Chapter 14
Experimental astronomy
Links to WWW ResourcesAttenuation of electromagnetic radiation...................291 Extrapolated absorption and absorption jump ratios........292 Mass attenuation coefficients, ranges, cross-sections.....292 Fluorescence yields........................................304 Passage of charged particles through matter................304 Total ionization loss by electrons or positrons...........304 Radiative loss for non-relativistic electrons.............305 Ionization and radiative loss for highly relativistic electrons...............................................306 Total ionization loss by heavy charged particles..........307 Approximate range energy relationships....................307 Charged particles in silicon..............................309 Radioactive sources........................................311 X-ray sources.............................................311 Alpha sources.............................................312 Gamma-ray energy standards................................312 Electron energy standards.................................313 Characteristics of synchrotron radiation...................314 Practical formulae for electron storage rings.............316 X-ray spectroscopy.........................................318 Crystal spectroscopy......................................318 Crystal properties........................................319 Useful characteristic lines for X-ray spectroscopy........320 Grating spectroscopy......................................320 Reflection of X-rays.......................................322 Optical constants at soft X-ray wavelengths...............325 Reflectivity vs. wavelength (energy)......................326 Wolter type I mirror system................................332 Vacuum technology..........................................333 Equivalents for various cryogenic fluids...................334 Optical point spread function..............................334 The line spread function..................................335 The edge trace............................................335 The modulation transfer function..........................335 The full-width half maximum...............................336 The root mean square radius...............................336 The encircled energy function.............................336 The half-power radius.....................................336 Point spread function for a circular aperture.............337 Optical telescopes.........................................339 Photometry.................................................341 Spectral luminous efficiency..............................341 Summary of typical sources/parameters.....................343 Conversion table for various photometric units............343 Luminance values for various sources......................344 Typical values of natural scene illuminance...............344 Radiant responsivity......................................345 Standard units, symbols, and defining equations...........346 Detectors..................................................348 Visible and ultraviolet light detectors...................348 X-ray and gamma-ray detectors.............................358 Microcomputer topics.......................................370 ASCII character code......................................370 Boolean algebra...........................................373 Logic gates...............................................374 The RS-232-C standard.....................................375 Parallel interface........................................376 IEEE 488 interface........................................377 Data transmission.........................................378 Bibliography...............................................378