ASTR240: Radio Astronomy

HW#1

Due Feb 6, 2013

Problem 1 (6 points)
(Adapted from Kraus Ch 8)
A radio source has flux densities of S1 = 12.1 Jy and S2 = 8.3 Jy at frequencies of ν1 = 600 MHz and
ν2 = 1415 MHz, respectively.

A) Show that its spectral index α = [log (S1 /S2 )]/[log (ν2 /ν1 )] (2 points)
Spectral index α; Sν ∝ ν −α

 −α  α
S1 ν1 ν2
= =
S2 ν2 ν1
log (S1 /S2 ) = α log (ν2 /ν1 )
α = log (S1 /S2 )/ log (ν2 /ν1 )

B) Calculate its spectral index. (2 points)

α = log (12.1/8.3)/ log (1415/600) = 0.44

C) Is the spectrum thermal or nonthermal? (2 points)

Thermal spectra have α=-2, so this spectrum is nonthermal.

Problem 2 (8 points)
(Rybicki & Lightman Problem 1.5)
A supernova remnant has an angular diameter θ=4.3 arc minutes and a flux at 100 MHz of F100 = 1.6 ×
10−19 erg cm−2 s−1 Hz−1 . Assume that the emission is thermal.

A) What is the brightness temperature Tb ? What energy regime of the blackbody curve does this corre-
spond to? (2 points)

Iν c2
Definition of brightness temperature: Tb = 2kν 2

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To calculate Iν , need to know the flux density and angular size:

Fν
Iν =
∆Ω
!2
π 2 π 4.30 π
∆Ω = θ = 0 = 1.2 × 10−6 Sr
4 4 60 ◦ 180
1.6 × 10−19 cm2ergs Hz erg
Iν = = 1.3 × 10−13
1.2 × 10−6 Sr cm2 s Hz Sr

Now, plug and chug:

Iν c 2 1.3 × 10−13 cm2 erg ∗ (3 × 1010 cm/s)2

Tb = = s Hz Sr
erg = 4.2 × 107 K
2kν 2 2 ∗ 1.38 × 10−16 K ∗ (108 Hz)2

Tb = 4.2 × 107 K

What energy regime does this correspond to?

hν
Check kT :

hν 6.626 × 10−27 erg s ∗ 108 Hz

= = 1.1 × 10−10
kT 1.38 × 10−16 erg/K ∗ 4.2 × 107 K

hν
kT << 1 ⇒ R-J regime (big surprise!)

B) The emitting region is actually more compact than indicated by the observed angular diameter. What
effect does this have on the value of Tb ? (2 points)
If θ is smaller than assumed, then ∆Ω decreases, Iν increases, Tb increases.

C) At what frequency will this object’s radiation be maximum, if the emission is blackbody? (2 points)
2.82 k∗4.2×107 K
Wien displacement law: hνmax = 2.82 k T ⇒ νmax = h = 2.5 × 1018 Hz

D) What can you say about the temperature of the material from the above results? (2 points)
Graybodies: Planck function gives max emission for temp T . Therefore we know only that the temp of
the object is ≥ Tb calculated above.

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Problem 3 (8 points)
(Rybicki & Lightman 1.9)
A spherical, opaque object emits as a blackbody at temperature Tc . Surrounding this central object is a
spherical shell of material, thermally emitting at a temperature Ts (Ts < Tc ). This shell absorbs in a narrow
spectral line; that is, its absorption coefficient becomes large at the frequency ν0 and is negligibly small at
other frequencies, such as ν1 : αν0 >> αν1 (see Fig. 1.16). The object is observed at frequencies ν0 and ν1 and
along two rays A and B shown above. Assume that the Planck function does not vary appreciably from ν0
to ν1 .

A) At which frequency will the observed brightness be larger when observed along ray A? Along ray B?
(4 points)
Along Ray A:
Intensity at surface of BB: Iν = Bν (Tc )
Since no (or very little) absorption at ν1 , intensity remains ∼constant along the ray at frequency ν1 .
Now consider ν0 .
jν
Source function in shell (thermal radiation) is Jν = αν = Bν (Ts ).
Since Ts < Tc , Bν (Ts ) < Bν (Tc ), and intensity drops as ray passes through shell (IνA0 < IνA1 ).

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Along Ray B:
IνB1 = I0B = 0 (no incident radiation).
Since Ts > 0, Bν (Ts ) > Bν (0), and intensity increases as ray passes through shell (IνB0 > IνB1 ).

B) Answer the preceding questions if Ts > Tc . (4 points)

Along Ray A:
Since Ts > Tc , Bν (Ts ) > Bν (Tc ), and intensity increases as ray passes through shell (IνA0 > IνA1 ).

Along Ray B:
Since Ts > 0 (still), Bν (Ts ) > Bν (0), and intensity still increases as ray passes through shell (IνB0 > IνB1 ).

Illustration of all four cases:

Problem 4 (8 points)
(Courtesy J. Moran)
Calculate the quietest (i.e., darkest) place in the radio spectrum. Neglect noise from the earth’s atmosphere.
At low frequencies the sky noise is dominated by synchrotron emission from relativistic electrons rattling
around all over the galaxy. Away from the galaxy plane, the brightness temperature is
 ν −2.6
TB ' 180K
180MHz

which is more or less independent of direction. At high frequencies, the CMB dominates with TB ∼ 2.7 K
in all directions

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A) What is the frequency of minimum background brightness temperature? Of minimum background
flux density? (4 points)
ν

−2.6
Background brightness temperature: TB (ν) = 180 K 180 MHz + 2.7 K. No minimum TB ; asymptot-
ically approaches 2.7 K.

Minimum flux density:

ν2
Sν = Iν Ω = 2kTB Ω (small angles)
c2
2kΩ 
180 K(180 MHz)2.6 ν −0.6 + 2.7 K ν 2

= 2
c
∂Sν
= 0 at the minimum
∂ν
2kΩ  −1.6
180 K(180 MHz)2.6 (−0.6)νmin

= 2
+ 5.4 K νmin
c

νmin = 570 MHz

B) What is the incident power on the earth from 10 MHz → 1 THz (106 − 1012 Hz)? If we intercept this
power could we reduce our reliance on fossil fuels? (4 points)

2k 
180 K(180 MHz)2.6 ν −0.6 + 2.7 K ν 2

Iν =
c2
Z 2π Z π/2
Sν = Iν cos θ sin θdθdφ
0 0

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where Sν is integrated over the total amount of sky visible to a patch of earth’s surface:

Assume that Iν is uniform and isotropic...

1012 Hz
"Z # "Z #
2π Z π/2
F = Iν dν cos θ sin θdθdφ
107 Hz 0 0

1012 Hz
"Z # 
2k 1
[180K(1.8 × 108 Hz)2.6 ν −0.6 + 2.7Kν 2 ]dν 2 π/2
= 2π ∗ (sin θ|0 ) = π Sr
7
10 Hz c2 2
erg
= 0.28π 2
cm s Sr

So flux per unit area is 0.28π cmerg 2

2 s Sr , and multiplying by the surface area of the earth (4πR⊕ ) gives the total

power:
2
P = (4πR⊕ )(0.28π) = 4.5 × 1018 erg/s , or ∼ 5 × 1011 W.
Compare this with the power of the sun, P ∼ 1017 W, and the energy used to generate electricity from
fossil fuels worldwide, currently around, Pff ∼ 1013 W.

Problem 5 (8 points)
(Courtesy J. Moran)
The full moon at millimeter wavelengths has a brightness temperature distribution that might be approxi-
mated as (see figure): TB (θ) = T0 + T1 cos θ.

A) What is the flux density at the earth? Hint: First calculate the brightness temperature as a function of
polar angle in the earth coordinate system. (4 points)
TB (θ) = T0 + T1 cos√θ
2 2
Geometry: cos θ = RR−x , and φ = x/D ⇒ x = Dφ
R
Sν = Iν cos θdΩ (In earth-based coordinates, θ → φ).
2
Iν = 2kTcB2 ν
√ 2 2 2
R −D φ
Earth-based coordinates: TB (φ) = T0 + T1 R .
Then:

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 p
2kν 2 R/D R 2 − D 2 φ2
Z
Sν = (T0 + T1 ) cos φ sin φdφ ∗ 2π
c2 0 R
cos φ ∼ 1 and sin φ ∼ φ (small angles)
"Z #
R/D Z R/D
4πkν 2 Dp
= T0 φdφ + φT1 (R/D) − φ dφ
2 2
c2 0 0 R
4πkν 2 1
 Z 
R 2 1 D 1/2 R
= T 0 ( ) − T1 u du Note : u = ( )2 − φ2
c2 2 D 2 R D
2πkν 2
 
R 2 D2 R 3
= T 0 ( ) − T 1 (0 − ( ) )
c2 D R3 D

2πkν 2 R 2
Sν = c2 ( D ) (T0 + 23 T1 )

B) What is the mean brightness temperature, i.e., ”disk temperature”? (4 points)

Mean TB of the moon: √ 2 2 2
1
R R/D R −D φ
Tmean = Ωmoon 0
(T0 + T1 R )2πφdφ
R 2
where Ωmoon = π(h D ) , and we have
i already evaluated the integral:
1 D 2 R2
Tmean = π ( R ) D2 (T0 + 32 T1 )π
= T0 + 23 T1