Brightness temperatures of the quiet sun and new moon at the 6 mm wavelength

Absolute brightness temperatures and brightness temperature ratios of a quiet region near the center of the solar disk and the central region of the new moon were measured simultaneously at the 6 mm wavelength. The measured quiet sun/new moon brightness temperature ratios and reported central brightness temperatures of the new moon confirm the measured brightness temperature of the quiet sun at the 6 mm wavelength.Reported central brightness temperatures of the new moon are tabulated and graphed as a function of frequency and wavelength. The equation of a linear regression line for the reported measurements is given for estimating the brightness temperature of the new moon at any millimeter wavelength. Estimated brightness temperatures of the new moon and measured quiet sun/new moon ratios are used to estimate solar brightness temperatures at several millimeter wavelengths. The solar brightness temperatures, the regression line, and the Van de Hulst theoretical model are presented graphically as a function of frequency and wavelength. The regression line equation is given for estimating solar brightness temperatures at any wavelength in the 6 to 1 mm wavelength interval and is solved for the wavelength of the measured ratios.Reported solar brightness temperatures in the millimeter wavelength region are tabulated. The measured temperatures in the 6 to 1 mm wavelength interval and a linear regression line are presented graphically as a function of frequency and wavelength. The regression line equation is given and solved for the solar brightness temperatures at the 6 mm wavelength.This work supported by the U.S. Air Force under Contract No. F04701-69-C-0066.     

Near-infrared (0.67-4.7 μm) optical constants estimated for montmorillonite

Optical constants are estimated from near-infrared reflectance spectra of the smectite clay montmorillonite using an iterative combination of particulate scattering theory and Kramers-Kronig analysis. The final results provide wavelength dependent imaginary indices of refraction similar to previous studies, but in addition produce wavelength dependent real indices of refraction, unlike most previous studies. A comparison of the values derived here to those previously reported for montmorillonite shows that the maxima absorption coefficient values from the two studies are in excellent agreement, and in other wavelength regions the two studies agree to within about a factor of two. This suggests that the approach presented can provide a reliable mechanism of estimating the wavelength dependence of both the real and imaginary indices for materials at visible and near-infrared wavelengths. The resulting near-infrared values are combined with mid-infrared values of the same sample to provide optical constants of montmorillonite over the 0.66-25 μm wavelength region.     

Solar radio emission at 1.2 mm wavelength

Some properties of solar active regions at 1.2 mm wavelength are discussed. Equatorial and polar brightness distributions of the quiet Sun at 1.2 mm wavelength are also presented.     

Optical polarimetry of Comet West 1976 VI

The polarization of the continuum of Comet West 1976 VI was measured in four narrowband filters spanning the wavelengths 440–850 nm. The postperihelion observations indicated wavelength independent linear polarization on each of the three occasions on which it was measured. The wavelength independence is in agreement with other polarization measurements of this comet from the visible to the near-infrared, but it counters the general tendency in comets for the polarization to increase with wavelength. The magnitude of the polarization as a function of scattering angle, the wavelength independence, and the infrared and optical photometric properties suggests that dirty silicates (n₁≈0.05) with radii smaller than 5 μm but approaching this size may be responsible. No circular polarization was detected.     

The relation between the intensities of umbra and penumbra of large sunspots

Based on pinhole photometer observations in 4–6 wavelength regions we have searched for a connection between the intensities of the umbra and the penumbra of sunspots. For the 1.67 μm wavelength region it is apparent that spots with dark umbrae also have dark penumbrae. In the other wavelength regions similar relations are found. The darkness of the spot is probably connected with the degree of complexity of the spot.     

A study of solar radio emission in the light of Sengupta's model of coronal active regions

Daily solar radio flux at six different frequencies in dm, cm and mm wavelength regions has been studied for 182 days from December 1, 1970 to May 30, 1971. It is found that the slowly varying component of the centimeter wave emission correlates well with the physical model of the coronal active regions derived by Sengupta (Sengupta, 1971b) from which, as he showed earlier, most of the solar soft X-rays of wavelength less than 20 Å comes. It is also found that the cm wave emission is consistent with the assumption that the emitting regions are optically thin in this wavelength range.Emissions in dm and mm wavelength ranges, however, show poor correlation with the physical model of the soft X-ray emitting regions.It is concluded that the preferred regions of cm wave emission are located in the same region of solar corona from where most of the soft X-rays comes, but are different from the preferred regions of mm and dm emission.     

Spectral averaging of the point spread function for Yohkoh's SXT

The point spread function of the soft X-ray telescope (SXT) aboard the Yohkoh spacecraft is a Moffat function with elliptical characteristics. This function has two parameters, a and b, that are wavelength dependent in the X-ray region of interest. Since most SXT data analysis is performed with respect to plasma temperature rather than wavelength, it is useful to spectrally average these two parameters over wavelength with temperature as the free variable. The results of this spectral averaging are given here for users of SXT data.     

Observations of Saturn at a wavelength of 49.5 cm

Radio emission from the planet Saturn was detected and measured by an unusually efficient observing technique at a wavelength of 49.5cm. The corresponding equivalent disk brightness temperature was hence determined to be 390 ± 65°K, providing further evidence for a mild enhancement in the emission at long wavelengths. It is pointed out that the currently available measurements of the disk brightness temperature in the wavelength range 1mm-1m are, as a whole, inadequate for estimating with confidence the detailed shape of the spectrum and that the exiguous, long wavelength observations should be supplemented with more and accurate measurements.     

On extinction by small graphite,silicate and iron particles

The refractive indices of graphite, silicate and iron, which are believed to be candidates for interstellar dust grains, are shown to exhibit large experimental uncertainties. The Mie scattering theory has been used to demonstrate how errors in the refractive indices are manifested in the extinction curves for small spheres in the wavelength range from 0.1 μm to 2 μm. It is found that the transmitted errors in the extinction curves are wavelength dependent: for graphite, significant errors occur in the far ultraviolet part of the extinction curve; for silicates, in the near ultraviolet; while for iron the error is relatively small in the wavelength range considered.     

Solar brightness distribution at 3mm wavelength from observations of the eclipse of 1976 October 23

Observations of the Sun were made at 3 mm wavelength during the total eclipse of 1976 October 23. Analysis of the record obtained near third contact indicates that the Sun at this wavelength is slightly limb-brightened, and that the solar radius is 1.007 times the photospheric radius.     

Effective index of calcite and quartz

The thickness of calcite or quartz required for an element of a given half width (FWHM) depends not only on the wavelength and index difference of the birefringent material, but also the first derivative of the index difference with wavelength. For calcite, the effective index difference can differ by as much as 50% from published values.     

3.3 Millimeter limb brightening measurements during the 30 June 1973 total solar eclipse

Solar limb brightening measurements at a wavelength of 3.3 mm were made during the 30 June 1973 total solar eclipse from a site at Lake Rudolf, Kenya. The results show that at this wavelength there is a limb brightening of about 20%, occurring within one half arc min of the limb.     

Scattering properties of planetary regolith analogs

The physics of scattering of electromagnetic waves by media in which the particles are in contact, such as planetary regoliths, has been thought to be relatively well understood when the particles are larger than the wavelength. However, this is not true when the particles are comparable with or smaller than the wavelength. We have measured the scattering parameters of planetary regolith analogs consisting of suites of well-sorted abrasives whose particles ranged from larger to smaller than the wavelength. We measured the variation of reflectance as the phase angle varied from 0.05° to 140°. The following parameters of the media were then deduced: the single scattering albedo, single scattering phase function, transport mean free path, and scattering, absorption, and extinction coefficients. A scattering model based on the equation of radiative transfer was empirically able to describe quantitatively the variation of intensity with angle for each sample. Thus, such models can be used to characterize scattering from regoliths even when the particles are smaller than the wavelength. The scattering parameters were remarkably insensitive to particle size. These results are contrary to theoretical predictions, but are consistent with earlier measurements of alumina abrasives that were restricted to small phase angles. They imply that a basic assumption made by virtually all regolith scattering models, that the regolith particles are the fundamental scattering units of the medium, is incorrect. Our understanding of scattering by regoliths appears to be incomplete, even when the particles are larger than the wavelength.     

Topology of magnetic field and polarization in accretion discs of AGN

In this paper we demonstrate that the wavelength dependence of polarization degree and position angle allows us to derive the distribution of magnetic field in accretion disc. The polarized radiation arises due to scattering of emission light by electrons in a magnetized optically thick accretion disc. Faraday rotation of polarization plane is taken into consideration. Through wavelength dependence of polarization it is possible to derive the value of the magnetic Prandtl number in the accretion disc plasma. The power law index of the polarization wavelength dependence is related with the radial distribution of magnetic field in an accretion disc. This allows us to test the various models of an accretion disc around the central black hole.     

Planetary brightness temperature measurements at 1.4-mm wavelength

Precise relative measurements of the disk brightness temperatures of Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn have been made at a mean wavelength of 1.4 mm. The rings of Saturn contribute significantly to the observed total emission. Other results include a better understanding of the properties of the NRAO 11-m antenna near its high frequency limit and of atmospheric degradation of observations in this wavelength range.     

Arecibo radar observations of Rhea, Dione, Tethys, and Enceladus

We have measured the bulk radar reflectance properties of the mid-size saturnian satellites Rhea, Dione, Tethys, and Enceladus with the Arecibo Observatory's 13 cm wavelength radar system during the 2004 through 2007 oppositions of the Saturn system. Comparing to the better studied icy Galilean satellites, we find that the total reflectivities of Rhea and Tethys are most similar to Ganymede while Dione is most similar to Callisto. Enceladus' reflectivity falls between those of Ganymede and Europa. The mean circular polarization ratios of the saturnian satellites range from ∼0.8 to 1.2, and are on average lower than those of the icy Galilean satellites at this wavelength although still larger than expected for single reflections off the surface. The ratio for the trailing hemisphere of Enceladus may be the exception with a value ?0.56. The 13 cm wavelength radar albedos and polarization ratios may be systematically lower than similar results from the Cassini orbiter's RADAR instrument at 2.2 cm wavelength [Ostro, S.J., and 19 colleagues, 2006. Icarus 183, 479-490]. Overall, these reflectivities and polarization properties, together with the shapes of the echo spectra, suggest subsurface multiple scattering to be the dominant reflection mechanism although operating less efficiently than on the large icy moons of Jupiter. All these saturnian moons and icy jovian moons are atmosphere-less, low temperature water ice surfaces, and any differences in radar properties may be indicative of differences in composition or the effects of various processes that modify the regolith structure. The degree of variation in radar properties with wavelength on each satellite may constrain the thickness and efficiency of the scattering layer.     

Polarimetry of main belt asteroids: Wavelength dependence

New UBVRI polarimetric observations of ten asteroids, including space mission targets 1 Ceres and 21 Lutetia, are presented. These observations were obtained with the 1.25-m telescope of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory and have been used to study the wavelength dependence of polarization for a sample of asteroids belonging to the M and low albedo classes. A more general analysis including also a larger data set of UBVRI polarimetric observations available in the literature for more than 50 main belt asteroids belonging to different taxonomic classes shows that the variation of the polarization degree Pr as a function of wavelength is generally well described by a linear trend. It typically does not exceed 0.2% in the studied spectral range 0.37-0.83 microns and tends to increase for increasing phase angle. Asteroids belonging to the S and M classes are found to exhibit a deeper negative branch and smaller positive polarization for increasing wavelength (negative sign of the slope of ΔPr/Δλ). Since the objects belonging to these classes are known to exhibit reddish reflectance spectra, the observed wavelength behavior of negative polarization contradicts the well-known inverse correlation of Pmin and albedo. Low albedo asteroids show larger dispersion of spectral slopes, but the overall trend is characterized by a shallower negative branch and a larger positive polarization for increasing wavelength (positive sign of the slope of ΔPr/Δλ). A few exceptions from this general trend are discussed. The observed variety in the wavelength dependence of asteroid polarization seems to be mainly attributed to surface composition.     

Soho Observations of the Connection Between Line Profile Parameters in Active and Quiet Regions and the Net Red Shift in Euv Emission Lines

We present high spatial and spectral resolution observations of one active and one quiet-Sun region, obtained with CDS and SUMER on SOHO. The connections between the line profile parameters are studied and a systematic wavelength shift towards the red with increasing peak line intensity (line broadening) is detected. The large scatter in the data calls for another approach. We apply conditional probability analysis to a series of EUV emission lines and find significant correlations between line profile parameters. For a given interval in wavelength shift we find that: (1) line profiles with large intensities (line widths) and red shifts above the average constitute an increasing fraction of the profiles as the relative wavelength shift increases, (2) line profiles with large intensities (line widths) and blue shifts compared to the average, on the other hand, constitute a decreasing fraction of the profiles as the relative wavelength shift increases. These results extend the findings of an earlier quiet-Sun study from one to several emission lines and expand the validity to include the active region. Interestingly, the active region observations show correlations between peak line intensity and wavelength shift in the coronal lines.The tendency for red-shifted profiles to be more intense than blue-shifted profiles will shift line profiles derived by integrating along the slit towards the red. From the present observations we are not able to determine the fraction of the net red shift that emerges from this correlation. We suggest that the same mechanism is responsible both for the correlation between the line profile parameters and for the differential red shift between the transition region and chromospheric emission lines.     

A new photometric study of T Tauri stars in the infrared

We have compiled infrared photometric data from the literature of practically all T Tauri stars found up to date including 444 classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs), 1698 weak-line T Tauri stars (WTTSs) and 1258 not classified T Tauri stars (3400 in total) in addition to 196 post-T Tauri stars (PTTSs). From this data bank we extract the infrared characteristics of the different groups and discuss different origins of the infrared radiation. The observational data are taken from the AKARI, IRAS, WISE and 2MASS missions. We show that in the wavelength range 1–140 μm, all T Tauri stars have infrared excesses. CTTSs have more infrared excess than WTTSs, while PTTSs have little or no infrared excess. We found that in the 1–3 μm wavelength range the infrared emission of T Tauri stars is mainly due to thermal radiation from the photosphere and hot dust grains from circumstellar envelopes. In the 3–140 μm wavelength range the infrared emission of T Tauri stars is mainly due to radiation from dusty/gaseous disks surrounding the stars. In addition, we also make a comparison between T Tauri stars and Herbig AeBe stars (HAeBe). There are some differences between these two kinds of objects in that for HAeBe stars the infrared radiation as a rule originates in dusty/gaseous disks in the 1–3 μm wavelength range, while in the range 3–12 μm it is possibly due to PAH emission for about half of HAeBe stars. In other wavelength ranges both kinds of stars have similar infrared characteristics indicating emission from dusty/gaseous disks.