Distribution of Impact Locations and Velocities of Earth Meteorites on the Moon

Following the analytical work of Armstrong et al. (Icarus 160:183–196, 2002), we detail an expanded N-body calculation of the direct transfer of terrestrial material to the Moon during a giant impact. By simulating 1.4 million particles over a range of launch velocities and ejecta angles, we have derived a map of the impact velocities, impact angles, and probable impact sites on the moon over the last 4 billion years. The maps indicate that the impacts with the highest vertical impact speeds are concentrated on the leading edge, with lower velocity/higher-angle impacts more numerous on the Moon’s trailing edge. While this enhanced simulation indicates the estimated globally averaged direct transfer fraction reported in Armstrong et al. (Icarus 160:183–196, 2002) is overestimated by a factor of 3–6, local concentrations can reach or exceed the previously published estimate. The most favorable location for large quantities of low velocity terrestrial material is 50 W, 85 S, with 8.4 times more impacts per square kilometer than the lunar surface average. This translates to 300–500 kg km⁻², compared to 200 kg km⁻² from the previous estimate. The maps also indicate a significant amount of material impacting elsewhere in the polar regions, especially near the South Pole-Aiken basin, a likely target for sample return in the near future. The magnitudes of the impact speeds cluster near 3 km/s, but there is a bimodal distribution in impact angles, leading to 43% of impacts with very low (<1 km/s) vertical impact speeds. This, combined with the enhanced surface density of meteorites in specific regions, increases the likelihood of weakly shocked terrestrial material being identified and recovered on the Moon.     

Allan Sandage and the cosmic expansion

This is an account of Allan Sandage’s work on (1) The character of the expansion field. For many years he has been the strongest defender of an expanding Universe. He later explained the CMB dipole by a local velocity of 220±50 km s⁻¹ toward the Virgo cluster and by a bulk motion of the Local supercluster (extending out to ∼3500 km s⁻¹) of 450–500 km s⁻¹ toward an apex at l=275, b=12. Allowing for these streaming velocities he found linear expansion to hold down to local scales (∼300 km s⁻¹). (2) The calibration of the Hubble constant. Probing different methods he finally adopted—from Cepheid-calibrated SNe Ia and from independent RR Lyr-calibrated TRGBs—H ₀=62.3±1.3±5.0 km s⁻¹ Mpc⁻¹.     

Characteristics of CMEs associated with solar flares and DH type II radio bursts based on source position

We studied the characteristics of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) associated with solar flares and Deca-Hectometric (DH) type II radio bursts, based on source position during 23rd solar cycle (1997–2007). We classified these CME events into three groups using solar flare locations as, (i) disk events (0–30^∘); (ii) intermediate events (31–60^∘) and (iii) limb events (61–90^∘). Main results from this studies are, (i) the number of CMEs associated with solar flares and DH-type IIs decreases as the source position approaches from disk to limb, (ii) most of the DH CMEs are halo (72%) in disk events and the number of occurrence of halo CMEs decreases from disk to limb, (iii) the average width and speed of limb events (164^∘ and 1447 km s⁻¹) are higher than those of disk events (134^∘ and 1035 km s⁻¹) and intermediate events (146^∘ and 1170 km s⁻¹) and (iv) the average accelerations for disk, intermediate and limb events are −8.2 m s⁻², −10.3 m s⁻² and −4.5 m s⁻² respectively. These analysis of CMEs properties show more dependency on longitude and it gives strong evidence for projection effect.     

Electron Temperatures and Flow Speeds of the Low Solar Corona: MACS Results from the Total Solar Eclipse of 29 March 2006 in Libya

An experiment was conducted in conjunction with the total solar eclipse on 29 March 2006 in Libya to measure both the electron temperature and its flow speed simultaneously at multiple locations in the low solar corona by measuring the visible K-coronal spectrum. Coronal model spectra incorporating the effects of electron temperature and its flow speed were matched with the measured K-coronal spectra to interpret the observations. Results show electron temperatures of (1.10±0.05) MK, (0.70±0.08) MK, and (0.98±0.12) MK, at 1.1 R _⊙ from Sun center in the solar north, east and west, respectively, and (0.93±0.12) MK, at 1.2 R _⊙ from Sun center in the solar west. The corresponding outflow speeds obtained from the spectral fit are (103±92) km s⁻¹, (0+10) km s⁻¹, (0+10) km s⁻¹, and (0+10) km s⁻¹. Since the observations were taken only at 1.1 R _⊙ and 1.2 R _⊙ from Sun center, these speeds, consistent with zero outflow, are in agreement with expectations and provide additional confirmation that the spectral fitting method is working. The electron temperature at 1.1 R _⊙ from Sun center is larger at the north (polar region) than the east and west (equatorial region).     

Survival of yeast spores in hypervelocity impact events up to velocities of 7.4 km s−1

We report on the survivability in hypervelocity impacts of yeast in spore form, and as mature cultures, at impact velocities from 1 to 7.4 km s^?1, corresponding to an estimated peak shock pressure of ～43 GPa. Spores from a yeast strain (BY4743), deficient in an enzyme required for uracil production, were fired into water (to simulate oceanic impact from space) using a light gas gun. The water was then retrieved and filtered and the resulting retentate and filtrate cultured to determine viability and survival rates of remnant spores. Yeast growth (confirmed as coming from the original sample as it had the same enzyme deficiency) was found in recovered samples at all impact speeds, albeit in smaller quantities at the higher speeds. The survival probabilities were measured as ～50% at 1 km s^?1, falling to ～10^?3% at 7.4 km s^?1. This follows the pattern observed in previous work on survival of microbial life and spores exposed to extreme shock loading, where there is reasonable survival at low peak shock pressures with more severe lethality above a critical shock pressure at the GPa scale (here between 2 and 10 GPa). These results are explained in the context of a general model for survival against extreme shock and are relevant to the hypotheses of panspermia and litho-panspermia, showing that extreme shocks during transfer across space are not necessarily sterilising.     

The SMART-1 lunar impact

The SMART-1 spacecraft impacted the Moon on 3rd September 2006 at a speed of 2 km s⁻¹ and at a very shallow angle of incidence (∼1°). The resulting impact crater is too small to be viewed from the Earth; accordingly, the general crater size and shape have been determined here by laboratory impact experiments at the same speed and angle of incidence combined with extrapolating to the correct size scale to match the SMART-1 impact. This predicts a highly asymmetric crater approximately 5.5-26 m long, 1.9-9 m wide, 0.23-1.5 m deep and 0.71-6.9 m³ volume. Some of the excavated mass will have gone into crater rim walls, but 0.64-6.3 m³ would have been ejecta on ballistic trajectories corresponding to a cloud of 2200-21,800 kg of lunar material moving away from the impact site. The shallow Messier crater on the Moon is similarly asymmetric and is usually taken as arising from a highly oblique impact. The light flash from the impact and the associated ejecta plume were observed from Earth, but the flash magnitude was not obtained, so it is not possible to obtain the luminous efficiency of the impact event.     

A study of the observed shift in the peak position of olivine Raman spectra as a result of shock induced by hypervelocity impacts

Kuebler et al. (2006) identified variations in olivine Raman spectra based on the composition of individual olivine grains, leading to identification of olivine composition from Raman spectra alone. However, shock on a crystal lattice has since been shown to result in a structural change to the original material, which produces a shift in the Raman spectra of olivine grains compared with the original unshocked olivine (Foster et al. 2013). This suggests that the use of the compositional calculations from the Raman spectra, reported in Kuebler et al. (2006), may provide an incorrect compositional value for material that has experienced shock. Here, we have investigated the effect of impact speed (and hence peak shock pressure) on the shift in the Raman spectra for San Carlos olivine (Fo₉₁) impacting Al foil. Powdered San Carlos olivine (grain size 1–10 μm) was fired at a range of impact speeds from 0.6 to 6.1 km s^?1 (peak shock pressures 5–86 GPa) at Al foil to simulate capture over a wide range of peak shock pressures. A permanent change in the Raman spectra was found to be observed only for impact speeds greater than ~5 km s^?1. The process that causes the shift is most likely linked to an increase in the peak pressure produced by the impact, but only after a minimum shock pressure associated with the speed at which the effect is first observed (here 65–86 GPa). At speeds around 6 km s^?1 (peak shock pressures ~86 GPa), the shift in Raman peak positions is in a similar direction (red shift) to that observed by Foster et al. (2013) but of twice the magnitude.     

Unconfined shock experiments: A pilot study into the shock‐induced melting and devolatilization of calcite

We shocked calcite in an unconfined environment by launching small marble cylinders at 0.8–5.5 km s^?1 into aluminum or copper plates, producing shock stresses between 5 and 79 GPa. The resulting 5–20 mm craters contained intimately mixed clastic and molten projectile residues over the entire pressure range, with melting commencing already at 5 GPa. Stoichiometrically pure calcite melts were not observed as all melts contained target metal. Some of these residues were distinctly depleted in CO₂ and some contained even tiny CaO crystals, thus illustrating partial to complete loss of CO₂. We interpret a thin seam of finely crystalline calcite to be the product of back reactions between CaO and CO₂. The amount of carbonate residue in these craters, especially those at low velocities (<2 km s^?1), is dramatically less than that of silicate impactors in similar cratering experiments, and we suggest that this is due to substantial outgassing of CO₂. Similarly, the volume of carbonate melts relative to the volume of limestone or dolomite in many terrestrial crater structures seems insignificant as well, as is the volume of carbonate melt compared to the volume of impact melts derived from silicates. These volume considerations suggest that volatilization of CO₂ is the dominant process in carbonate‐containing targets. Because we have difficulties in explaining naturally occurring calcite melts by shock processes in dolomite‐dominated targets, we speculate—essentially via process of elimination—that such carbonate melt blebs might be condensation products from an impact‐produced vapor cloud.     

Application of an Improved Method of Image Segmentation and Some Considerations on Identification and Tracking of Umbral Dots

An improved method of image segmentation is introduced. The object-tracking algorithm, originally developed by Sobotka, Brandt, and Simon (Astron. Astrophys. 328, 682, 1997) is modified with special attentions on splitting and merging of umbral dots (UDs), definition of the umbral boundary, and the birth-frames and the death-frames of UDs. By applying the new method of image segmentation and the object-tracking algorithm on a 67-min series of white-light images of a large pore (Sobotka et al., Astrophys. J. 511, 436, 1999), the physical characteristics of 20 “resolved” UDs with umbral origin were recorded. The most probable lifetime of the UDs is between 7 and 10 min. Umbral dots show a typical size of about 230 km. Their mean speeds are smaller than 2 km s⁻¹ with a distribution around a value less than 1 km s⁻¹. However, their average velocities are less than 0.8 km s⁻¹. Brighter (fainter) UDs are formed in the brighter (dimmer) region of the pore. There is no correlation between time-averaged area or time-averaged speeds and lifetimes. Also, the time-averaged peak intensities of UDs do not show any well-defined dependence on the corresponding time-averaged areas. It seems that there is a relation between average velocities of UDs and their time-averaged peak intensities, with brighter UDs moving more slowly.     

Modeling of EIS Spectrum Drift from Instrumental Temperatures

An empirical model has been developed to reproduce the drift of the spectrum recorded by the EIS on Hinode using instrumental temperatures and relative motion of the spacecraft. The EIS spectrum shows an artificial drift in wavelength dimension in sync with the revolution of the spacecraft, which is caused by temperature variations inside the spectrometer. The drift amounts to 70 km s⁻¹ in Doppler velocity and introduces difficulties in velocity measurements. An artificial neural network is incorporated to establish a relationship between the instrumental temperatures and the spectral drift. This empirical model reproduces observed spectrum shift with an rms error of 4.4 km s⁻¹. This procedure is robust and applicable to any spectrum obtained with EIS, regardless of the observing field. In addition, spectral curvatures and spatial offset in the north – south direction are determined to compensate for instrumental effects.     

Solar Wind Quasi-invariant for Slow and Fast Magnetic Clouds

The solar wind quasi-invariant (QI) has been defined by Osherovich, Fainberg, and Stone (Geophys. Res. Lett. 26, 2597, 1999) as the ratio of magnetic energy density and the energy density of the solar wind flow. In the regular solar wind QI is a rather small number, since the energy of the flow is almost two orders of magnitude greater than the magnetic energy. However, in magnetic clouds, QI is the order of unity (less than 1) and thus magnetic clouds can be viewed as a great anomaly in comparison with its value in the background solar wind. We study the duration, extent, and amplitude of this anomaly for two groups of isolated magnetic clouds: slow clouds (360<v<450 km s⁻¹) and fast clouds (450≤v<720 km s⁻¹). By applying the technique of superposition of epochs to 12 slow and 12 fast clouds from the catalog of Richardson and Cane (Solar Phys. 264, 189, 2010), we create an average slow cloud and an average fast cloud observed at 1 AU. From our analysis of these average clouds, we obtain cloud boundaries in both time and space as well as differences in QI amplitude and other parameters characterizing the solar wind state. Interplanetary magnetic clouds are known to cause major magnetic storms at the Earth, especially those clouds which travel from the sun to the Earth at high speeds. Characterizing each magnetic cloud by its QI value and extent may help in understanding the role of those disturbances in producing geomagnetic activity.     

Stokes Diagnostics of 2D MHD-Simulated Solar Magnetogranulation

The properties of solar magnetic fields on scales less than the spatial resolution of solar telescopes are studied. A synthetic infrared spectropolarimetric diagnostic based on a 2D MHD simulation of magnetoconvection is used for this. Analyzed are two time sequences of snapshots that likely represent two regions of the network fields with their immediate surroundings on the solar surface with unsigned magnetic flux densities of 300 and 140 G. In the first region from the probability density functions of the magnetic field strength it is found that the most probable field strength at log τ ₅=0 is equal to 250 G. Weak fields (B<500 G) occupy about 70% of the surface, whereas stronger fields (B>1000 G) occupy only 9.7% of the surface. The magnetic flux is −28 G and its imbalance is −0.04. In the second region, these parameters are correspondingly equal to 150 G, 93.3%, 0.3%, −40 G, and −0.10. The distribution of line-of-sight velocities on the surface of log τ ₅=−1 is estimated. The mean velocity is equal to 0.4 km s⁻¹ in the first simulated region. The average velocity in the granules is −1.2 km s⁻¹ and in the intergranules it is 2.5 km s⁻¹. In the second region, the corresponding values of the mean velocities are equal to 0, −1.8, and 1.5 km s⁻¹. In addition the asymmetry of synthetic Stokes V profiles of the Fe i 1564.8 nm line is analyzed. The mean values of the amplitude and area asymmetry do not exceed 1%. The spatially smoothed amplitude asymmetry is increased to 10% whereas the area asymmetry is only slightly varied.     

Kinematic Evolution of a Slow CME in Corona Viewed by STEREO-B on 8 October 2007

We studied the kinematic evolution of the 8 October 2007 CME in the corona based on observations from Sun – Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation (SECCHI) onboard satellite B of Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO). The observational results show that this CME obviously deflected to a lower latitude region of about 30° at the beginning. After this, the CME propagated radially. We also analyze the influence of the background magnetic field on the deflection of this CME. We find that the deflection of this CME at an early stage may be caused by a nonuniform distribution of the background magnetic-field energy density and that the CME tended to propagate to the region with lower magnetic-energy density. In addition, we found that the velocity profile of this gradual CME shows multiphased evolution during its propagation in the COR1-B FOV. The CME velocity first remained constant: 23.1 km s⁻¹. Then it accelerated continuously with a positive acceleration of ≈7.6 m s⁻².     

Shock metamorphic history of >4 Ga Apollo 14 and 15 zircons

During impact events, zircons develop a wide range of shock metamorphic features that depend on the pressure and temperature conditions experienced by the zircon. These conditions vary with original distance from impact center and whether the zircon grains are incorporated into ejecta or remain within the target crust. We have employed the range of shock metamorphic features preserved in >4 Ga lunar zircons separated from Apollo 14 and 15 breccias and soils in order to gain insights into the impact shock histories of these areas of the Moon. We report microstructural characteristics of 31 zircons analyzed using electron beam methods including electron backscatter pattern (EBSP) and diffraction (EBSD). The major results of this survey are as follows. (1) The abundance of curviplanar features hosting secondary impact melt inclusions suggests that most of the zircons have experienced shock pressures between 3 and 20 GPa; (2) the scarcity of recrystallization or decomposition textures and the absence of the high‐pressure polymorph, reidite, suggests that few grains have been shocked to over 40 GPa or heated above 1000 °C in ejecta settings; (3) one grain exhibits narrow, arc‐shaped bands of twinned zircon, which map out as spherical shells, and represent a novel shock microstructure. Overall, most of the Apollo 14 and 15 zircons exhibit shock features similar to those of terrestrial zircon grains originating from continental crust below large (~200 km) impact craters (e.g., Vredefort impact basin), suggesting derivation from central uplifts or uplifted rims of large basins or craters on the Moon and not high‐temperature and ‐pressure ejecta deposits.     

Compaction by impact of unconsolidated lunar fines

New Hugoniot and release adiabate data for 1.8 g cm^?3 lunar fines (sample, 70051) in the ç2 to ç70 kbar range demonstrate that upon shock compression intrinsic crystal density (ç3.1 g cm^?3) is achieved undershock stresses of 15 to 20 kbar. Release adiabate determinations indicate that measurable irreversible compaction occurs upon achieving shock pressures above ç4 kbar. For shocks in the ç7 to 15 kbar range, the inferred,post-shock, specific volumes observed decrease nearly linearly with increasing peak shock pressures. Upon shocking to ç15 kbar the post-shock density is approximately that of the intrinsic minerals. If the present data for sample 70051 are taken to be representative of the response to impact of unconsolidated regolith material on the Moon, it is inferred that the formation of appreciable quantities of soil breccia can be associated with the impact of meteoroids or ejecta at speeds of as low as ç1 km s^?1.     

Effect of target properties and impact velocity on ejection dynamics and ejecta deposition

Impact craters are formed by the displacement and ejection of target material. Ejection angles and speeds during the excavation process depend on specific target properties. In order to quantify the influence of the constitutive properties of the target and impact velocity on ejection trajectories, we present the results of a systematic numerical parameter study. We have carried out a suite of numerical simulations of impact scenarios with different coefficients of friction (0.0–1.0), porosities (0–42%), and cohesions (0–150 MPa). Furthermore, simulations with varying pairs of impact velocity (1–20 km s⁻¹) and projectile mass yielding craters of approximately equal volume are examined. We record ejection speed, ejection angle, and the mass of ejected material to determine parameters in scaling relationships, and to calculate the thickness of deposited ejecta by assuming analytical parabolic trajectories under Earth gravity. For the resulting deposits, we parameterize the thickness as a function of radial distance by a power law. We find that strength—that is, the coefficient of friction and target cohesion—has the strongest effect on the distribution of ejecta. In contrast, ejecta thickness as a function of distance is very similar for different target porosities and for varying impact velocities larger than ~6 km s⁻¹. We compare the derived ejecta deposits with observations from natural craters and experiments.     

Streamer Belt and Chains as the Main Sources of Quasi-Stationary Slow Solar Wind

Synoptic maps of white-light coronal brightness from SOHO/LASCO C2 and distributions of solar wind velocity obtained from interplanetary scintillation are studied. Regions with velocity V≈300 – 450 km s⁻¹ and increased density N>10 cm⁻³, typical of the “slow” solar wind originating from the belt and chains of streamers, are shown to exist at Earth’s orbit, between the fast solar wind flows (with a maximum velocity V _max≈450 – 800 km s⁻¹). The belt and chains of streamers are the main sources of the “slow” solar wind. As the sources of “slow” solar wind, the contribution from the chains of streamers may be comparable to that from the streamer belt.     

Combined Analysis of Ultraviolet and Radio Observations of the 7 May 2004 CME/Shock Event

We report results from the combined analysis of UV and radio observations of a CME-driven shock observed on 7 May 2004 above the southeast limb of the Sun at 1.86 R _⊙ with the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The coronal mass ejection (CME) was first detected in white-light by the SOHO’s Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) C2 telescope and shock-associated type II metric emission was recorded simultaneously by ground-based radio spectrographs. The shock speed (∼ 690 km s⁻¹), as deduced from the analysis of the type II emission drift in the radio spectra and the pre-shock local electron density estimated with the diagnostics provided by UVCS observations of the O vi λλ 1031.9, 1037.6 doublet line intensities, is just a factor ∼ 0.1 higher than the CME speed inferred by means of the white-light (and EUV) data in the middle corona. The local magnetosonic speed, computed from a standard magnetic field model, was estimated as high as ∼ 600 km s⁻¹, implying that the CME speed was probably just sufficient to drive a weak fast-mode MHD shock ahead of the front. Simultaneously with the type II radio emission, significant changes in the O vi doublet line intensities and profiles were recorded in the UVCS spectra and found compatible with abrupt post-shock plasma acceleration and modest ion heating. This work provides further evidence for the CME-driven origin of the shocks observed in the middle corona.     

Experimental shock metamorphism of terrestrial basalts: Agglutinate-like particle formation,petrology, and magnetism

Hypervelocity impacts occur on bodies throughout our solar system, and play an important role in altering the mineralogy, texture, and magnetic properties in target rocks at nanometer to planetary scales. Here we present the results of hypervelocity impact experiments conducted using a two-stage light-gas gun with 5 mm spherical copper projectiles accelerated toward basalt targets with ~6 km s⁻¹ impact velocities. Four different types of magnetite- and titanomagnetite-bearing basalts were used as targets for seven independent experiments. These laboratory impacts resulted in the formation of agglutinate-like particles similar in texture to lunar agglutinates, which are an important fraction of lunar soil. Materials recovered from the impacts were examined using a suite of complementary techniques, including optical and scanning electron microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and high- and low-temperature magnetometry, to investigate the texture, chemistry, and magnetic properties of newly formed agglutinate-like particles and were compared to unshocked basaltic parent materials. The use of Cu-projectiles, rather than Fe- and Ni-projectiles, avoids magnetic contamination in the final shock products and enables a clearer view of the magnetic properties of impact-generated agglutinates. Agglutinate-like particles show shock features, such as melting and planar deformation features, and demonstrate shock-induced magnetic hardening (two- to seven-fold increases in the coercivity of remanence B_cr compared to the initial target materials) and decreases in low-field magnetic susceptibility and saturation magnetization.     

Spatial Distribution of Oscillations in Faculae

We find that oscillations of the LOS velocity in Hα vary within facula regions. The power spectra show that the contributions of low-frequency modes (1.2 – 2 mHz) increase at the network boundaries. Three- and five-minute periods dominate inside cells. The spectra of photospheric and chromospheric LOS-velocity oscillations differ for most faculae. We detected several cases where oscillations in faculae seem to propagate horizontally with phase velocities of 50 – 70 km s⁻¹. Their location in space and time coincided with the local maximum of the longitudinal magnetic field.