Electrical conductivity of lunar surface rocks and chondritic meteorites

The electrical conductivities of several samples from returned Apollo 11 and 12 lunar rocks and from chondritic meteorites were measured from 300 to 1100K. Collectively the lunar samples represent all three of the major NASA classifications of lunar surface rocks. Of general interest is the observation that the conductivities of the lunar samples are much larger than the values which have previously been used in theoretical discussions of lunar phenomena. It is also found that the conductivity at 300K, (300), is extremely sensitive to the thermal history of the sample for both lunar and meteoritic material. Magnetic measurements are presented to help characterize the changes which occur upon heating.Principal Investigator - Apollo Lunar Science Program, Geophysics Research Laboratory, University of Tokyo, Japan.     

The Tokyo PMC catalog 85

The catalog of positions of 1007 stars (792 FK4 and FK4S stars, 57 OB stars, 49 NPZT stars, and 109 SAO stars) is presented. They were observed during the period from December 1984 to September 1985 with the Tokyo Photoelectric Meridian Circle (Tokyo PMC). The positions in the catalog are referred to the equinox and equator of J2000, and are based on the FK4 system. The internal errors of a single observation were estimated to be ( cos, )=(0.16, 0.19), whereas the mean internal errors of the catalog positions were (0.08, 0.08) for FK4 stars and (0.09, 0.11) for FK4S stars. A comparison of the positions of the FK4 stars in the present catalog with those of the FK4 catalog shows significant differences cos and in some declination zones. Some of those differences are commonly found in other recent catalogs. Thus they may be considered to be real systematic errors in the FK4 system. Neither significant magnitude nor color equations exist in the Tokyo PMC 85 catalog.     

Contributions to the kinematics of type I tails of comets

Observed irregular oscillations of the ion tail axis in comets have by some authors been brought in connection with changes in the flow conditions in the solar wind. We are defending in this paper — by arguments resting on well known observations — the conception that these oscillations are caused by slight variations in the emission conditions for the ions at their source which has always its place close to the cometary nucleus. A complete renovation of the innermost tail part up to a length of a few million km (called by Hoffmeister the primary tail) and defining the tail axis can take place within a few to several hours. Shifts of this axis are becoming visible when the new tail rays finish their closure along another direction than the earlier ones.The not so rarely observed jumps in the direction of the primary tail lead in connection with the large time scale — of about 24h — for a complete closure of a ray system from an individual ion out-break to the conclusion that we should expect occasionally the existence of two (or even more) different axis to which tail rays make their closure. Some photographs of Comet Bennett 1969i seem to show such double axis.     

The digital system ARTEMIS for real-time processing of radio transient emissions in the solar corona

We present the real-time digital data processing system named ARTEMIS that was developed and constructed by the Space Research Department (DESPA) of Paris-Meudon Observatory to digitize, calibrate, format, date, process, compress, and archive in real time signals from multichannel receivers. This system is controlled by a multiprocessor computer based on Motorola MC 68010/68020 processors; it permits the automatic, routine recording of 128 parallel channels at a rate up to 300 samples per second and per channel with a 12-bit accuracy (4096 levels of intensity); it is used to process and record the 120 channels of a multichannel solar radiospectrograph in the frequency range 110–469 MHz; the remaining 8 channels are used for a scanning spectrograph in the frequency range 30–80 MHz and a two-dimensional multicorrelator interferometer at 75.5 MHz. The large quantity of raw data is reduced in real-time from about 1.3 Gbytes to about 40 Mbytes per day by the use of an original algorithm for real-time data compression. It is expected that this new facility will allow us to build a very large data base of digitized and accurately calibrated solar events, in order to achieve statistical measurements over long periods of time.     

Direction-finding measurements of type III radio bursts out of the ecliptic plane

Direction-finding measurements with the plasma wave experiments on the HAWKEYE 1 and IMP 8 satellites are used to find the source locations of type III solar radio bursts in heliocentric latitude and longitude in a frequency range from 31.1 kHz to 500 kHz. IMP 8 has its spin axis perpendicular to the ecliptic plane; hence, by analyzing the spin modulation of the received signals the location of the type III burst projected into the ecliptic plane can be found. HAWKEYE 1 has its spin axis nearly parallel to the ecliptic plane; hence, the location of the source out of the ecliptic plane may also be determined. Using an empirical model for the emission frequency as a function of radial distance from the sun the three-dimensional trajectory of the type III radio source can be determined from direction-finding measurements at different frequencies. Since the electrons which produce these radio emissions follow the magnetic field lines from the Sun these measurements provide information on the three-dimensional structure of the magnetic field in the solar wind. The source locations projected into the ecliptic plane follow an Archimedean spiral. Perpendicular to the ecliptic plane the source locations usually follow a constant heliocentric latitude. When the best fit magnetic field line through the source locations is extrapolated back to the Sun this field line usually originates within a few degrees from the solar flare which produced the radio burst. With direction-finding measurements of this type it is also possible to determine the source size from the modulation factor of the received signals. For a type III event on June 8, 1974, the half angle source size was measured to be 60° at 500 kHz and 40° at 56.2 kHz as viewed from the Sun.Presented at Workshop on Mechanisms for Solar Type III Radio Bursts, Berkeley, California, May 8–9, 1975; see Solar Phys. 46, 433.     

Kinematics and evolution of twist in the eruptive prominence of August 18, 1980

The prominence which erupted at the SE limb on August 18, 1980 is one of the best observed disparition brusque events: high-resolution monochromatic ground-based observations in the H line were supplemented by the SMM and Solwind satellite coronographic observations; the radio wavelength range was well covered by single-frequency and spectral observations, and the prominence magnetic fields were measured two days before the eruption.The prominence showed a helical-like internal structure from the pre-eruptive phase, up to the late phases of eruption. The pitch angles of the helical-like threads were measured at several positions 31 along the prominence axis, and the evolution of twist was followed during the eruption. These measurements provide an estimate of the parameters which are directly comparable with theoretical models. The pitch angles of the helical threads decreased during the eruption. A redistribution of twist along the prominence axis could not be detected within the accuracy of measurements, although there are indications that the twist was partly transformed into an external kink-type screw of the prominence axis. The value of the total twist did not change during the eruption within the accuracy of the measurements.The kinematics of the process was followed, and accompanying events in the radio-range and soft X-rays are listed. Measurements of the magnetic field vector in the prominence are reviewed briefly. The observations were compared with predictions of cylindrical models, considering the forces acting at the prominence summit. Observational implications and constraints are discussed, and the decrease of the axial electric current and the mass loss are inferred.     

Uv Line Profiles of Biv from a 10-Ps Krf-Laser-Produced Plasma

We use a KrF laser that generates pulses up to 8 × 10¹⁴ watt/cm² when focused onto a boron nitride target. We measured the line profile of the near UV, n = 0, n = 2 transitions of helium-like boron and we studied the triplet 1s2p³P-1s2s³S at 2825.85 (J = 1), 2821.68 (J = 2) and 2824.57 (J = 0) Å, at various positions from the target surface, in order to correlate details of this profile with the presence of self-generated magnetic fields and/or dynamic turbulence among other processes. We fitted the measured profiles to a 0-D model, that includes, Stark, Doppler, Zeeman and instrumental broadening. The effect of the magnetic field was included using an intermediate field calculations. Preliminary results of these measurements are presented and discussed.     

Direction finding measurements of type III bursts in both elevation and azimuth

Direction finding measurements with the plasma wave experiments on the HAWKEYE 1 and IMP-8 satellites are used to find the source locations of type III solar radio bursts in elevation (geocentric solar ecliptic latitude) and azimuth (geocentric solar ecliptic longitude) in a frequency range from 31.1 kHz to 500 kHz. IMP-8 has its spin axis perpendicular to the ecliptic plane, hence by analyzing the spin modulation of the signals the location of the type III burst projected into the ecliptic can be found. HAWKEYE 1 has its spin axis nearly parallel to the ecliptic plane, hence the elevation of the source may also be determined. The trajectory of the electrons generating the burst, projected onto the ecliptic plane, follows an Archimedean spiral. Out of the ecliptic plane the trajectory is at a nearly constant heliographic latitude. The electrons originate from a region near a solar flare. With direction measurements of elevation and azimuth along with the modulation factor it is possible to determine the source size. Typical half angle source sizes range from 60° at 500 kHz to 40° at 56.2 kHz as viewed from the sun.     

Localization of gamma-ray bursts with wide field multiple pinhole camera system in near earth orbit

A multiple pinhole camera system has been designed and proposed for a small satellite of the SAS type for the detection and localization of gamma-ray bursts. The instrument consists of a three unit array of detectors each of which includes a semi-cylindrical collimator surrounding a twodimensional position-sensitive detector. The collimator contains slits of 1 mm width that are cut parallel to the axis of the cylinder. The slits are randomly arranged in azimuth around the cylinder. X-rays may enter the counter through several surfaces. The point at which photoelectric interaction takes place is determined in two dimensions in a plane perpendicular to the cylinder axis. Each unit of the system determines the position of a burst to a great circle. An intersection of two (or three) great circles provides the precise positions.The field of view of the instrument is 2.7 ster, essentially the entire region of sky not occulted by the Earth. It is designed to operate in the energy range 20–100 keV. An instrument sized to fit a SAS spacecraft has a sensitivity of better than 10^–6 erg cm^–2 for bursts whose intense phases occur in less than a total of three seconds. For stronger bursts (>10^–5 erg cm^–2) the location precision is better than a minute of arc.Paper presented at the COSPAR Symposium on Fast Transients in X-and Gamma-Rays, held at Varna, Bulgaria, 29–31 May, 1975.     

The local invariants under rotations about an axis and their applications

The three possible scalar products formed from the position-speed state vector lead to Stumpff's local invariants. The assumption of a distinguished axis (001) gives rise to the axial local invariantsz and under the rotations about this axis.-If a satellite moves in the field of a rotationally symmetric central body, then there will be an appropriate set of invariants for which a regular, non-linear system of differential equations holds. It can be used to derive recurrence relations for time series expansions and special perturbation methods, which are characterised by the occurrence of the scalar products of the perturbational acceleration with the position and speed vectors and (001).Presented at the Conference on Celestial Mechanics, Oberwolfach, Germany, August 17–23, 1969.     

Spatial and Temporal Behavior of a Laser Generated Titanium Plasma

Optical emission studies have been performed on the laser ablation of Titanium metallic targets. The high intensity radiation of a pulsed N₂ laser (337.1 nm; 8 J/cm²) was focused onto the target to generate a short living (150 ns) plasma cloud that expands away from the surface into vacuum at high velocities. Time resolved measurements were taken as a function of the distance from the studied surface with a spatial rsolution of 20 µm, by collecting the emitted light in a direction perpendicular to the plasma expansion axis. A simple diffusion model with a source term is proposed to demonstrate the interaction of the laser beam with the plasma plume, as derived from analysis of the space-time behavior of several UV and visible atomic transitions.     

Non-gravitational force modeling of Comet 81P/Wild 2: II. Rotational evolution

In this paper, we have studied both the dynamical and the rotational evolution of an 81P/Wild 2-like comet under the effects of the outgassing-induced force and torque. The main aim is to study if it is possible to reproduce the non-gravitational orbital changes observed in this comet, and to establish the likely evolution of both orbital and rotational parameters. To perform this study, a simple thermophysical model has been used to estimate the torque acting on the nucleus. Once the torque is calculated, Euler equations are solved numerically considering a nucleus mass directly estimated from the changes in the orbital elements (as determined from astrometry). According to these simulations, when the water production rate and changes in orbital parameters for 1997, as well as observational rotational parameters for 2004 are imposed as constraints, the change in the orbital period of 81P/Wild 2, , will decrease so that to , which is similar to the actual tendency observed from 1988 up to 1997. This nearly constant decreasing can be explained as due to a slight drift of the spin axis orientation towards larger ecliptic longitudes. After studying the possible spin axis orientations proposed for 1997, simulations suggest that the spin obliquity and argument (I,Φ)=(56°,167°) is the most likely. As for rotational evolution, changes per orbit smaller than 10% of the actual spin velocity are probable, while the most likely value corresponds to a change between 2 and 7% of the spin velocity. Equally, net changes in the spin axis orientation of 4°-8° per orbit are highly expected.     

A decade of cost-reduction in very large telescopes (The SST as prototype of special-purpose telescopes)

Many design and technical innovations over the past ten or fifteen years have reduced the costs of very large telescopes by nearly an order of magnitude over those of classical designs. Still a further order of magnitude reduction is possible if the telescope is specialized for on-axis spectroscopy, giving up especially the luxuries of wide field, multiple focal positions, and access to all the sky at will. The SST (Spectroscopic Survey Telescope) with use eighty-five 1 m circular mirrors mounted in a steel frame composed of hundreds of interlocking tetrahedrons, keeping a fixed elevation angle of 60° with rotation only in azimuth. Using an optical fiber it will feed as much light to spectrographs as can be done by a conventional 8 m telescope, yet has a target basic completion cost of only $6 million.Paper presented at the Symposium on the JNLT and Related Engineering Development, Tokyo, November 29–December 2, 1988.     

The solar surface differential rotation from disk-integrated chromospheric fluxes

Disk-integrated solar chromospheric Caii K-line (3933.68 ) fluxes have been measured almost daily at Sacramento Peak Observatory since 1977. Using observing windows selected to mimic seasonal windows for chromospheric measurements of lower Main-Sequence stars such as those observed by Mount Wilson Observatory's HK Project, we have measured the solar rotation from the modulation of the Caii K-line flux. We track the change of rotation period from the decline of cycle 21 through the maximum of cycle 22. This variation in rotation period is shown to behave as expected from the migration of active regions in latitude according to Maunder's butterfly diagram, including an abrupt change in rotation period at the transition from cycle 21 to cycle 22. These results indicate the successful detection of solar surface differential rotation from disk-integrated observations. We argue that the success of our study compared to previous investigations of the solar surface differential rotation from disk-integrated fluxes lies primarily with the choice of the length of the time-series window. Our selection of 200 days is shorter than in previous studies whose windows are typically on the order of one year. The 200-day window is long enough to permit an accurate determination of the rotation period, yet short enough to avoid complications arising from active region evolution. Thus, measurements of the variation of rotation period in lower Main-Sequence stars, especially those that appear to be correlated with long-term changes in chromospheric activity (i.e., cycles), are probably evidence for stellar surface differential rotation.     

Log N — log S of radio sources at 10 GHz with flat spectra

A logN — logS relation at 10 GHz is constructed for sources with the flat spectra 0.5 (flux densitySv ^–) from observations at NRO, MPIfR and others. Based on the source distribution on log (Luminosity) volume plane we obtain an epoch-depending luminosity function which explains the above relation.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984.Nobeyama Radio Observatory, a branch of the Tokyo Astronomical Observatory, University of Tokyo, is a facility open for general use by researchers in the field of astronomy and astrophysics.     

The equatorial latitude of auroral activity during 1972–1977

The equatorial latitude of auroral activity has been derived from both electron and optical observations with the DMSP satellites. Virtually all of the observations that were obtained during the 5-year interval June 1972-September 1977 have been used to construct a nearly continuous plot of invariant geomagnetic latitude versus time.This plot has two main characteristics: (1) A diurnal variation of approximately ± 5° which is associated with the precession of the Earth's magnetic dipole axis about the Earth's rotation axis; (2) an irregular variation of roughly 5–10° for intervals of one to several days associated with the occurrence of solar flares and coronal holes.With the help of a condensed, Bartels-type display of these measurements, we conclude that: (a) Modest auroral expansions (to ~ 60°) occur during the main body of high-speed streams from coronal holes; (b) great expansions (to < 55°) occur only during intervals of intense interplanetary magnetic fields such as may occur at the leading edge of a high-speed stream or at a flare-produced interplanetary shock.     

The He+ λ 4686 line in the low chromosphere

We report an unsuccessful search for the He⁺ 4686 line in the low chromosphere. However, at the location of this line we detect a number of other chromospheric emission lines. This leads us to the conclusion that the He⁺ 4686 identification made in the past, as well as other identifications, are probably in error. Additionally the region of the neutral helium 4713 line is also studied.On leave from Tokyo Astronomical Observatory, Mitaka, Japan.     

The angle of inclination of the sunspot symmetry axis to the solar surface

The Wilson effect, used before only as a method of determining the physical depression of sunspots, is used here to estimate a quite different parameter - the sunspot symmetry axis inclination angle to the solar surface, this explains the observed negative Wilson effect.On the basis of photoheliograms taken with three telescopes of the High-Altitude Solar observatory Peak Alma-Ata, the Wilson effect for the whole solar disk is investigated, the east and west parts of the disk being studied separately. 111 sunspots of regular shape at different heliocentric angles were measured, eight of them being under observations from one limb to the other. To study the dependence of the Wilson effect on the heliocentric angle, all observations within an angular interval of 10° were averaged. The dependence thus derived is described by two sinusoids having the zero point shifted along both axes. The shift of the zero Wilson effect to the west, i.e., a shift along the heliocentric angle axis, can be caused by the deviation of the sunspot axis to the east from the normal to the solar surface. On the line of sight-normal plane the angle corresponding to this deviation is =34°±14°.     

A solar flare X-ray polarimeter for the space shuttle

We have recently built and tested an instrument designed to measure the polarization of the hard (5–30 keV) X-ray emission from solar flares, and thereby to investigate the energy release mechanism and constrain flare models. In particular, these measurements will help to determine whether hard X-ray bursts are produced by nonthermal or by thermal electrons. The polarimeter makes use of the angular dependence of Thomson scattering from targets of metallic lithium. It has an energy resolution of a few keV, a time resolution of 5 s, and sufficient sensitivity to measure polarization levels (3) of a few percent in about 10 s for a moderate strength solar flare. The instrumental polarization has been directly measured and found to be within the design goal of 1%. This polarimeter is scheduled to be flown as part of the OSS-1 pallet on an early Space Shuttle mission.