Kathryn Flanagan | Searcharxiv

arXiv2022

The JWST Early Release Observations

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Early Release Observations (EROs) is a set of public outreach products created to mark the end of commissioning and the beginning of science operations for JWST. Colloquially known as the "Webb First Images and Spectra", these products were intended to demonstrate to the worldwide public that JWST is ready for science, and is capable of producing spectacular results. The package was released on July 12, 2022, and included images and spectra of the galaxy cluster SMACS~J0723.3-7327 and distant lensed galaxies, the interacting galaxy group Stephan's Quintet, NGC 3324 in the Carina star-forming complex, the Southern Ring planetary nebula NGC 3132, and the transiting hot Jupiter WASP 96b. This paper describes the ERO technical design, observations, and scientific processing of data underlying the colorful outreach products.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2009

Condensed Matter Astrophysics: A Prescription for Determining the Species-Specific Composition and Quantity of Interstellar Dust using X-rays

We present a new technique for determining the *quantity and composition* of dust in astrophysical environments using <6keV X-rays. We argue that high resolution X-ray spectra as enabled by the Chandra and XMM-Newton gratings should be considered a powerful and viable new resource for delving into a relatively unexplored regime for directly determining dust properties: composition, quantity, and distribution. We present initial cross-section measurements of astrophysically likely iron-based dust candidates taken at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Advanced Light Source synchrotron beamline, as an illustrative tool for the formulation of our methodology. Focused at the 700eV Fe LIII and LII photoelectric edges, we discuss a technique for modeling dust properties in the soft X-rays using L-edge data, to complement K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure analysis techniques discussed in Lee & Ravel 2005. This is intended to be *a techniques paper* of interest and usefulness to both condensed matter experimentalists and astrophysicists. For the experimentalists, we offer a new prescription for normalizing relatively low S/N L-edge cross section measurements. For astrophysics interests, we discuss the use of X-ray absorption spectra for determining dust composition in cold and ionized astrophysical environments, and a new method for determining *species-specific gas-to-dust ratios*. Possible astrophysical applications of interest, are offered. Prospects for improving on this work with future X-ray missions with higher throughput and spectral resolution are presented in the context of spectral resolution goals for gratings and calorimeters, for proposed and planned missions such as Astro-H and the International X-ray Observatory.

astro-ph.IM↗