Showing papers in "Astronomy and Astrophysics in 1980"

Collisions between grains in a turbulent gas

Abstract: Turbulent gas motions will induce random velocities of small dust grains that are imbedded in the gas. Within large eddies the friction forces from the gas lead to strongly correlated velocities for neighboring grains, whereas small eddies cause uncorrelated grain motions. The nonlinear response of a grain to eddy motion is calculated. This leads to a turbulent pressure within the dust component as well as to collisions between pairs of grains. The results are evaluated numerically for a Kolmogoroff spectrum and turbulent collision rates are calculated for molecular clouds and protostellar environments. Whereas grain-grain collisions should not modify the initial size distribution in molecular clouds to a significant extent, they will lead to an entirely different grain population in protostars.

A model for sunspot associated emission at 6 CM wavelength

Abstract: Two-dimensional maps of total intensity and circular polarization of a sunspot region at 6 cm have been calculated using a simple model for the chromosphere-corona transition region and observations of the longitudinal component of the photospheric magnetic field. The calculations are in good agreement with the high resolution observations of the same sunspot region at 6 cm, obtained with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope. It is shown that the 6 cm radiation is predominantly due to gyroresonance absorption process at the second and third harmonics of the gyrofrequency (H = 900-600 G). Estimates of the conductive flux and the electron density in the transition region above the sunspot are also given.

The position and polarization of Type III solar bursts

Abstract: Observations of the position and polarization of Type V solar radio bursts and their preceding Type III bursts are presented. The polarization, frequency range, source position, source movement, source size and brightness temperature of the bursts were measured using a 24-220 MHz spectropolarimeter, an 8-8000 MHz spectrograph and a three-frequency radioheliograph. Type V radiation is frequently found to have the opposite sense of circular polarization from that of the preceding Type III burst, with a degree of polarization similar to that of harmonic Type III radiation. A reversal of polarization is not observed when the accompanying Type III burst has no fundamental-harmonic structure, or when the Type V radiation is poorly developed. Possible mechanisms for the reversal are examined, including opposite magnetic field directions in Type III and V bursts, changes in mode coupling and a change in the mode of emission from o-mode for Type III to x-mode for Type V, and conditions needed for the mode change which is considered the most likely mechanism, are determined.

Properties of Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence in the Solar Wind

Abstract: The observations of MHD turbulence in the solar wind indicate that this is in a state characterized, to a good degree by the absence of non linear interactions. It is argued that this is a general property of incompressible MHD turbulence in a magnetized plasma.

Physical loss of long-period comets

Abstract: Loss of long-period comets from the solar system through a variety of physical processes is investigated. It is shown that planetary collision, defined as a comet passing within the Roche radius of any planet, has a probability of 1.35 x 10 to the -7th per perihelion passage for a long-period comet on a randomly oriented orbit. Sublimation of all volatiles for a one-kilometer radius hydrate ice nucleus would require on the order of 600 to 27,600 perihelion passages, depending on the surface albedo and assuming a perihelion distance of one astronomical unit. Analysis of observational records indicates that for dynamically 'new' comets in the Oort-Schmidt sense there is about a 10% probability of the comet randomly disrupting on its first perihelion passage. This probability drops to 4% per perihelion passage for older long-period comets, and less than 1% for short-period comets. The consequences of these loss mechanisms when incorporated into Monte-Carlo studies of long-period comet evolution are also discussed.

Comptonization of X-rays in Plasma Clouds. Typical Radiation Spectra. Commentary

Abstract: A cloud of completely ionized plasma with sources of photons distributed in it is considered. The photon diffusion problem is solved and the distribution of the photons over their escape times is found to be similar to the light curve for X-ray bursters. The solution of the stationary Kompaneets equation is given by the Whitteker function. The formation of radiation spectra due to comptonization in both cold and hot electron plasma clouds are obtained. The formulae obtained allow the plasma temperature in the region of the main energy release in Cyg X―I source to be determined. The effect of Comptonization on the X-ray iron spectral line profiles strongly depends on the law of photon sources distribution over the plasma cloud.

Improved ephemerides of the Galilean satellites

Abstract: Over 4800 earth-based observations of Jupiter's Galilean satellites have been analyzed in order to develop improved ephemerides of the satellites for the Voyager mission, using the new theory of motion of the Galilean satellites. Included are over 1700 eclipses of the satellites by Jupiter spanning the interval 1878-1974, 85 mutual events (eclipses and occultations) observed in 1973, and over 2900 exposures on photographic plates from 1967-1978. The resulting ephemerides (labeled E-2) were employed for the Voyager I encounter and are in error by less than 200 km at the time of Jupiter close approach. A very small (0.066 deg) amplitude of the Laplacian free libration is indicated by the data.

The plane of symmetry of interplanetary dust in the inner solar system

Abstract: Observations of the zodiacal light from the space probes Helios 1 and 2 between 1.0 and 0.3 AU show - superimposed on the general radial dependence - a systematic variation of brightness and brightness distribution with position in the orbit which is caused by the inclination of the symmetry plane of interplanetary dust with respect to the ecliptic. By suitable choice of the observing geometry, the inclination and the ascending node of the symmetry plane can be determined directly from the data without recourse to model calculations. The resulting values of i equals 3.0 plus or minus 0.3 deg, Omega equals 87 plus or minus 4 deg are not compatible with a concentration of interplanetary dust to the invariable plane of the solar system. The data support the simple view that the distribution of interplanetary dust in the inner solar system is characterized throughout by one plane of symmetry and suggest that this plane extends to at least 1 AU.

The energy balance of the solar transition region

Abstract: It is shown how the observed distribution of the emission measure with temperature can be used to limit the range of energy deposition functions suitable for heating the solar transition region and inner corona. The minimum energy loss solution is considered in view of the work by Hearn (1975) in order to establish further scaling laws between the transition region pressure, the maximum coronal temperature and the parameter giving the absolute value of the emission measure. Also discussed is the absence of a static energy balance at the base of the transition region in terms of measurable atmospheric parameters, and the condition for a static energy balance is given. In addition, the possible role of the emission from He II in stabilizing the atmosphere by providing enhanced radiation loss is considered.

Photometric calibration of the international ultraviolet explorer (IUE) : low dispersion.

Abstract: Absolute sensitivity curves for IUE low-resolution spectra are obtained by comparing IUE measurements of hot stars with the absolute energy distributions established for these objects by previous satellite and rocket experiments. The differences between these earlier experiments are discussed quantitatively, and a common absolute flux scale is proposed as the basis for the absolute calibration of IUE.