Line-of-Sight Velocity Fluctuations of a Quiescent Prominence

Series of H spectra and slit-jaw H filtergrams of a quiescent prominence taken at Pic du Midi Observatory on 7 November 1977 are studied. The observations have been digitized by means of an automated Joyce Loebl microdensitometer. The image processing of the H filtergrams reveals an internal structure of the prominence consisting of several arches. Series of high-resolution H spectra obtained with the slit position located on a selected part of one of the prominence arches have been chosen for Doppler-shift analysis. The obtained time series of the line-of-sight velocity reveal large velocity variations near the periphery of the arch and a strong dependence of the velocity (in sign and magnitude) on the position along the slit. The prominence arch shows also cyclic displacements along the line-of-sight direction implying Alfvén string-mode oscillations.     

Power spectra of Hα Doppler shifts

The temporal characteristics of the chromospheric velocity field in a quiet region are studied by means of a carefully guided sequence of 215 H spectra of the disk centre lasting 54 min. The Doppler shifts of each frame at = 0.4 Å are measured and the velocity history of each position on the sun is reconstructed. The velocity power spectrum is found for each of 256 points along the total slit length of 280000 km.A steady downward velocity is associated with places where the amplitude of the fluctuating velocity is high. The average velocity power spectrum exhibits three main features: (1) A peak at 287 sec, (2) A group of high frequency peaks in the range 150–210 sec, and (3) A low frequency peak with a period of 900 sec.The relationship of these features to the Ca K network is discussed.Member of the High Altitude Observatory Solar Project at Sacramento Peak, on leave from Dunsink Observatory, Ireland.     

Observations of Doppler oscillations in a solar prominence

We report on the observation of Doppler oscillations in a quiescent limb prominence. Fourier analysis of the data reveals an oscillatory period of 7.5 min, whose phase varies linearly at 16 consecutive points (7280 km) along the slit. This yields an upper limit for the perturbation wavelength of 20000 km. Wavelet analysis confirms the above period and indicates an oscillation lifetime of 12 min. Moreover, the disturbance appears to travel at a speed greater than 4.4 km s^-1. A comparison of these results with the predictions of some theoretical models is made.     

Velocity measures in the sunspot Rome no. 7490 (July 5, 1979)

Material motions on the solar surface have been deduced from the wavelength shift of Fe i 6302.5 Å, measured over the umbra and inner penumbra of a spot for which the magnetic field configuration has already been established with some confidence. The two vector fields are considered together in detail and the results support the convective roll sunspot model (Spruit, Galloway). For the magnetic field regions, both material flow along the field lines and field line motions are derived. A small upward motion only is deduced for the field free regions.     

Density studies of giant extragalacticHII regions

We have studied the variation of the electron density with position in a selected group of bright giant extragalacticHII regions with the use of long slit spectrophotometry at high spectral and spatial resolution. Density values for the ionized gas of the regions have been obtained from the measurement of the [SII] 6717, 6731 ratio. We conclude that the regions are not homogeneous; the density varies with position, with the zones of high density frequently associated to high surface brightness.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.     

The galactic distribution of globular clusters

The spatial distribution of galactic globular clusters has been studied by means of Walsh-Hadamard transforms. Consistent indications have been collected suggesting the existence, at least in a first approximation, of two disting populations of clusters — the metal poor clusters showing a spherical distribution whereas metal rich clusters are flattened along the disk.Simulated cluster-halos have been computed in order to study the dependence of observed radial velocities on the eccentricity of cluster orbits, showing that only a general high value of eccentricity seems able to reproduce the observational features.     

On the stability of circular ‘asteroid’ orbits in anN-planetary system

The restricted problem of the motion of a point of negligible mass (asteroid) in anN-planetary system is considered. It is assumed that all the planets move about the central body (Sun) along circular orbits in the same plane and the mean motions of the asteroid and the planets are incommensurable. The asteroid orbit evolution is described as a first approximation by secular equations with the perturbing function averaged by the mean longitudes of the asteroid and the planets. For small values of the asteroid orbit eccentricity an expression for the secular part of the perturbing function has been obtained. This expression holds for the arbitrary values of the asteroid orbit semiaxis which are different from those of the planet orbit radii. The stability of the asteroid circular orbits in a linear approximation with respect to the eccentricity is studied. The critical inclinations for a Solar system model are calculated.     

Interaction between attitude libration and orbital motion of a rigid body in a near keplerian orbit of low eccentricity

Interaction between orbital motion and attitude libration dynamics of an arbitrary rigid body moving in a central Newtonian field is considered to second order. Advantage is taken of the decoupling between inplane-pitch and roll-yaw out-of-plane motion to restrict the motion to the orbital plane by an appropriate choice ofinitial conditions. An averaged solution to the nonlinear inplane-pitch equations whose accuracy is determined by ignoring terms of order {·G3²/a ², ²,²,G3²/a ²} and higher is presented. The results show that the near-resonant motion is characterized by a periodic interchange of energy between the attitude and orbital motion.Associate Professor, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.     

Long slit spectroscopy of the nuclear zone of NGC 253

We have undertaken a study of the physical conditions of the lonized gas within the starburst region of the galaxy NGC 253, using long slit spectroscopy at high spatial and spectral resolution. Our aim was to identify the appropriate parameters describing the dynamics of the gas and the excitation conditions, in relation with the starburst process. Non-gaussian line profiles and line spliting are clearly observed, indicating a complicated dynamical structure; furthermore, the zones presenting non-circular motions and localized outflow of gas have been spatially sampled at the seeing limit.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.     

The dynamics of the ring nebula surrounding the LBV candidate He 3-519

High spatial and spectral resolution observations of the ring nebula surrounding the LBV candidate He 3-519 are presented. The data were obtained at the AAT with the UCL echelle spectrograph and cover the H and [N II] emission lines for two slit positions. The nebular motions are clearly resolved and have a total velocity spread of -40 to +100 km s^–1. The shell shows some deviations from spherical symmetry but overall is expanding at 61 km s^–1 and has an ionized mass of 2 M. The nebular parameters are found to be similar to those of the AG Car nebula, suggesting that it resulted from a bulk ejection of material 2 × 10⁴ yr ago.     

Non—integrability of Hill's lunar problem

We prove that Hill's lunar problem does not possess a second analytic integral of motion, independent of the Hamiltonian. In order to obtain this result, we avoid the usual normalization in which the angular velocity of the rotating reference frame is put equal to unit. We construct an artificial Hamiltonian that includes an arbitrary parameter b and show that this Hamiltonian does not possess an analytic integral of motion for in an open interval around zero. Then, by selecting suitable values of , b and using the invariance of the Hamiltonian under scaling in the units of length and time, we show that the Hamiltonian of Hill's problem does not possess an integral of motion, analytically continued from the integrable two–body problem in a rotating frame.     

Giant infrared bubble in Cepheus

A ring-shaped infrared emission region is recognizable on the IRAS Sky Flux images of a Cepheus region which happens to include the association Cepheus OB 2. The ring is easily visible both at 60 and 100 microns. The approximate galactic coordinates of its centre arel=102°.8 andb=+6°.7, with an outer diameter of 7 deg. IC 1396 and several otherHii regions, such as S 129, S 133, S 134, and S 140 are apparently parts of the ring. If it is assumed that these Hii regions are physically connected to the ring its distance must be about 900 pc and its diameter 120 pc. The existence of several arc-shaped H filaments along the ring, the proper motion of the nearby runaway star Cephei, and the possible presence of the [Fex] 6375 interstellar line in the spectra of two stars of Cep OB 2 combine to suggest that the infrared ring might well be a result of a supernova explosion which occurred in this region about 2–3 million years ago.     

Prolonged minima and the 179-yr cycle of the solar inertial motion

We employ the JPL long ephemeris DE-102 to study the inertial motion of the Sun for the period A.D. 760–2100. Defining solar orbits with reference to the Sun's successive close approaches to the solar system barycenter, occurring at mean intervals of 19.86 yr, we find simple relationships linking the inertial orientation of the solar orbit and the amplitude of the precessional rotation of the orbit with the occurrence of the principal prolonged solar activity minima of the current millenium (the Wolf, Spörer, and Maunder minima). The progression of the inertial orientation parameter is controlled by the 900-yr great inequality of the motion of Jupiter and Saturn, while the precessional rotation parameter is linked with the 179-yr cycle of the solar inertial motion previously identified by Jose (1965). A new prolonged minimum of solar activity may be imminent.     

MAGNETO-ATMOSPHERIC OSCILLATIONS IN A MODEL UMBRA

The behaviour of magneto-acoustic-gravity oscillations in a model umbra is investigated by means of a normal mode analysis. The normal modes are evaluated for different types of boundary conditions holding at various levels in the model atmosphere and for a range of magnetic field strengths and horizontal wave numbers. For certain boundary conditions complex eigenfrequencies are present. For atmospheric cavities whose lower boundary is located at the bottom of the photosphere or in the upper convective region, the coupling between horizontal and vertical motions leads to spectra which are sensitive to the value of the horizontal wave number, k, and the strength of the vertical magnetic field, B0. For cavities located above the temperature minimum, the eigenfrequencies are independent of both k and B0, supporting the conclusions of ugda, Locns, and Staude (1987) that the motion is longitudinal along the magnetic field lines. The frequencies evaluated from the normal mode analysis correspond closely to the observed 2–3-minute band found in sunspot umbrae.     

Observed Lα profiles for two solar flares: 14∶12 UT 15 June, 1973 and 23∶16 UT 21 January, 1974

Photographic observations of the time development of the profile of the L line of hydrogen during flares were obtained with the NRL spectrograph on ATM. The profiles for the 15 June, 1973 and 21 January, 1974 flares reported here cover both core and wings of the line. The time sequences begin before flare maximum, and continue well into the decay phase. Careful attention has been given to photometry and absolute calibration. In the case of the 15 June, 1973 flare, data are presented both first-order corrected and uncorrected for incomplete filling of the spectrograph slit by flaring material. Correction of the 21 January, 1974 flare was not possible. We discuss core symmetry and shift, and show that our observations imply integrated flare L/H intensity ratios within a factor of two of unity for these two flares.     

Neutral hydrogen filaments at high galactic latitudes

Small angular scale twists in Hi filaments identified at high galactic latitudes are associated with the location of enhanced emission features (EEFs), structures that have traditionally been referred to as clouds. It is shown that in these directions the column density of gas is enhanced through geometrical effects because the line-of-sight intersects a greater pathlength when viewing along a segment of filament axis (flux tube) than when the tline-of-sight is more normal to the filament axis. By interpreting the EEFs as isolated entities (clouds) we derive an incorrect impression as regards the properties of interstellar Hi. For example, EEFs are typically a factor of five to ten times deeper than they are wide and, hence, the derived properties of Hi structures that have traditionally been taken to be as deep as they are wide are incorrect. This study leads to questions about the way observations of 21 cm, molecular, and 100 emission are currently being interpreted. It is concluded that much of what is observed to be cloud structure in the interstellar medium (except in regions directly associated with star formation) is telling us about geometry of filaments and not about the physics of clouds, The very notion of an interstellar cloud may have outlived its usefulness and previous work that has attempted to account for these structures in terms of gravitational stability or pressure equilibrium has to be reconsidered in the light of the existence of complex patterns of filamentary structure, not only in the Hi distribution but also of interstellar cirrus defined by 100 emission.     

Automatic solar image motion measurements

The solar seeing image motion has been monitored electronically and absolutely with a 25 cm telescope at three sites along the ridge at the southern end of the Magdalena Mountains west of Socorro, New Mexico. The uncorrelated component of the variations of the optical flux from two points at opposite limbs of the solar disk was continually monitored in 3 frequencies centred at 0.3, 3 and 30 Hz. The frequency band of maximum signal centred at 3 Hz showed the average absolute value of image motion to be somewhat less than 2 although wide variations from 20 to an extraordinarily quiet day of less than the measurement limit of 1/2 were observed. The observer estimates of combined blurring and image motion were well correlated with electronically measured image motion, but the observer estimates gave a larger value × 2 presumable because the electronic measurement gave only the uncorrelated motion of opposite limbs. Approximately 30% of the total solar time would allow spatial position measurements of solar features to a precision 2 and, from the visual estimates, blurring limited measurements to a precision 4.     

Some results of the photospheric large-scale velocity research from Belgrade observations

On the basis of the possibility of sight-line velocity observations by a special equatorial solar spectrograph, a research programme for detection of photospheric large-scale velocities has been initiated. The first series of observations in the FeI 6302 Å absorption line has been limited to the central meridian.The combined limb effect assumed to incorporate an unresolved stationary photospheric motion, has been evaluated. The observed asymmetry of the obtained curve is mainly explained by dB ₀/dt.The remaining sight-line velocities along the central meridian, taken as random, gave an r.m.s. value of 32 m s^–1. In a few cases a certain kinematic situation in some areas along the central meridian lasted for 2 to 4 consecutive days. It is assumed that such velocity features belong to the kinematic picture of a large-scale photospheric motion which, as a whole, has not yet been clearly seen.     

Motions of Hα-spicules along the solar limb

A series of H-spectrograms obtained with the 21 in. Lyot coronagraph has been examined. Measurements of relative distances between spicules (nearly 50 features) embrace the time interval of about 21 min (38 pictures). It is found out that spicules oscillate along the limb with a characteristic time interval (period) about 1 min, characteristic amplitude of 1 arc sec and velocities about 10–15 km/s. The oscillations show no correlation for distant spicules.     

Stability of and motion aboutL 4 at three-to-one commensurability

The stability ofL ₄ and the motion aboutL ₄ in the restricted problem of three bodies is investigated when there is three-to-one commensurability between the long and short periods of motion, that is, when the mass ratio has the value =0.013516.... The two time scale method is used (1) to show thatL ₄ is an unstable equilibrium point when =₃, (2) to determine for what initial conditions periodic orbits occur when ₃, (3) to determine the stability of the periodic orbits, and (4) to investigate the boundedness of the motions aboutL ₄ when ₃.