered more than 100 X-ray sources in the Andromeda galaxy.

Astronomers link X-ray flashes to gamma-ray bursts
April 23 — Astronomers announced today the discovery of what may be the lower-energy "poor relations" of cosmic gamma-ray bursts, the fantastically powerful explosions occurring daily in distant galaxies throughout the universe. If the relationship is confirmed by future observations, this potentially new breed of burst, called an X-ray flash, will provide key information to solve the decades-old puzzle of how these most powerful explosions in the universe are produced.

Mars Odyssey's neutron spectrometer maps water-ice
March 1 — Scientists today unveiled maps that detail the location of hydrogen, that may indicate water-ice, just below Mars' surface. The maps are based on data from a neutron spectrometer built at the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory and flown aboard NASA's Mars Odyssey now in orbit around the Red planet. The data are supported by simultaneous measurements made using the Mars Odyssey's gamma-ray spectrometer.

Deep space flight ends, but exploration continues
December 18 — NASAs Deep Space 1 carrying PEPE, or plasma experiment for planetary exploration, an instrument designed and built at the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory, will be put to rest today after a successful event-filled mission in space.

Los Alamos instruments capturing the sun
December 4 — NASA's Genesis mission swings into full gear today as its instruments, three of which were designed and built by the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory, begin capturing particles from the sun.

Taking pictures of the invisible tracking weather above the sky
December 17 — Using a technique called neutral atom imaging from a satellite high above the North Pole, researchers at the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory are developing pictures of the magnetosphere, an invisible magnetic layer around the Earth. These pictures will be essential to a better understanding of the "weather" in space, where a blast of solar wind particles can knock out a multimillion-dollar satellite.

Taking pictures of the invisible: Tracking weather above the sky
December 17 — Using a technique called neutral atom imaging from a satellite high above the North Pole, researchers at the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory are developing pictures of the magnetosphere, an invisible magnetic layer around the Earth. These pictures will be essential to a better understanding of the "weather" in space, where a blast of solar wind particles can knock out a multimillion-dollar satellite.

Lightning over oceans more plentiful than expected
December 9 — Storms over the oceans generate more lightning than previously realized, and researchers may be able to use this finding in studies of atmospheric energy distribution mechanisms linked to climate and weather effects. Energy from the sun can be captured and redistributed globally through the latent heat carried in water vapor. Storm clouds with lightning tend to be more intense and provide a relatively greater release of latent heat through rainfall -- condensation of the water vapor. Remote tracking of such systems may tell researchers where substantial amounts of latent heat are being released over the ocean and thus better understand energy distribution through the atmosphere.

Mars within Los Alamos' Neutron Spectrometer's reach
October 19 — A neutron spectrometer designed and built at the U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory is closing in on Mars aboard NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey.

Los Alamos instruments to capture the sun
July 23 — Three instruments designed and built by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory will help scientists understand the origin of the solar system.

XMM-Newton discovers X-ray nova and unique, pulsating white dwarf in the Andromeda Galaxy
June 4 — In its first look at the Andromeda Galaxy, known as M31, the X-ray Multi-Mirror satellite observatory has revealed several unusual X-ray sources. In examining new satellite data, an international team of scientists, including researchers at the United States Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory, discovered an unusually bright spot created by an enormous X-ray nova outburst. Another mysterious object has been found as well: one of the "coolest" sources of the central region appears to be a luminous white dwarf with an extremely soft energy spectrum and the shortest X-ray pulsation period seen to date.

Los Alamos gamma ray burst work advances on satellite
October 6 — They burn as brightly as 100 million billion stars, flash randomly across the heavens, and were discovered more than 25 years ago here at the US Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory. Now, with tomorrow's launch of the High Energy Transient Explorer, gamma ray bursts (GRBs) will begin to reveal more of their secrets as the latest in detection equipment is lifted into orbit.

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