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Showing papers in "Earth Moon and Planets in 2011"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Meteor Automatic Imager and Analyser (MAIA) system is based on digital monochrome camera JAI CM-040 and well proved image intensifier XX1332 and first night sky observation was already carried out and the result confirmed expectations according to image quality and resolution.
Abstract: In this paper we present current progress in development of new observational instruments for the double station video experiment. The Meteor Automatic Imager and Analyser (MAIA) system is based on digital monochrome camera JAI CM-040 and well proved image intensifier XX1332. Both the observations as well as the data processing will be fully automatic. We are expecting the recorded data of better quality and both spatial and time resolution in comparison with currently used analogue system. The main goal of the MAIA project is to monitor activity of the meteor showers and sporadic meteor each night for the period of at least 3 years. First version of the system was already assembled and has been intensively tested in the optical laboratory. Optical properties were measured and the result confirmed our expectations according to image quality and resolution. First night sky observation was already carried out.

24 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the results of numerical simulations of the coupled motion of gas and rocks in protoplanetary disc midplanes are presented, showing that the gas rotates slightly sub-Keplerian due to the global, radial pressure gradient of the disc, causing a net velocity difference between the gas and the solids.
Abstract: Planets form in circumstellar discs as dust grains collide together and form ever larger bodies. However a major bottleneck occurs for bodies with sizes around a few centimetres or larger. These rocks and boulders have very poor sticking properties and spiral into the star in a few hundred years due to friction with the slower rotating gas. A possible way to overcome this “meter-barrier” is to have local concentrations of rocks and boulders that become gravitationally unstable and contract to form planetesimals of several kilometers in size. We present the results of numerical simulations of the coupled motion of gas and rocks in protoplanetary disc mid-planes. The gas rotates slightly sub-Keplerian due to the global, radial pressure gradient of the disc, causing a net velocity difference between the gas and the solids. This relative motion is in turn unstable to streaming instabilities, and the saturated state of the turbulence is characterised by dense particle clumps that are fed by the radial drift of isolated rocks. For realistic protoplanetary disc parameters the clumps are gravitationally unstable and contract on the time-scale of a few orbits to form bodies of several hundred kilometers in size. Magnetic fields may further augment the particle concentrations due to relatively long-lived high pressure bumps that form in magnetorotational turbulence. However, magnetic fields are not crucial to the gravoturbulent formation of planetesimals, rather magnetised turbulence allows collapse to occur for flows that are on the average less affected by the particles, i.e. for lower particle column densities.

22 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
Yutaka Abe1
TL;DR: In this paper, the surface environment of terrestrial protoplanets during the oligarchic accretion phase and the giant impacts phase are discussed from theoretical points of view, and the authors show that a gravitationary captured solar composition atmosphere is formed during accretion, and a surface hydrous magma ocean forms in response to the thermal blanketing effect of the proto-atmosphere.
Abstract: Protoatmospheres and surface environment of terrestrial protoplanets during the oligarchic accretion phase and the giant impacts phase are discussed from theoretical points of view. Mars-sized protoplanets form during the stage of the oligarchic growth. Since protoplanets are formed from more or less ‘local’ planetesimals, the surface environment of the accreting protoplanets depends on availability of volatile material in planetesimals. Even if no volatile-bearing planetesimals are available, a gravitationary captured solar composition atmosphere is formed during accretion. In such cases the surface temperature is always kept under the melting temperature of mantle silicate and only a subsurface magma ocean is formed. Core formation proceeds under dry conditions, and volatile elements are not partitioned into metallic iron. Accretion of water-bearing planetesimals results in impact degassing. A surface hydrous magma ocean forms in response to the thermal blanketing effect of the proto-atmosphere. Then, some volatile materials dissolve into the magma ocean. If we consider reaction with metallic iron, the proto-atmosphere is likely to be rich in hydrogen. In addition, a large amount of hydrogen may be partitioned into metallic iron under high pressure, and delivered to the core. In the stage of giant impacts, both dry and water-bearing protoplanets collide on the proto-Earth. Substantial amount of proto-atmosphere (including water vapor) survives giant impacts. Moreover, giant impacts on protoplanets with oceans result in relative concentration of water against other gases.

20 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a polytropic method was used to calculate the segmentation times for solid grains inside a gaseous protoplanet. But the result was not in good agreement with results obtained by other authors with more rigorous treatment of the problem.
Abstract: Segregation times for solid grains inside a gaseous protoplanet have been calculated for three different initial grain sizes by polytropic method. The result is found to be in good agreement with results obtained by other authors with more rigorous treatment of the problem.

10 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyzed a larger volume of observational sea level tide data as well as a rigorous mathematical analysis of tidal force variations in the Sun-Earth-Moon system.
Abstract: We have studied long period, 206 and 412 day, variations in tidal sea level corresponding to various moon phases collected from five observatories in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Variations in sea level in the Bay of Fundy, on the eastern Canadian seaboard, with periods of variation 206 days, and 412 days, have been discovered and carefully studied by Desplanque and Mossman (Proceedings of the 4th Bay of fundy workshop Saint John, New Brunswick 2001, Atlantic Geol 40:1, 2004). The current manuscript focuses on analyzing a larger volume of observational sea level tide data as well as on rigorous mathematical analysis of tidal force variations in the Sun-Earth-Moon system. We have developed a twofold model, both conceptual and mathematical, of astronomical cycles in the Sun-Earth-Moon system to explain the observed periodicity. Based on an analytical solution of the tidal force variation in the Sun-Earth-Moon system, it is shown that the tidal force can be decomposed into two components: the Keplerian component and the Perturbed component. The Perturbed component of the tidal force variation was calculated, and it was shown that the observed periodicity, 206 and 412 days, of atmospheric and hydrosphere tides results from variations of the Perturbed component of tidal force. The amplitude of the Perturbed component of tidal force is 19 × 10−8 N/kg. It is the same order of magnitude as the amplitude of the Keplerian component of tidal force: 58 × 10−8 N/kg. It follows that the Perturbed component of the variation of a tidal force must always be taken into consideration along with the Keplerian component in geodynamical constructions involving tides.

5 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors review evidence for dust growth in CS discs, based on ISO and Spitzer infrared spectroscopic observations, and compare objects of several star-forming regions of different ages, and discuss the influence of the stellar parameters and environment on dust evolution.
Abstract: Discs around young stars are the sites of planet formation. The first step in this process is the growth of submicron grains to larger sized grains. I will review evidence for dust growth in CS discs, based on ISO and Spitzer infrared spectroscopic observations. Intermediate-mass stars, solar-type stars and even brown dwarfs will be discussed in the context of dust evolution. Furthermore, I will compare objects of several star-forming regions of different ages, and discuss the influence of the stellar parameters and environment on dust evolution, as witnessed by the observed dust characteristics. The main focus lies on what one can learn from 10 micron spectroscopy, the region where most astronomical dust species have important spectral features.

3 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors presented a new perspective of the birth and evolution of planetary systems, which presented an all encompassing and self consistent Paradigm of the solar systems. In doing so it redefines astronomy and rewrites astronomical principles.
Abstract: In this paper I present a new perspective of the birth and evolution of Planetary Systems. This new perspective presents an all encompassing and self consistent Paradigm of the birth and evolution of the solar systems. In doing so it redefines astronomy and rewrites astronomical principles. Kepler and Newton defined a stable and non-evolving elliptical orbits. While this perspective defines a collapsing or expanding spiral orbit of planets except for Brown Dwarfs. Brown Dwarfs are significant fraction of the central star. Hence they rapidly evolve from non-Keplerian state to the end point which is a Keplerian state where it is in stable elliptical orbits. On the basis of the Lunar Laser Ranging Data released by NASA on the Silver Jubilee Celebration of Man’s Landing on Moon on 21st July 1969–1994, theoretical formulation of Earth-Moon tidal interaction was carried out and Planetary Satellite Dynamics was established. It was found that this mathematical analysis could as well be applied to Star and Planets system and since every star could potentially contain an extra-solar system, hence we have a large ensemble of exo-planets to test our new perspective on the birth and evolution of solar systems. Till date 403 exo-planets have been discovered in 390 extra-solar systems by radial velocity method, by transiting planet method, by gravitational lensing method, by direct imaging method and by timing method. I have taken 12 single planet systems, four Brown Dwarf—Star systems and two Brown Dwarf pairs. Following architectural design rules are corroborated through this study of exo-planets. All planets are born at inner Clarke’s Orbit what we refer to as inner geo-synchronous orbit in case of Earth-Moon System. The inner Clarke’s Orbit is an orbit of unstable equilibrium. By any perturbative force such as cosmic particles or radiation pressure, the planet gets tipped long of aG1 or short of aG1. Here aG1 is inner Clarke’s Orbit. If planet is long of aG1 then it is said to be in extra-synchronous orbit. Here Gravitational Sling Shot effect is in play. In gravity assist planet fly-by maneuver in space flights, gravitational sling shot is routinely used to boost the space craft to its destination. The exo-planet can either be launched on death spiral as CLOSE HOT JUPITERS or can be launched on an expanding spiral path as the planets in our Solar System are. In death spiral, exo-planet less than 5 mJ will get pulverized and vaporized in close proximity to the host star. If the mass is between 5 and 7.5 mJ then it will be partially vaporized and partially engulfed by the host star and if it is greater than 7.5 mJ, then it will be completely ingested by the host star. In the process the planet will deposit all its material and angular momentum in the Host Star. This will leave tell-tale imprints of ingestion: in such cases host Star will have higher 7Li, host star will become a rapidly rotating progenitor and the host star will have excess IR. All these have been confirmed by observations of Transiting Planets. It was also found that if the exo-planet are significant fraction of the host star then those exo-planets rapidly migrate from aG1 to aG2 and have very short Time Constant of Evolution as Brown Dwarfs have. But if exo-planets are insignificant fraction of the host star as our terrestrial planets are then they are stay put in their original orbit of birth. By corollary this implies that Giant exo-planets reach nearly Unity Evolution Factor in a fraction of the life span of a solar system. This is particularly true for brown dwarfs orbiting main sequence stars. In this study four star systems hosting Brown Dwarfs, two Brown Dwarf pairs and 12 extrasolar systems hosting Jupiter sized planets are selected. In Brown Dwarfs evolution factor is invariably UNITY or near UNITY irrespective of their respective age and Time Constant of Evolution is very short of the order of year or tens of years. In case of 12 exo-planets system with increasing mass ratio evolution factor increases and time constant of evolution shortens from Gy to My though there are two exceptions. TW Hydrae is a special case. This Solar System is newly born system which is only 9 million years old. Hence its exo-planet has just been born and it is very near its birth place just as predicted by my hypothesis. In fact it is only slightly greater than aG1. This vindicates our basic premise that planets are always born at inner Clarke’s Orbit. This study vindicates the design rules which had been postulated at 35th COSPAR Scientific Assembly in 2004 at Paris, France, under the title “New Perspective on the Birth & Evolution of Solar Systems”.

2 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
Rainer Wieler1
TL;DR: Some of the distinct noble gas components in meteorites represent a record of processes during and even before solar system formation as discussed by the authors, but the interpretation of this record is difficult to interpret.
Abstract: Some of the distinct noble gas “components” in meteorites represent a record of processes during and even before solar system formation. This record is difficult to interpret. Often, one of the major problems is to recognize whether a certain noble gas elemental and isotopic pattern has been established in a presolar epoch, later in the solar accretion disk, during meteorite parent body formation or finally as a result of metamorphism on a parent body. It would also appear that noble gases are a preferred tool to deduce the types of matter from which the Earth and other planets accreted—if the respective parent materials are present in our extraterrestrial sample collections at all. However, also this issue is unsettled. Noble gas isotopes originating from the decay of radioactive precursors allow us to study the early and later degassing history of terrestrial planets, although the interpretation often remains model-dependent. This contribution briefly reviews some of the fundamental aspects of the noble gas record in meteorites and planets.

1 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors considered the ring problem of (N + 1) bodies with a single radiating source and a central primary, and studied the permitted and the existing trapping regions of the particle, its equilibrium locations and their parametric variations as well as the existence of focal points in the zerovelocity diagrams.
Abstract: Maxwell’s ring-type configuration (i.e. an N-body model where the ν = Ν − 1 bodies have equal masses and are located at the vertices of a regular ν-gon while the N-th body with a different mass is located at the center of mass of the system) has attracted special attention during the last 15 years and many aspects of it have been studied by considering Newtonian and post-Newtonian potentials (Mioc and Stavinschi 1998, 1999), homographic solutions (Arribas et al. 2007) and relative equilibrium solutions (Elmabsout 1996), etc. An equally interesting problem, known as the ring problem of (N + 1) bodies, deals with the dynamics of a small body in the combined force field produced by such a configuration. This is the problem we are dealing with in the present paper and our aim is to investigate the variations in the dynamics of the small body in the case that the central primary is also a radiating source and therefore acts on the particle with both gravitation and radiation. Based on the general outlines of Radzievskii’s model, we study the permitted and the existing trapping regions of the particle, its equilibrium locations and their parametric variations as well as the existence of focal points in the zero-velocity diagrams. The distribution of the characteristic curves of families of planar symmetric periodic orbits and their stability for various values of the radiation coefficient of the central body is additionally investigated.