One hundred and fifty-three diatomic molecules,molecular ions,and radicals of astrophysical interest

A critical analysis of the 583 available references in literature has been made to select 153 diatomic molecules, molecular ions, and radicals of astrophysical significance. The results have been arranged in a text-cum-tabular form. The compilation contains various information for each molecule, such as the dissociation energy, spectral region, transition levels, astrophysical objects where the respective molecules have been detected (say, comet, meteorite, Sun, planet, star, interstellar matter, Galaxy, etc.); computed theoretical parameters (i.e., FCFs, transition probabilities, r-centroids, PE curves), and available laboratory data with respective references.In many problems involving the estimation of the physical condition (viz., temperature, pressure, density, and abundance) of the emitter, in various cosmic sources, it is desirous to have a knowledge of the theoretical parameters as well as the experimental details for the molecular spectra of interest.A few important areas of active research in laboratory astrophysics have also been identified in this article: laboratory astrophysics, molecular cloud chemistry, isotopic abundance, planetary and cometary atmospheres through satellites.Besides, some interesting plots of the dissociation energy vs molecular weight, dissociation energy vs total atomic number, dissociation energy vs atomic number differences, ionization potential vs total atomic number, ionization potential vs atomic number differences, and ionization potential vs molecular weight for respective molecules have also been enumerated. Thirty-one new diatomic molecules/molecular ions/radicals of astrophysical significance have also been listed.Astrophysics and Space Science Review Paper.     

Thirty-one new diatomic molecules in cosmic objects spectra

The dissociation energy and ionization potential of 97 diatomic molecules, molecular ions, and radicals according to their molecular weight have been listed in tabular form.Some interesting plots of the dissociation energy vs molecular weight, dissociation energy vs total atomic number, and dissociation energy vs atomic number differences for respective molecules have also been enumerated.Thirty one new diatomic molecules/molecular ions/radicals of astrophysical significance have also been listed on the basis of theoretical grounds.     

Average inhomogeneities in Milky Way SNII and the PAMELA anomaly

A model is presented to estimate the fraction of Supernova Type-II events (SNII) occurring inside vs. outside a spiral arm for a given star formation episode. The probability distribution function (PDF) for this fraction is given for use in models similar to those of Shaviv et al. [13] and [11]. The calculated PDF for the SNII fraction, SNII_in/total, defined as the number of SNII inside a spiral arm divided by the total number of SNII from a star formation event, provides a constraint on the magnitude of supernova remnant (SNR) concentrations used in cosmic ray propagation models attempting to explain the PAMELA anomaly. Despite the concentration of star formation within spiral arms, this model predicts the majority of SNII events actually occur in inter-arm regions and calls into question the SNR concentration assumption of Shaviv et al.     

A new empirical cooling rate indicator for meteorites based on the size of the cloudy zone of the metallic phases

Abstract— A new empirical cooling rate indicator for metal particles is proposed. The cooling rate indicator is based on the relationship between the size of the island phase in the cloudy zone, which abuts the outer taenite rim (clear taenite I), and the cooling rate of the host meteorite as obtained by conventional metallographic techniques. The size of the island phase was measured by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in 26 meteorites and decreases from 470 nm to 17 nm, while the cooling rate of the host meteorite increases from 0.5 K/Ma to 325 K/Ma. This island phase size vs. cooling rate relationship is independent of whether the host is an iron, stony-iron, or stony meteorite and can be used to estimate the low-temperature cooling rate of the host meteorite. The measurement of the size of the island phase in the cloudy zone can also be applied to a large number of meteorites.     

Determination of the decameter wavelength spectrum of the quiet Sun

The Teepee Tee array of the Clark Lake Radio Observatory has been used to compare the flux of the Sun with that of the sidereal sources Tau A and Vir A at several frequencies in the range 109.0–19.0 MHz. Only the two central banks of the E-W arm of the array were used as elements of a phase switched interferometer so that the Sun could be observed as a point source and compared directly to the sidereal sources. The Sun was still partially resolved however, and appropriate corrections for this effect were made. The observations were taken at times when the Sun and either Tau A or Vir A were at the same declination. We have therefore been able to derive the values for the solar flux, without having to resort to a gain vs zenith distance correction. The observations, combined with those available in the literature, allow us to derive an accurate meter and decameter wavelength spectrum of the quiet Sun.On leave of absence from Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía, Argentina.     

The flux of meteorites on the Earth's surface

Abstract— We derive values for the number and size distributions of meteorites landing on Earth from a study of photographic observations of bright fireballs with the Canadian camera network. The observations cover 11 years from 1974 to 1985. This analysis is an extension of a previous study and represents a 30% increase in the data base. The cumulative plot of numbers vs estimated mass of the largest fragment for each event shows a change in slope near 0.6 kg due to a deficiency of small meteorites surviving from the group of slow fireballs. The change can be explained by a mass dependence of the fraction of the incoming object that survives as the largest fragment. For larger falls, the main mass appears to represent a decreasing fraction of the total mass of the surviving meteorites and estimates of these effects are used to derive the final distribution of both main masses and total masses of meteoritic events. For total masses greater than 1 kg the population index is 1.82, close to previous estimates. About 9 events per year drop at least 1 kg of meteorites in an area of a million square km and the same area receives an annual influx of 54 kg from meteorite events with total masses between 0.01 and 100 kg. There is sufficient confidence in these results that they may be used for comparison of the present flux of meteorites with values inferred for other times, in particular the long accumulation times of the Antarctic meteorite collections.     

Seasonal variation of semidiurnal winds in the dynamo region

Plots of sporadic E vs height show clear evidence for semidiurnal winds with maximum amplitude in local summer. A combination of 2,2, 2,3 and 2,4 mode winds represents the type of pattern observed. This system while strongest in local summer also occurs weakly in other seasons. In winter one sees a combination of a weak pattern arising in the winter hemisphere plus the effects of the pattern from the summer hemisphere.     

Is the Kolmogoroff model applicable to large-scale turbulence?

We discuss the difficulties encountered when the Heisenberg-Kolmogoroff model for turbulence is applied to the large-scale turbulence in: (A) molecular clouds (specifically the velocity vs size relationship) and (B) stars (specifically, the estimate of convective fluxes).A new model for large-scale turbulence is, therefore, needed.     

Theory and application of the polarization-albedo rules

Results are reported of a computer calculation of the scattering of light from porous, particulate surfaces such as those of the Moon, asteroids, and airless planets. The scattered-light intensity and polarization are computed as a function of phase angle, and plots are made corresponding to the observed empirical rules for deducing albedo from the slope, maximum, and minimum of polarization curves. The approximate linearity of these rules on a log-log plot is confirmed for most solar system objects. The linearity is due to the similarity of the real indices of refraction of solar system soils. The theory shows that the albedo vs polarization plots correspond directly to a plot, in two dimensions, of the real vs imaginary index of refraction of these soils, using curved axes. This new information provides a straightforward method of measuring optical and structural properties of the major soil constituents leading to mineral identification. The theory is based upon geometric optics with an estimated error of 5 to 10% which agrees reasonably well with available measurements. A comparison is made with 30 asteroids and some moons. The soils of these bodies appear similar to that of the Earth, with some interesting exceptions.     

Frequency-dependence of the statistics of radio sources

Without assuming the existence of two populations of radio sources, the counts of vs frequency, spectral index vs flux density, and counts vs spectral index dependences have been derived. An assumption —with arguments to support it—is made that most extragalactic radio sources belong to the class of doubles whose visible parameters depend on their spatial orientation being relative to the observer.     

Paleocratering of the Moon: Review of post-Apollo data

As a result of the dating of lunar samples, we are in a position to utilize the lunar surface as a recorder of environmental conditions in the Earth-Moon neighborhood in the past. Plots of crater density vs rock age at different lunar landing sites can be used to date unexplored lunar provinces. These plots also demonstrate evolution in the population of planetesimals that struck the Moon. Prior to 4.1 aeons ago, the cratering rate on the Moon was at least 10³ times the present rate, and the rate declined with a half-life less than 8×10⁷ yr. During the interval from 4.1 to 3.2 aeons ago, the number of planetesimals showed an exponential decay with a half-life about 3×10⁸ yr, corresponding to sweep-up of particles from solar orbits somewhat similar to those of Apollo asteroids. A more nearly constant cratering rate applied in the last three aeons. These data indicate that the Moon displays at least the final stages of an ancient accretion process; they also set certain conditions on possible capture processes relating to the Moon's origin. Pre-Apollo expectations that the Moon would provide a Rosetta Stone for interpreting solar system history and planet formation thus appear justified.Paper given at Philadelphia meeting of American Association for Advancement of Science, December, 1971.     

Impact-generated dust clouds surrounding the Galilean moons

Tenuous dust clouds of Jupiter's Galilean moons Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto have been detected with the in-situ dust detector on board the Galileo spacecraft. The majority of the dust particles have been sensed at altitudes below five radii of these lunar-sized satellites. We identify the particles in the duut clouds surrounding the moons by their impact direction, impact velocity, and mass distribution. Average particle sizes are between 0.5 and 1 μm, just above the detector threshold, indicating a size distribution with decreasing numbers towards bigger particles. Our results imply that the particles have been kicked up by hypervelocity impacts of micrometeoroids onto the satellites' surfaces. The measured radial dust density profiles are consistent with predictions by dynamical modeling for satellite ejecta produced by interplanetary impactors (Krivov et al., 2003, Planet. Space Sci. 51, 251-269), assuming yield, mass and velocity distributions of the ejecta from laboratory measurements. A comparison of all four Galilean moons (data for Ganymede published earlier; Krüger et al., 2000, Planet. Space Sci. 48, 1457-1471) shows that the dust clouds of the three outer Galilean moons have very similar properties and are in good agreement with the model predictions for solid ice-silicate surfaces. The dust density in the vicinity of Io, however, is more than an order of magnitude lower than expected from theory. This may be due to a softer, fluffier surface of Io (volcanic deposits) as compared to the other moons. The log-log slope of the dust number density in the clouds vs. distance from the satellite center ranges between −1.6 and −2.8. Appreciable variations of number densities obtained from individual flybys with varying geometry, especially at Callisto, are found. These might be indicative of leading-trailing asymmetries of the clouds due to the motion of the moons with respect to the field of impactors.     

Expansion of the principal functions of Keplerian motion using complex variables

A special system of canonical variables is considered. An algorithm for expanding the principal functions of Keplerian motion in new elements is presented. The advantage of the proposed system is a relatively small number of terms in the classical expansions of the unperturbed two-body problem. A method for expanding the time derivatives of the rectangular coordinates is proposed. Some estimates of the number of terms in the presented expansions have been obtained through numerical experiments.     

The formation of the spectrum of preglactic inhomogeneities in the CDM and HDM of the Universe

We consider the evolution of large-scale cosmological density perturbations in CDM and HDM Universe containing weakly interacting relativistic particles with number density to be the model free paramer. The dependence of parameters of the large-scale structure on the collisionless particle numbers is discussed. A new cosmological test of the total number of light weakly interacting particles in the Universe is proposed.     

A procedure of selection of meteors from major streams for determination of mean orbits

A procedure of selection of meteoroids from major streams is suggested and applied to the IAU Lund photographic database modified by a check for internal consistency among orbital elements (3411 orbits). Limits for choice of stream members were defined by break points on the plots of the cumulative numberN _C vs. the Southworth-HawkinsD discriminant. For the break points were considered the points from which the dependenceN _C vs.D changes to a quasi-linear one, and with the increasingD, N _C changes only moderately. Except for the Taurids which desire a separate analysis, theN _C vs.D diagrams are presented for the following major meteoroid streams: Quadrantids, Lyrids, Aquarids, Capricornids, N and S Aquarids, Perseids, Orionids, Leonids and Geminids. The mean orbits, velocities and radiants of the streams are derived and compared with the osculating orbits of their parent bodies. The limitingD _B was found to be a function of the number of the stream membersN _CB. Omitting the exceptionally concentrated Geminids, the relation is in the formD _B = 0.058 *ln(N _CB) – 0.04.     

The asymmetry of the Coma cluster of galaxies

A detailed reinvestigation of the Coma cluster basing on enlarged observational material of number density distributions and radial velocities of galaxies as well as radio and x-ray data is performed and supports our previous conclusion that this cluster possesses a substructure. This substructure is in the south-western region of the cluster and produces the impression of an elongated cluster structure in the direction of the bridge between Coma and A 1367. A 1656 seems to be a cD-like cluster with NGC 4874 as the only dominating giant central galaxy.     

On the spatial structure of a penumbra

A series of spatial intensity profiles across the sunspot penumbra is obtained at different wavelengths within the Caii K line (see Figure 1). A number of photometric properties of the penumbra are outlined, which may be useful for constructing a relevant inhomogeneous model.     

Convergence of Newton's iteration for the expansion of the planetary disturbing function

A method is suggested for choosing the first approximation in Newton's iterations to expand the planetary disturbing function. The method ensures convergence of the process for any planetary orbits. An estimation is given for the number of iterations depending on a given accuracy of calculation.     

Collision with meteoroids as one of the possible mechanisms for the splitting of cometary nuclei

Results are presented of a statistical analysis of dynamic parameters for 114 comets with split nuclei. A list of the objects includes actually split comets, fragments of cometary pairs, lost comets with designation D, and comets with large-scale atmospheric features. Some aspects of the hypothesis that splitting is caused by collisions of cometary nuclei with meteoroid swarms are investigated. To verify the hypothesis, an analysis is conducted of the positions of split comets’ orbits relative to 58 meteor streams from Cook’s catalogue. The calculations give the number (N) of orbital nodes of split comets relative to the plane of each swarm within a distance of 0.001, 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, and 0.1 AU from each swarm. A special algorithm is proposed for determining the degree of redundancy of N by finding the expected value and dispersion for the number of the nodes. The comparison of N with the expected value, together with the consideration of the dispersion, reveals a redundancy of N in 29 cases. Therefore, collisions of comets with meteoroid swarms can be considered as one of the possible causes of comet splitting. A similar testing is conducted for the asteroid belt and Kuiper belt as potential sources of a vast number of sporadic meteoroids. Based on the results of the calculations, the former may be considered as the most effective region of splitting of periodic comets.     

Plasma emission and the decimetre portion of type-IV solar bursts

An attempt is made to account for the decimetre portion of the Type-IV solar radio bursts by plasma emission. Non-thermal electrons (E ～ 500 keV) trapped in a magnetic mirror (IV_dm, burst source) having loss-cone gap distribution excite plasma waves which are transformed into transverse waves through non-linear scattering by ions. A good agreement was reached between the calculated spectrum and the observed fluxes for the event of 1972 August 2. A distribution of the number of non-thermal electrons with height, and a total number of 10³², were obtained. Also it was found that the Langmuir waves can accelerate some background thermal electrons to the MeV range.