A numerical study of local stellar motions

The orbits of over 10000 stars are integrated in a steady-state model of the Galaxy for a time 6.0×10⁸ yr. Initially, the stars are placed randomly inside spheres of 500 pc and 50 pc radius and are given random velocities, such that the sample has a Maxwellian or a spheroidal velocity distribution. The spheres are placed at the Sun's distance from the galactic centre (10 kpc) and are given a circular velocity of 250 km s^?1. The mean velocities and dispersions of stars within 1 kpc of an ‘observer’ moving at the circular velocity are calculated as functions of time. The quantities show a strong time-dependence with oscillations of period 10⁸ yr. The oscillations are independent of the mass model and occur also in an inverse square force field. A vertex deviation of the velocity ellipsoid, an asymmetric drift and aK-effect occur as natural consequences of the oscillations. Attempts to apply the Oort method for density determinations in the galactic plane are also influenced by the oscillations. Spiral density waves appear to have a small effect on the motions of the test stars.     

A statistical study of 233 pulsar proper motions

We present and analyse a catalogue of 233 pulsars with proper motion measurements. The sample contains a wide variety of pulsars including recycled objects and those associated with globular clusters or supernova remnants. After taking the most precise proper motions for those pulsars for which multiple measurements are available, the majority of the proper motions (58 per cent) are derived from pulsar timing methods, 41 per cent using interferometers and the remaining 1 per cent using optical telescopes. Many of the one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) speeds (referring to speeds measured in one coordinate only and the magnitudes of the transverse velocities, respectively) derived from these measurements are somewhat lower than earlier estimates because of the use of the most recent electron density model in determining pulsar distances. The mean 1D speeds for the normal and recycled pulsars are 152(10) and 54(6) km s⁻¹, respectively. The corresponding mean 2D speeds are 246(22) and 87(13) km s⁻¹. PSRs B2011+38 and B2224+64 have the highest inferred 2D speeds of  ∼1600 km s⁻¹  . We study the mean speeds for different subsamples and find that, in general, they agree with previous results. Applying a novel deconvolution technique to the sample of 73 pulsars with characteristic ages less than 3 Myr, we find the mean three-dimensional (3D) pulsar birth velocity to be 400(40) km s⁻¹. The distribution of velocities is well described by a Maxwellian distribution with  1D rms σ= 265 km s⁻¹  . There is no evidence for a bimodal velocity distribution. The proper motions for PSRs B1830−08 and B2334+61 are consistent with their proposed associations with the supernova remnants W41 and G114.3+0.3, respectively.     

A dynamic model of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere

A one-dimensional, time-dependent calculation which includes the dynamics of turbulence has been developed. The dynamical parameters together with the mass density and temperature structure measured during the ALADDIN I program are inputs to the calculations of the vertical distribution of [O], [O₂], [O₂(¹Δ_g)], [OH] and [Ar] between 50 and 150 km. The results of the calculations are compared with measurements of these species distributions made during the ALADDIN I program and are also related to reported results at other times. Good to excellent agreement is found when the calculated profiles are compared with the measurements. This agreement supports the contention of the authors that the turbulent parameters measured from chemical trail fluctuations are due to atmospheric turbulence and are appropriate for use in model calculations. Significant changes in species concentrations occur when the eddy diffusion coefficient is increased. In particular, an increase in molecular oxygen and a reduction in atomic oxygen and helium are noted.     

Photochemistry of flourine in the mesosphere of Venus

In the laboratory, reactions with flourine species proceed rapidly with high rates but under mesospheric conditions the effeciency of these compounds is low due to the rapid formation of HF and to the lack of reactivity of this species. Even if diffusion processes are included, the result of calculations leads to fluorie concentrations typically less than 20 cm^?3. The low photodissociation coeffecient of HF leads to the expectation of a scale height of HF greater than or equal to the mean scale height. If the troposphere appears to be a sink for hydrofluoric acid, the maximum value of fluorine is obtained with a downward flux of 1.3 × 10⁸ HF atoms cm^?2 sec^?1 at the level of the clouds.     

The micrometeoroids in the thermosphere and mesosphere

This Letter reviews the results by computer simulations on the three-body problem carried out at Leningrad University Astronomical Observatory (Anosova, 1986, 1988, 1989). The intensive systematic studies of triple systems with negative and positive total energies have yielded the general features of the evolution of these systems. The processes of formation of the wide and hard binaries have been studied in details. The scenario of the general class of the final motions of the triple systems with negative total energy is considered, the necessary conditions of disruption of these systems are formulated.     

On the photodissociation of water vapour in the mesosphere

The photodissociation of water vapour in the mesosphere depends on the absorption of solar radiation in the region (175–200 nm) of the O₂ Schumann-Runge band system and also at H-Lyman alpha. The photodissociation products are OH + H, OH + H, O + 2H and H₂ + O at Lyman alpha; the percentages for these four channels are 70, 8, 12 and 10%, respectively, but OH + H is the only channel between 175 and 200 nm. Such proportions lead to a production of H atoms corresponding to practically the total photodissociation of H₂O, while the production of H₂ molecules is only 10% of the H₂O photodissociation by Lyman alpha.The photodissociation frequency (s^?1) at Lyman alpha can be expressed by a simple formula

$\text{J}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Ly</mtext><mtext>\alpha </mtext>}}\text{H}{}_2\text{O=4.5 ×10}{}^{\mathrm{?6}}\text{1+0.2}\text{F}{}_{10.7}\text{?65}\text{100}\text{exp}\text{[?4.4 ×10}{}^{\mathrm{?19}}\text{N}{}^{0.917}\text{]}$

where F_{10.7 cm} is the solar radioflux at 10.7 cm and N the total number of O₂ molecules (cm^?2), and when the following conventional value is accepted for the Lyman alpha solar irradiance at the top of the Earth's atmosphere ($\text{Δλ = 3.5}\text{A}\text{?}$) q_Lyα,∞ = 3 × 10¹¹ photons cm^?2 s^1?.The photodissociation frequency for the Schumann-Runge band region is also given for mesospheric conditions by a simple formula

$\text{J}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>SRB</mtext>}}\text{(}\text{H}{}_2\text{O}\text{) = J}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>SRB</mtext><mtext>,\infty </mtext>}}\text{(}\text{H}{}_2\text{O}\text{) exp [?10}{}^{\mathrm{?7}}\text{N}{}^{0.35}\text{]}$

where J_SRB,∞(H₂O) = 1.2 × 10^?6 and 1.4 × 10^?6 s^?1 for quiet and active sun conditions, respectively.The precision of both formulae is good, with an uncertainty less than 10%, but their accuracy depends on the accuracy of observational and experimental parameters such as the absolute solar irradiances, the variable transmittance of O₂ and the H₂O effective absorption cross sections. The various uncertainties are discussed. As an example, the absolute values deduced from the above formulae could be decreased by about 25-20% if the possible minimum values of the solar irradiances were used.     

SWAS observations of water vapor in the Venus mesosphere

We present the first detections of the ground-state H₂¹⁶O (₁₁₀-₁₀₁) rotational transition (at 556.9 GHz) and the ¹³CO (5-4) rotational transition from the atmosphere of Venus, measured with the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS). The observed spectral features of these submillimeter transitions originate primarily from the 70-100 km altitude range, within the Venus mesosphere. Observations were obtained in December 2002, and January, March, and July 2004, coarsely sampling one Venus diurnal period as seen from Earth. The measured water vapor absorption line depth shows large variability among the four observing periods, with strong detections of the line in December 2002 and July 2004, and no detections in January and March 2004. Retrieval of atmospheric parameters was performed using a multi-transition inversion algorithm, combining simultaneous retrievals of temperature, carbon monoxide, and water profiles under imposed constraints. Analysis of the SWAS spectra resulted in measurements or upper limits for the globally averaged mesospheric water vapor abundance for each of the four observation periods, finding variability over at least two orders of magnitude. The results are consistent with both temporal and diurnal variability, but with short-term fluctuations clearly dominating. These results are fully consistent with the long-term study of mesospheric water vapor from millimeter and submillimeter observations of HDO [Sandor, B.J., Clancy, R.T., 2005. Icarus 177, 129-143]. The December 2002 observations detected very rapid change in the mesospheric water abundance. Over five days, a deep water absorption feature consistent with a water vapor abundance of 4.5±1.5 parts per million suddenly gave way to a significantly shallower absorption, implying a decrease in the water vapor abundance by a factor of nearly 50 in less that 48 h. In 2004, similar changes in the water vapor abundance were measured between the March and July SWAS observing periods, but variability on time scales of less than a week was not detected. The mesospheric water vapor is expected to be in equilibrium with aerosol particles, primarily composed of concentrated sulfuric acid, in the upper haze layers of the Venus atmosphere. If true, moderate amplitude (10-15 K) variability in mesospheric temperature, previously noted in millimeter spectroscopy observations of Venus, can explain the rapid water vapor variability detected by SWAS.     

Interpreting vertical plasma drift in the mid-lattitude ionosphere using ionosonde measurements

Measurements of the density at the F₂ peak (N_mF₂) were obtained by the Boulder, Colorado, ionosonde as part of the SUNDIAL-86 campaign. The measurements were made during a period of low to moderate geomagnetic activity following a “disturbed” day. These measurements were then used to estimate the height of the F₂ peak (h_mF₂). A three-dimensional time-dependent model of Earth's ionosphere was used to calculate N_mF₂ and h_mF₂ using the vertical plasma drift as a free parameter. Since the plasmasphere-ionosphere exchange flux can remain upward during the night for these conditions, different feasible flux scenarios were inputed to the ionospheric model. These different flux scenarios had a large effect on the “induced” vertical plasma drifts required to match the measurements (i.e. at times greater than a factor of 2 in speed or a difference in direction). Futhermore, uncertainty in the O⁺---O collision frequency changes the required vertical plasma drift at night. Despite knowledge of h_mF₂, interpretation of the vertical plasma drifts as meridional neutral winds is compromised by a lack of knowledge of the plasmasphere-ionosphere exchange flux following disturbed days.     

An investigation of the SO2 content of the venusian mesosphere using SPICAV-UV in nadir mode

Using the SPICAV-UV spectrometer aboard Venus Express in nadir mode, we were able to derive spectral radiance factors in the middle atmosphere of Venus in the 170-320 nm range at a spectral resolution of R ? 200 during 2006 and 2007 in the northern hemisphere. By comparison with a radiative transfer model of the upper atmosphere of Venus, we could derive column abundance above the visible cloud top for SO₂ using its spectral absorption bands near 280 and 220 nm. SO₂ column densities show large temporal and spatial variations on a horizontal scale of a few hundred kilometers. Typical SO₂ column densities at low latitudes (up to 50°N) were found between 5 and 50 μm-atm, whereas in the northern polar region SO₂ content was usually below 5 μm-atm. The observed latitudinal variations follow closely the cloud top altitude derived by SPICAV-IR and are thought to be of dynamical origin. Also, a sudden increase of SO₂ column density in the whole northern hemisphere has been observed in early 2007, possibly related to a convective episode advecting some deep SO₂ into the upper atmosphere.     

The study of velocity oscillations in the solar photosphere using the velocity substraction technique

A method of measurement of local line-of-sight velocities in the solar atmosphere by means of polarization optics is described. No spurious signals due to instrumental displacements of the spectrum arise with this method. The sensitivity of the method obtained is 0.3 m s^-1, with a time constant τ = 5 s and input aperture 1.4″ × 4.5″. Some preliminary results of the assessment of spatial characteristics of 5-min oscillations are included. Data are given to illustrate a center-to-limb variation of the spectrum of 5-min oscillations.     

Back-scattering of sunlight by ice grains in the mesosphere

Small dielectric ice particles of radius ~0.25 m, which are known to be present in the mesophere, scatter a fraction of incident sunlight in backward directions that do not reach the Earth. This back-scattered fraction is rigorously calculated using Mie theory for a uniform distribution of particles distributed over a sunlit hemisphere. Such calculations provide necessary information for estimating equilibrium surface temperatures of the Earth under different conditions.     

A multitransition molecular line study of inward motions towards massive star-forming cores

A multitransition 3-mm molecular line single pointing and mapping survey was carried out towards 29 massive star-forming cores in order to search for the signature of inward motions. Up to seven different transitions, optically thick lines HCO⁺(1-0), CS(2-1), HNC(1-0), HCN(1-0) and ¹²CO(1-0), and optically thin lines C¹⁸O(1-0) and ¹³CO(1-0) were observed towards each source. The normalized velocity differences (     ) between the peak velocities of optically thick lines and optically thin line C¹⁸O(1-0) for each source were derived. Prominent inward motions are probably present in either HCO⁺(1-0) or CS(2-1) or HNC(1-0) observations in most sources. Our observations show that there is a significant difference in the incidence of blueshifted asymmetric line profiles between CS(2-1) and HCO⁺(1-0). The HCO⁺(1-0) shows the highest occurrence of obvious asymmetric features, perhaps owing to different optical depth between CS(2-1) and HCO⁺(1-0). HCO⁺(1-0) appears to be the best inward motion tracer. The mapping observations of multiple line transitions enable us to identify six strong infall candidates: G123.07-6.31, W75(OH), S235N, CEP-A, W3(OH) and NGC 7538. The infall signature is extended up to a linear scale  >0.2 pc  .     

Chemospheric processes of nitric oxide in the mesosphere and stratosphere

The behavior of nitrogen oxides in the stratosphere and mesosphere is discussed with the aid of a model which introduces the photodissociation of nitric oxide and the formation of nitric acid. The profiles of the nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide and nitric acid concentrations are sensitive to the values of the eddy diffusion coefficients which are adopted. The evaluation of the various reactions which enter the stratosphere shows the role of the formation of nitric acid which is related to the production of OH radicals in the lower stratosphere. An increase of the water vapor in the stratosphere leads to a decrease of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide.     

The photodissociation of nitric oxide in the mesosphere and stratosphere

A detailed calculation of the nitric oxide photodissoeiation rate has been made for application to mesospheric and stratospheric photochemistry. It takes into account a new determination of the oscillator strengths of the NO bands and is based on a critical analysis of the solar flux. Moreover it entails a complete determination of the molecular oxygen attenuation allowing for the rotational fine structure including the Voight profile of the Schumann-Runge bands.     

Methodical peculiarities of study of pulsation-type motions in stellar atmospheres

An efficient methodical approach is proposed to the study of pulsation-type motions in the atmospheres of hot stars. Several well-studied stars are used as examples to demonstrate the appropriateness of the method, which allows to study in detail the kinematics of the atmosphere and do asteroseismological forecasts. This approach makes it possible to separately analyze different kinematics of the rising and falling layers of the stellar atmosphere, and to spectroscopically reveal different rotation of the star if such is the case. The differential rotation of atmospheric layers of HD 93521 is confirmed by the model computations.     

Temperature trends in the stratosphere and lower mesosphere of the Northern Hemisphere

Rocketsonde-derived temperature fluctuations within Northern Hemisphere are examined for the stratosphere and lower mesosphere in seasonal basis for the years 1969–78, inclusive. The rocketsonde records presentd here are homogeneous because of are mostly based on the Datasone system. It is suggested that Stratospheric-lower mesospheric temperature variations are about one order of magnitude larger than recorded in the literature before. The main feature in all seasons is that the cooling trend has maximum values at low latitudes in the lower Mesosphere.     

Water vapor variations in the Venus mesosphere from microwave spectra

Mm-wave spectra of HDO in the Venus mesosphere (65-100 km) were obtained over the period March 1998 to June 2004. Each spectrum is a measurement of the hemispheric-average H₂O vapor mixing ratio in the Venus mesosphere. Observations were conducted for wide ranges of Venus solar elongations (46° W to 47° E), and fractional disk illuminations (f=0% to 99%), yielding water vapor abundances on 17 dates and over a full range of local solar time (LST) at the sub-Earth point on Venus. Our mesopheric H₂O values are more numerous and far more precise than the earliest mm-derived H₂O measurements [Encrenaz, Th., Lellouch, E., Paubert, G., Gulkis, S., 1991. First detection of HDO in the atmosphere of Venus at radio wavelengths: An estimate of the H₂O vertical distribution. Astron. Astrophys. 246, L63-L66; Encrenaz, Th., Lellouch, E., Cernicharo, J., Paubert, G., Gulkis, S., Spilker, T., 1995. The thermal profile and water abundance in the Venus mesosphere from H₂O and HDO millimeter observations. Icarus 117, 162-172], allowing an analysis of variability that was previously impossible. Measured 65-100 km H₂O ranged from 0.0±0.06 to 3.5±0.3 ppmv, with significantly different variability than found in previous infrared (lower altitude, cloudtop) studies. Strong global variability on a 1-2 month timescale is clear and unambiguous. A limited number of excellent s/n measurements tentatively indicate the 1-2 month variability manifests most rapidly as change in the lower mesosphere, and more slowly as change in the upper mesosphere. Neither long term (1998-2004) nor diurnal variability in 65-100 km H₂O is evident. While six-year and/or diurnal variabilities are not ruled out, they are weaker than the 1-2 month timescale variation. These conclusions are supported by initial (2004) sub-mm measurements.     

Fixing the reference frame for PPMXL proper motions using extragalactic sources

We quantify and correct systematic errors in PPMXL proper motions using extragalactic sources from the first two LAMOST data releases and the Ve`ron-Cetty Ve`ron Catalog of Quasars. Although the majority of the sources are from the Ve`ron catalog, LAMOST makes important contributions in regions that are not well-sampled by previous catalogs, particularly at low Galactic latitudes and in the south Galactic cap. We show that quasars in PPMXL have measurable and significant proper motions,which reflect the systematic zero-point offsets present in the catalog. We confirm the global proper motion shifts seen by Wu et al., and additionally find smaller-scale fluctuations of the QSO-derived corrections to an absolute frame. We average the proper motions of 158 106 extragalactic objects in bins of 3?× 3?and present a table of proper motion corrections.