Ocker C. de Jager

Theory and Design of Low-Noise Multipath Amplifiers

The theoretical minimum noise measure of a multipath amplifier (an amplifier that has multiple parallel amplifiers) is achieved by using the optimum source impedance and optimum gain for each amplification path. This optimum source impedance and gain can be calculated by replacing each amplifier with its optimum source impedance. The resulting noise measure is the same as the minimum noise measure of the amplifiers used. The theory is demonstrated by applying it to distributed am plifiers. In an ideal distributed amplifier, the magnitude of the optimum gain of the amplification paths decreases and the phase delay increases the farther the stage is from the input, with the decrease in gain being faster for higher frequencies. The challenge in designing broadband low-noise distributed amplifiers is to achieve optimum gain matching over broad bandwidths. A numerical optimization procedure that separates source impedance and gain matching is proposed and demonstrated by optimizing a 0.5-2-GHz distributed amplifier. An average noise measure of 0.3 dB is achieved, which is only 0.1 dB higher than the minimum noise measure of the amplification stages used. This increase is due to transmission line loss and gain mismatch.

HESS Observations of Pulsar Wind Nebulae

The high resolution capabilities of the High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) introduced a new era in Gamma‐Ray Astronomy, and opens a new window on pulsar wind nebula (PWN) research. A rotationally induced jet (associated with PSR B1509‐58) is resolved for the first time in γ‐rays, allowing us to trace the particle transport directly, without having the complicating effect of spatially varying field distributions on the synchrotron emissivity. For PWN older or more extended than Crab (i.e. those with lower field strengths), HESS also reveal the properties of electrons contributing to the EUV/soft X‐ray synchrotron bands, whereas EUV/soft X‐rays suffer from severe interstellar absorption effects. Finally, HESS morphological studies of evovled PWN also allow us to directly measure the effects of assymetric reverse shock interactions due to SNR forward shock expansion into the inhomogeneous interstellar medium.

HESS upper limits on very high energy gamma-ray emission from the microquasar

Context. High energy particles reside in the relativistic jets of microquasars, making them possible sources of very high energy radiation (VHE, >100 GeV). Detecting this emission would provide a new handle on jet physics. Aims. Observations of the microquasar GRS 1915+105 with the HESS telescope array were undertaken in 2004-2008 to search for VHE emission. Methods. Stereoscopic imaging of Cherenkov radiation from extensive air showers is used to reconstruct the energy and direction of the incident gamma rays. Results. There is no evidence for a VHE gamma-ray signal either from the direction of the microquasar or its vicinity. An upper limit of

Gamma‐Ray Pulsar Visibility

6.1\times 10^

Implications of HESS Observations of Pulsar

ph cm-2 s-1 (99.9% confidence level) is set on the photon flux above 410 GeV, equivalent to a VHE luminosity of

Ground-based gamma-ray observations of pulsars and their nebulae: towards a new order

{\sim} 10^

DISTRIBUTED LOW NOISE AMPLIFIER

erg s-1 at 11 kpc. Conclusions. The VHE to X-ray luminosity ratio in GRS 1915+105 is at least four orders of magnitude lower than the ratio observed in gamma-ray binaries. The VHE radiative efficiency of the compact jet is less than 0.01% based on its estimated total power of 1038 erg s-1. Particle acceleration in GRS 1915+105 is not efficient at high energies and/or the magnetic field is too strong. It is also possible that VHE gamma-rays are produced by GRS 1915+105, but the emission is highly time-dependent.

Constraints on the lepton content of PWN from the local CR positron spectrum

PSR J0437‐4715 is a millisecond pulsar (MSP) thought to be “pair formation starved” (having limited pair cascades due to magnetic photon absorption). Fortunately the general relativistic (GR) electrodynamical model under consideration applicable to this pulsar have few free parameters. We model PSR J0437‐4715’s visibility, using a 3D model which incorporates the variation of the GR E‐field over the polar cap (PC), taking different observer and inclination angles into account. Using this pulsar as a case study, one may generalize to conducting a pulsar population visibility study. We lastly comment on the role of the proposed South African SKA (Square Kilometre Array) prototype, KAT (Karoo Array Telescope), for GLAST γ‐ray pulsar identification.