CoMA — An advanced space experiment forin situ analysis of cometary matter

Exploring one of the most pristine bodies in our solar system — a comet — with a spacecraft will be a great step towards a deeper understanding of our solar system's beginnings. We here present the advanced space experiment CoMA (cometarymatteranalyzer), which will be flown on NASA's cometary rendezvous and asteroid flyby mission CRAF. CoMA is a high resolution time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometer. It will analyze m-sized cometary dust grains and cometary gases with an unprecedented mass resolution and will yield data about the elemental, isotopic, and molecular composition.     

Stability of the solar system

If the solar system is considered as a mechanical clockwork consisting of its present members which attract each other as mass-points, the extent of its present approach to secular stability (i.e., the state of minimum potential energy) — manifested by the existence of a number of nearcommensurabilities of the present orbital periods, not only of the planets, but also of their satellites —could not have been attained in a time-span of 4.6×10⁹ yr of its age by gravitational perturbations alone.The existence of such commensurabilities — striking in many instances— could then be understood only on the assumption that either (a) the solar system was actually born with the present 2-, 3- and 4-term couplings between the orbital period of the planets already built-in from the outset (which is improbable on any known grounds); or (b) that these couplings — in particular, the 25 Jupiter-Saturn commensurability — have arisen as a result of tidal interaction between proto-planetary globes of much larger dimensions than these planets possess today. For the present dimensions and mutual distances of these planets, their tidal interaction in 10⁹ yr would exert but negligible effects; and during that time neither their masses, nor the scale of the solar system underwent any essential change.Therefore, a hypothesis is proposed that the situation now obtaining had its origin in the early days of the formation of the solar system, when the planetary globes — in particular, those of Jupiter and Saturn (now in the terminal stage of Kelvin contraction) — were very much larger than they are today; and when, as a result, the tidal coupling between them operated at a much higher rate than at the present time.Paper presented at the European Workshop on Planetary Sciences, organised by the Laboratorio di Astrofisica Spaziale di Frascati, and held between April 23–27, 1979, at the Accademia Nazionale del Lincei in Rome, Italy.     

Highlights of the study of energy release in flares

From February 26 to March 1, 1979, thirty-two solar flare investigators attended a workshop at Cambridge, Mass., to define objectives and devise a scientific program for the Study of Energy Release in Flares (SERF) during the coming solar maximum. Herein we review some major results of the ensuing five-year effort to observe and understand the flare energy release process and its effects (energetic particle production, coronal and chromospheric heating, electromagnetic radiations, and mass motions and ejections). The central issue — what processes store and release the energy liberated in flares — remains unresolved except in the most general terms (e.g., it is generally agreed that the energy is stored in sheared or stressed magnetic fields and released by field annihilation during some MHD instability). Resolving that issue s still one of the most important goals in solar physics, but the advances during the SERF program have brought it closer.     

The Sun as a system of elementary particles

No unusual observation of the Sun is described here. No new theory is proposed. The paper — based on known facts of solar physics — is a modest attempt to interpret the Sun as a selfgravitating system of about 10⁵⁷ nucleons and electrons. These elementary particles are endowed with strong, electromagnetic, weak and gravitational interactions. Origin of the Sun, its evolution, structure and physiology are consequences of the four interactions.     

Enhanced diffusion in strongly magnetized astrophysical plasmas

We demonstrate that the diffusion coefficient for low energy particles, tied to a magnetic field which random walks, may be considerably larger than previously estimated in a strongly magnetized system — like the solar wind or the Galaxy. This is of interest with respect to propagation and lifetime considerations of low energy cosmic rays in the solar wind and the Galaxy.     

The effective temperatures,radii and masses of Dwarf Cepheids

Using the flux values determined with the infrared flux method (IRFM) developed by Blackwell and Lynas-Gray (1993), we derived the empirical relationship between flux (F _v ) and (V — K) colour appropriate to Dwarf Cepheids. For three Dwarf Cepheids CY Aqr, YZ Boo and SZ Lyn where both VK photometry and radial velocities were available from the literature, effective temperatures were determined using the intrinsic Strömgren indices, model atmosphere grids for (V — K) and the relation between temperature and (V — K) colour. Then, by applying the infrared surface brightness method, radii and distances and hence masses and absolute magnitudes were estimated with effective temperatures determined by three different methods. It was found that the average mass of these variables is about 0.5 solar mass and this result supports the hypothesis that Dwarf Cepheids are pre-white dwarf objects. It was also confirmed that the temperatures determined with the IRFM are most successful in the application of the surface brightness method to the radius estimation of Dwarf Cepheids.     

Giant planet formation

The accumulation of giant planets involves processes typical for terrestrial planet formation as well as gasdynamic processes that were previously known only in stars. The condensible element cores of the gas-giants grow by solid body accretion while envelope formation is governed by stellar-like equilibria and the dynamic departures thereof. Two hypotheses for forming Uranus/Neptune-type planets — at sufficiently large heliocentric distances while allowing accretion of massive gaseous envelopes, i.e. Jupiter-type planets at intermediate distances — have been worked out in detailed numerical calculations: (1) Hydrostatic gas-accretion models with time-dependent solid body accretion-rates show a slow-down of core-accretion at the appropriate masses of Uranus and Neptune. As a consequence, gas-accretion also stagnates and a window is opened for removing the solar nebula during a time of roughly constant envelope mass. (2) Gasdynamic calculations of envelope accretion for constant planetesimal accretion-rates show a dynamic transition to new envelope equilibria at the so called critical mass. For a wide range of solar nebula conditions the new envelopes have respective masses similar to those of Uranus and Neptune and are more tightly bound to the cores. The transitions occur under lower density conditions typical for the outer parts of the solar nebula, whereas for higher densities, i.e. closer to the Sun, gasdynamic envelope accretion sets in and is able to proceed to Jupiter-masses.     

The axial rotation of asteroids

The observed fact that light changes of the asteroids exhibit no beat periods is interpreted as an indication that they do not wobble in space like spinning tops, but spin about only one axis (possibly — but not necessarily — inclined but little to the plane of their orbits). Since, moreover, the damping of three-dimensional rotation by jovi-solar attraction would require a time which is long in comparison with the age of the solar system, it is concluded that the present uni-axial rotation must represent a property preserved from the time when the asteroids were formed. This would seem to testify against their origin by collisional fragmentation of larger bodies; for in such a case the resulting solid splinters would still today be characterized by a random distribution of their angular momenta in three dimensions.The writer owes this assurance to Dr. Thomas Gehrels (private information).     

Evolutionary tracks of the terrestrial planets

On the basis of the model proposed by Matsui and Abe, we will show that two major factors — distance from the Sun and the efficiency of retention of accretional energy — control the early evolution of the terrestrial planets. A diagram of accretional energy versus the optical depth of a proto-atmosphere provides a means to follow the evolutionary track of surface temperature of the terrestrial planets and an explanation for why the third planet in our solar system is an aqua-planet.     

The planetary masses and the orbits of the first four minor planets

Numerical tests are the basis of a study about the effects caused in the orbits of the planets (1)–(4) by possible errors in the system of planetary masses. The masses of five major and three minor planets are considered. Especially, the effects caused by (1) Ceres in the orbit of (2) Pallas since the time of discovery are found to be large enough for a determination of the mass of Ceres. A first result for this mass is (6.7±0.4)×10^–10 solar masses.     

Calculations of the turbidity and air mass for Bahrain's sky

The calculation of the turbidity coefficient and the air mass number is presented in this paper. This was achieved by the use of solar radiation data. The annual average turbidity value of Bahrain's sky was found to be equal to 0.271 ± 0.069. The maximum value was in December (0.393), and the minimum in October (0.192). The annual average air mass was found to be 2.032 ± 0.464 at its maximum in October (2.812) and minimum in December (1.377). The free-aerosols direct solar radiation was found to be 665.14 Wm^–2 and the free aerosols total solar radiation was 1096 Wm^–2.     

High-Precision Ephemerides of Planets—EPM and Determination of Some Astronomical Constants

The latest version of the planetary part of the numerical ephemerides EPM (Ephemerides of Planets and the Moon) developed at the Institute of Applied Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences is presented. The ephemerides of planets and the Moon were constructed by numerical integration in the post-Newtonian metric over a 140-year interval (from 1880 to 2020). The dynamical model of EPM2004 ephemerides includes the mutual perturbations from major planets and the Moon computed in terms of General Relativity with allowance for effects due to lunar physical libration, perturbations from 301 big asteroids, and dynamic perturbations due to the solar oblateness and the massive asteroid ring with uniform mass distribution in the plane of the ecliptic. The EPM2004 ephemerides resulted from a least-squares adjustment to more than 317000 position observations (1913–2003) of various types, including radiometric measurements of planets and spacecraft, CCD astrometric observations of the outer planets and their satellites, and meridian and photographic observations. The high-precision ephemerides constructed made it possible to determine, from modern radiometric measurements, a wide range of astrometric constants, including the astronomical unit AU = (149597870.6960 ± 0.0001) km, parameters of the rotation of Mars, the masses of the biggest asteroids, the solar quadrupole moment J ₂ = (1.9 ± 0.3) × 10⁻⁷, and the parameters of the PPN formalism β and γ. Also given is a brief summary of the available state-of-the-art ephemerides with the same precision: various versions of EPM and DE ephemerides from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) (USA) and the recent versions of these ephemerides—EPM2004 and DE410—are compared. EPM2004 ephemerides are available via FTP at ftp://qua-sar.ipa.nw.ru/incoming/EPM2004.__________Translated from Astronomicheskii Vestnik, Vol. 39, No. 3, 2005, pp. 202–213.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Pitjeva.     

Hydromagnetic emission of the interplanetary plasma

A new type of geomagnetic pulsation — the serpentine emission — has been discovered in the 0–2 Hz range. The particular feature which characterizes the serpentine emission is the wide modulation of the carrier frequency. A theory to account for this type of disturbance involves radiation from the solar wind. The frequency modulation is explained in terms of Doppler shifts and variation of the direction of the interplanetary magnetic field.     

A note on the total mass of comets in the solar system

The assumption that the very low albedo determined for Halley's comet is typical of all short period comets, taken together with the assumption that the average sizes of long and short period comets are approximately equal, leads to an increase in the total mass of comets in the solar system by almost two orders of magnitude. If gravitational ejection from the Uranus - Neptune zone during the later phases of planet formation is indeed responsible for the classical Oort cloud between 10⁴–10¹⁵ AU, then the mass of comets in this transplanetary region during cosmogonie times has to exceed the combined masses of Uranus and Neptune by over an order of magnitude. Furthermore, if the recent arguments for as many as 10¹⁴ comets in an inner Oort cloud between ~40– 10⁴AU are valid, then the total mass of comets in the solar system approaches 2% of a solar mass.     

Particle motion in the vicinity of the protosun with variable luminosity

Variations of luminosity of the protosun during its Hayashi stage produced variations of its repulsive radiative action on small particles in its vicinity — or, in other words, variations of the effective mass of the protosun. Changes of the effective mass produced changes of size of orbits for particles circling around the protosun. When the luminosity increased, the effect of variable luminosity (EVL) diminished or overbalanced the Poynting-Robertson effect (PRE), hindering the small particles in their drift toward the protosun, and reinforced PRE when the luminosity decreased. An analysis of quasicircular motion of small uncharged particles moving in transparent circumsolar space under both effects — EVL and PRE — is given.     

Negative ions in comets

The primary negative ion sources in comets are shown to be: for the inner coma—both polar photodissociation of HCN, electron attachment of OH and collisions with alkalis; in the vicinity of the nucleus—plasma, excavated during interplanetary dust impacts on the nucleus; for both the contaminated solar wind region and sporadic discharges in the non-homogeneous inner coma plasma—dissociative electron attachment and charge inversion during keV positive ion scattering by cometary dust are also significant sources. Negative ion abundance for Halley's Comet has been estimated to be from 10^–6 to 10^–10 of electron densities. However, this ratio may be more due to the formation of clusters A^–(H₂O)_n. Some possible cometary plasma effects, caused by negative ions, have also been discussed.     

Isotopic composition of primary cosmic-ray nitrogen and oxygen with consequences for source models

An experimental investigation of the isotopic composition of cosmic-ray nitrogen and oxygen is reported. The detector is a stack of nuclear emulsions exposed at about 3 g cm^–2 atmospheric depth. The mass determinations are based on photometric track width measurements on stopping nuclei. The standard deviation of the mass measurements is 0.46 AMU for nitrogen and 0.50 AMU for oxygen. The energy of the measured nuclei falls in the interval 220–450 MeV nucleon^–1 at the top of the atmosphere.The measured isotopic quotients have been extrapolated to near interstellar space with standard methods. The extrapolated quotients are¹⁵N/N=0.34±0.10,¹⁷O/O=0.02±0.03,¹⁸O/O=0.07±0.03. The nitrogen quotient extrapolated to the cosmic-ray source shows that the nitrogenoxygen abundance ratio is approximately the same in the source as in the solar system. The result has been compared with different hypotheses about the source composition and is found to be in best agreement with a hypothesis which states that source matter has approximately the composition of the solar system and that a selection mechanism, which depends on the atomic properties of the elements, is working in the source.     

A river erosion estimate on the Loess Plateau: a case study from Luohe River, a second-order tributary of the Yellow River

Based on fieldwork and terrace ages, which were determined using ¹⁴C, TL and paleosol stratigraphy, a general model was established for the development of the Yellow River terrace system. The ages for the terraces and valley flats of the Yellow River system are T₆—1.67–0.85 Ma BP, T₅—0.85–0.47 Ma BP, T₄—0.47–0.10 Ma BP, T₃—0.10–0.007 Ma BP, T₂—7.0–0.7 ka BP, T₁—0.7–0.3 ka BP, the higher valley flat—0.3–0.15 ka BP and the lower valley flat 0.15–0 ka BP, respectively. Each terrace or valley flat and corresponding paleo-valley represents a river erosion/deposition cycle. Using this model and selected geomorphic parameters of terraces and paleo-valleys from 10 typical cross sections of Luohe River, a tributary of the Yellow River, an attempt is made here to estimate paleo-river erosion since the Pleistocene on the Loess Plateau.     

The search for brown dwarfs with infrared surveys

I compute the maximum number of observable brown dwarfs for various infrared surveys by combining the maximum possible Oort limit (0.1 missing Mpc^–3 with all possible brown dwarf mass and age distributions. This approach shows what limits will be placed on the contribution of brown dwarfs to any possible missing mass if no brown dwarfs are observed. I consider brown dwarfs with masses of 0.01—0.08 M and ages of 10⁹—10¹⁰ years.The full range of predicted numbers of brown dwarfs above 6 times the noise of each of the below surveys is: IRAS Point Source Catalog 0.02—6 IRAS Faint Source Catalog |b| > 10° 0.05—16 ISO (2 week 12µm survey) 0.15—80 SIRTF (2 week 12µm survey) 2.50—1600 WIRE (4 month 12µm survey) 21.80—6000 DENIS (half sky) |b| > 10° 0.00—2000 2MASS (full sky) |b| > 10° 0.00—8000A failure to find brown dwarfs in the IRAS FSC would just barely rule out about half of the mass—age range for Oort limit total masses. A failure to find brown dwarfs in 2MASS/DENIS would rule out roughly the same mass—age range, but would set a limit of 0.1—0.01 times the Oort mass in that mass—age region. No limits would be set for the other half of the mass—age range since both IRAS and 2MASS/DENIS have insufficient sensitivity for brown dwarfs with T < 750 K.A failure to find brown dwarfs with ISO would rule out almost all of the mass—age range for Oort limit total masses, but would not set a significantly lower limit to the brown dwarf mass limit. A failure to find brown dwarfs with SIRTF or WIRE would rule out the entire mass—age range for Oort limit total masses and set an upper limit of 0.1—0.001 times the Oort mass.To date, about 18% of the IRAS FSC has been searched down to 6, and no brown dwarfs have been found. This sets a 95% upper limit of 3 in 18% of the sky, or 13 in the entire FSC for |b| > 10°. To begin to set useful limits from 2MASS or DENIS, approximately 400 square degrees needs to be analyzed. To date, only a few square degrees of results from the 2MASS prototype camera have been examined, with no brown dwarfs found so far.     

Period variation and the new light curves of V471 Tauri

The light curve and period variation of the eclipsing system V471 Tau is discussed. The migration period of 191 days obtained recently by Ibanolu agrees well with the new observations. The period decreases by about one second per century, which may correspond to a mass transfer of 1×10^–7 solar mass. Furthermore, the O–C diagram shows a noticeable sine curve super-imposed on the parabolic variation. The period of the sine curve is about 3.1 years.