Molecular dynamics estimates for the thermodynamic properties of the Fe–S liquid cores of the Moon,Io, Europa,and Ganymede

A molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is performed for the physical and chemical properties of solid and liquid Fe–S solutions using the embedded atom model (EAM) potential as applied to the internal structure of the Moon, Io, Europa, and Ganymede under the assumption that the satellites' cores can be described by a two-component iron–sulfur system. Calculated results are presented for the thermodynamic parameters including the caloric, thermal, and elastic properties (specific heat, thermal expansion, Grüneisen parameter, density, compression module, velocity of sound, and adiabatic gradient) of the Fe–S solutions at sulfur concentrations of 0–18 at %, temperatures of up to 2500 K, and pressures of up to 14 GPa. The velocity of sound, which increases as pressure rises, is weakly dependent on sulfur concentration and temperature. For the Moon’s outer Fe–S core (~5 GPa/2000 K), which contains 6–16 at % (3.5–10 wt %) sulfur, the density and the velocity of sound are estimated at 6.3–7.0 g/cm³ and 4000 ± 50 m/s, respectively. The MD calculations are compared with the interpretation of the Apollo observations (Weber et al., 2011) to show a good consistency of the velocity of P-waves in the Moon’s liquid core whereas the thermodynamic density of the Fe–S core is not consistent with the seismic models with ρ = 5.1–5.2 g/cm³ (Garcia et al., 2011; Weber et al., 2011). The revision the density values for the core leads to the revision of its size and mass. At sulfur concentrations of 3.5–10 wt %, the density of the Fe–S melt is 20–30% higher that the seismic density of the core. Therefore, the most likely radius of the Moon’s outer core must be less than 330 km (Weber et al., 2011) because, provided that the constraint on the Moon’s mass and moment of inertia is satisfied, an increase in the density of the core must lead to a reduction of its radius. For Jupiter’s Galilean moons Io, Europa, and Ganymede, constraints are obtained on the size, density, and sound velocity of the Fe–S liquid cores. The geophysical and geochemical characteristics of the internal structure of the Moon and Jupiter’s moons are compared. The calculations of the adiabatic gradient at the P–T conditions for the Fe–S cores of the Moon, Io, Europa, and Ganymede suggest the top-down crystallization of the core (Fe-snow scenario).     

Meta-analysis from different tracers of the small Local Arm around the Sun—extent,shape, pitch,origin

The Sun in not located in a major spiral arm, and sits in a small ‘Local Arm’ (variously called arm, armlet, blob, branch, bridge, feather, finger, segment, spur, sub-arm, swath, etc.). The diversity of names for the ‘Local Arm’ near the Sun indicates an uncertainty about its shape or pitch or its extent from the Sun in each galactic quadrant, as well as an uncertainty about its origin.Here we extract data about the small ‘Local Arm’ near the Sun, from the recent observational literature, over many arm tracers, and we use statistics in order to find the local arm’s mean extent from the Sun, its possible shape and pitch angle from the direction of galactic longitude \(90^{\circ}\). Employing all tracers, the Local Arm is about 4 kpc long by 2 kpc large. The Sun is within 1 kpc of the center of the local arm. Proposed ‘bridges’ and ‘fingers’ are assessed. These bridges to nearby spiral arms and fingers across spiral arms may not reach the nearest spiral arms, owing to kinematic and photometric distance effects.We then compare these statistical results with some predictions from recent models proposed to explain the local arm (perturbations, resonances, density wave, halo supercloud, debris trail from a dwarf galaxy).The least controversial models involve importing materials from elsewhere (halo supercloud, debris trail) as a first step, and to be later deformed in a second step (by the Galaxy’s differential rotation into become roughly parallel to spiral arms) and then subjected to ongoing forces (global density waves, local perturbations).     

Questions,questions: Can the contradictions between the petrologic,isotopic, thermodynamic,and astrophysical constraints on chondrule formation be resolved?

Abstract– Here, we show that several geochemical indicators point to number densities during chondrule formation that were far higher than can be accounted for by known nebula processes. The number densities implied by compound chondrules and nonspherical chondrules are shown to be significantly higher than estimated in previous studies. At the implied chondrule number densities, if a chondrule formation region survived a formation event it would have been gravitationally bound and would have collapsed quite rapidly to form an asteroidal‐sized body. The diversity of chondrule compositions and textures in a chondrite group could have formed in a single event in subvolumes of a formation region that were chemically isolated from one another because of slow diffusion in the gas. Within these subvolumes, equilibration between chondrules with different compositions would have been fairly rapid, although small isotopic mass fractionations in elements like Fe, Si, Mg, and O may persist. This could explain the existence of the small isotopic mass fractionations in these elements that have been observed in chondrules. However, the evidence for recycling of chondrules requires that there was more than one chondrule formation event prior to formation of a parent asteroid. Finally, we argue that OC and CO chondrule Mg‐Al systematics are both consistent with single ages or narrow ranges of ages, and that the CO, and possibly the OC, ages date parent body alteration. This would resolve the conundrum of needing to preserve in a turbulent nebula physically and chemically distinct CO and OC chondrule populations for 1–2 Myr.     

A study of the nature of the Hα-emission stars LkHα112, 115, 118, and 119

The present study of the nature of the stars LkH112, LkH115, LkH118, and LkH119 is based on low-dispersion IDS spectra and photometric measurements in the wavelength range between 0.33 and 3.8 m. These stars are located in the direction of the extremely young open cluster NGC 6530 (Walker, 1957). The purpose of this study is, in general, to know whether they belong to the group of intermediate mass pre-main sequence objects, also known as Herbig Ae/Be stars, and, in particular, what special characteristics they possess. The result is as follows. The stars are very young; probably only LkH112 and LkH115 are members of the above-mentioned class of objects. The membership of LkH118 and LkH119 in this group is doubtful.Based on observations made at the European Southern Observatory, La Silla, Chile.     

Effects of the solar eclipse of August 1, 2008, on the earth’s lower atmosphere

The paper presents results of optical observations and analysis of dynamics of effects on the earth’s lower atmosphere of the partial solar eclipse (of magnitude 42%) of August 1, 2008, near Kharkov. This is compared with the effects induced by the partial solar eclipses on August 11, 1999, and October 3, 2005. All three eclipses occurred around midday. The standard deviation of the solar-limb displacement σ _S during the eclipses on October 3, 2005, August 1, 2008, and August 11, 1999, was established to decrease by 0.13, 0.30, and 0.68″ at the maximum of the solar obscuration function 0.13, 0.31, and 0.73, respectively, so that the temperature drop in the earth’s lower atmosphere t _a was 1.3, 2.0, and 7.3 K. The time lags of decreases of σ _S and t _a was found to be 15 and 5 minutes.     

Temperature Response of the 171 Å Passband of the SWAP Imager on PROBA2, with a Comparison to TRACE, SOHO, STEREO, and SDO

We calculated the temperature response of the 171 Å passbands of the Sun Watcher using APS detectors and image Processing (SWAP) instrument onboard the PRoject for OnBoard Autonomy 2 (PROBA2) satellite. These results were compared to the temperature responses of the Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE), the twin Extreme Ultraviolet Imagers (EUVI) onboard the Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) A and B spacecraft, and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Multiplying the wavelength-response functions for each instrument by a series of isothermal synthetic spectra and integrating over the range 165?–?195 Å produced temperature-response functions for the six instruments. Each temperature response was then multiplied by sample differential emission-measure functions for four different solar conditions. For any given plasma condition (e.g. quiet Sun, active region), it was found that the overall variation with temperature agreed remarkably well across the six instruments, although the wavelength responses for each instrument have some distinctly different features. Deviations were observed, however, when we compared the response of any one instrument to different solar conditions, particularly for the case of solar flares.     

Diurnal variation of the linear polarization across the Hβ Fraunhofer line of the terrestrial atmosphere,I

When spectra of the daytime sky are compared with those directly from the Sun, it is found that the depths of the Fraunhofer lines are reduced. This indicates the presence of an added light, the Ring effect. Most previous research on the Ring effect has been performed spectroscopically, with the notion that the added component is always unpolarized. Here we presented spectropolarimetric observations using the principle of the line depth method (compression between the line centre and its continuum) to investigate this effect. The general scattered light of the blue sky is polarized and as the additional component may or may not also be polarized, the filling-in effect should be detectable by performing spectropolarimetry, which indeed has been achieved. The observations have involved the use of high precision polarimetry with spectral resolution 2 Å at the H Fraunhofer spectral line. The data indicate a variation of the linear polarization in the H line centre as a function of the solar zenith angle. One possible advantage of the polarimetric technique is that the Ring effect detections can be made without recourse to solar measurements directly or indirectly using an attenuator. Finally, a model without knowledge of the filling-in mechanism, has yielded a good qualitative agreement with the observational behaviours and it can be taken as a first step to explain the variation of the linear polarization across the spectral line.     

A Comparison of Solar Cycle Variations in the Equatorial Rotation Rates of the Sun’s Subsurface, Surface, Corona, and Sunspot Groups

Using the Solar Optical Observing Network (SOON) sunspot-group data for the period 1985?–?2010, the variations in the annual mean equatorial-rotation rates of the sunspot groups are determined and compared with the known variations in the solar equatorial-rotation rates determined from the following data: i) the plasma rotation rates at 0.94R_⊙,0.95R_⊙,…,1.0R_⊙ measured by the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) during the period 1995?–?2010, ii) the data on the soft-X-ray corona determined from Yohkoh/SXT full-disk images for the years 1992?–?2001, iii) the data on small bright coronal structures (SBCS) that were traced in Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)/EIT images during the period 1998?–?2006, and iv) the Mount Wilson Doppler-velocity measurements during the period 1986?–?2007. A large portion (up to ≈?30^° latitude) of the mean differential-rotation profile of the sunspot groups lies between those of the internal differential-rotation rates at 0.94R_⊙ and 0.98R_⊙. The variation in the yearly mean equatorial-rotation rate of the sunspot groups seems to be lagging behind that of the equatorial-rotation rate determined from the GONG measurements by one to two years. The amplitude of the GONG measurements is very small. The solar-cycle variation in the equatorial-rotation rate of the solar corona closely matches that determined from the sunspot-group data. The variation in the equatorial-rotation rate determined from the Mount Wilson Doppler-velocity data closely resembles the corresponding variation in the equatorial-rotation rate determined from the sunspot-group data that included the values of the abnormal angular motions (>?|3^°|?day^?1) of the sunspot groups. Implications of these results are pointed out.     

The results of the photographic positional observations of Venus on the wide-field astrograph of the Sternberg Astronomical Institute,Moscow State University,in 1969–1988

A new technique for the reduction of the observed position of Venus with a correction for the phase effect and photographic irradiation is briefly described. For the first time, a method for bringing the observed position of Venus into the system of standard exposure is proposed that considerably diminishes the random errors of a session and the whole line of observations. Original Venus observational material is presented together with accuracy estimations. The O-C difference yielded by the reduction procedure is plotted along both coordinate axes.     

Horizontal branch stars: the interplay between observations and theory,and insights into the formation of the Galaxy

We review and discuss horizontal branch (HB) stars in a broad astrophysical context, including both variable and non-variable stars. A reassessment of the Oosterhoff dichotomy is presented, which provides unprecedented detail regarding its origin and systematics. We show that the Oosterhoff dichotomy and the distribution of globular clusters in the HB morphology-metallicity plane both exclude, with high statistical significance, the possibility that the Galactic halo may have formed from the accretion of dwarf galaxies resembling present-day Milky Way satellites such as Fornax, Sagittarius, and the LMC—an argument which, due to its strong reliance on the ancient RR Lyrae stars, is essentially independent of the chemical evolution of these systems after the very earliest epochs in the Galaxy’s history. Convenient analytical fits to isochrones in the HB type–[Fe/H] plane are also provided. In this sense, a rediscussion of the second-parameter problem is also presented, focusing on the cases of NGC 288/NGC 362, M13/M3, the extreme outer-halo globular clusters with predominantly red HBs, and the metal-rich globular clusters NGC 6388 and NGC 6441. The recently revived possibility that the helium abundance may play an important role as a second parameter is also addressed, and possible constraints on this scenario discussed. We critically discuss the possibility that the observed properties of HB stars in NGC 6388 and NGC 6441 might be accounted for if these clusters possess a relatively minor population of helium-enriched stars. A technique is proposed to estimate the HB types of extragalactic globular clusters on the basis of integrated far-UV photometry. The importance of bright type II Cepheids as tracers of faint blue HB stars in distant systems is also emphasized. The relationship between the absolute V magnitude of the HB at the RR Lyrae level and metallicity, as obtained on the basis of trigonometric parallax measurements for the star RR Lyr, is also revisited. Taking into due account the evolutionary status of RR Lyr, the derived relation implies a true distance modulus to the LMC of (m–M)₀=18.44±0.11. Techniques providing discrepant slopes and zero points for the M _V (RRL)–[Fe/H] relation are briefly discussed. We provide a convenient analytical fit to theoretical model predictions for the period change rates of RR Lyrae stars in globular clusters, and compare the model results with the available data. Finally, the conductive opacities used in evolutionary calculations of low-mass stars are also investigated. M. Catelan is John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellow.     

The mass,orbit, and tidal evolution of the Quaoar–Weywot system

Here we present new adaptive optics observations of the Quaoar–Weywot system. With these new observations we determine an improved system orbit. Due to a 0.39 day alias that exists in available observations, four possible orbital solutions are available with periods of ～11.6, ～12.0, ～12.4, and ～12.8 days. From the possible orbital solutions, system masses of 1.3–1.5 ± 0.1 × 10²¹ kg are found. These observations provide an updated density for Quaoar of 2.7–5.0 g cm^?3. In all cases, Weywot’s orbit is eccentric, with possible values ～0.13–0.16. We present a reanalysis of the tidal orbital evolution of the Quaoar–Weywot system. We have found that Weywot has probably evolved to a state of synchronous rotation, and has likely preserved its initial inclination over the age of the Solar System. We find that for plausible values of the effective tidal dissipation factor tides produce a very slow evolution of Weywot’s eccentricity and semi-major axis. Accordingly, it appears that Weywot’s eccentricity likely did not tidally evolve to its current value from an initially circular orbit. Rather, it seems that some other mechanism has raised its eccentricity post-formation, or Weywot formed with a non-negligible eccentricity.     

Resonance in a geo-centric synchronous satellite under the gravitational forces of the Sun,the Moon and the Earth including it’s equatorial ellipticity

Resonances in a geo-centric synchronous satellite under the gravitational forces of the Sun, the Moon and the Earth including it’s equatorial ellipticity have been investigated. The resonance at two points resulting from the commensurability between the mean motion of the satellite and Γ (angle measured from the minor axis of the Earth’s equatorial ellipse to the projection of the satellite on the plane of the equator) is analyzed. The amplitude and the time period of the oscillation have been determined by using the procedure of Brown and Shook. We have observed that the amplitude and the time period of the oscillation decrease as Γ increases in the first quadrant. The radial deviation (Δr) and the tangential deviation (r _c Δθ) have been determined. Here r _c represents the synchronous altitude. The effects of the arithmetic sum of amplitudes λ _i involved in the perturbation equations on orbital inclination 0^°≤α ₀≤90^° are shown. It is observed that $\sum_{i = 1}^{46} \lambda_{i}$ increases as α ₀ increases. We have also determined the displacement ΔD (called drift) due to the oscillatory terms under the summation sign involved in the equations of motion of the satellite. We have observed that the value of ΔD is less than 0.5^°.     

Results of observation of Cyg γ-2, BL Lac, 3C66A, Mk 501, and the Crab nebula by the GT-48 gamma-ray telescope in 2006

The active galactic nuclei BL Lac, 3C66A, and Mk501, as well as the Crab nebula and the Cyg γ-2 source were observed in 2006 at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory using the GT-48 gamma-ray telescope. Very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray fluxes at a high confidence level (Q > 4) were detected from the active galactic nuclei and the Crab nebula. VHE gamma-ray fluxes from the unidentified gamma-ray source Cyg γ-2 and the X-ray source Cyg X-3 were recorded during observations of Cyg γ-2.     

The shock waves and the magnetic field in the corona above the active region on February 17–28, 1969

In this paper the situation above the large active region which passed across the solar disc between February 17 and 28, 1969 is considered. Five dynamical spectra of type II radio bursts registered by CSIRO and by Weissenau Observatory were used. After the elaboration of dynamical spectra, the parameters of shock waves and the values of magnetic field in corona were determined. The magnetic field was obtained using two methods. In the first method the connection between the velocity of shock front and the velocity of the Alfvén waves was used. In the second method the dependence of the frequency split upon the value of the magnetic field was applied.     

Graphite grains,carbon depletion and the 2200 Å feature

In a recent paper Millar has shown that if one assumes that the carbon depleted from the gas phase is all tied up into small graphite grains the observational data raise serious doubts against the hypothesis that these particles are responsible for the 2200 Å extinction hump. In the present paper it is shown that this problem may be overcome if the presence in the interstellar space of graphite grains with sizes greater than 0.02 is taken into account. The derived ratios between the masses of large grains, which do not contribute to the ultraviolet extinction hump, and those of the small ones varies from region to region of the sky and are consistent with those evaluated in the circumstellar shells of carbon stars. Moreover, the largest sizes of the graphite particles we find are in agreement with those needed to fit the interstellar extinction curve over the wavelength range 0.11–<1 .     

Identification of absorption lines of rare-earth elements in the region of the spectrum λλ 610.25–610.57 nm roAp stars,HD 101065, HD 134214, HD 137949, and HD 24712

In the spectral region λλ = 610.25−610.57 nm of the roAp star HD 101065, we performed the identification of the rare-earth element absorption lines absent from the atomic spectral line databases VALD and DREAM. The identified lines were used for calculating the synthetic spectra of the roAp stars HD 137949, HD 134214, and HD 24712. The upper limit of the identified line estimates was determined. The rotation/pulsation parameter νsini and magnetic field modulus were determined using the lines Nd III 669.083 nm and Ca I 616.217 nm. The element abundance in the roAp stars HD 134214 and HD 24712 was determined for the first time using Nd III lines. Calculations were carried out with the help of the code SynthM developed by S.A. Khan.