Is there an oblique magnetic rotator inside the Sun?

The size of the rotational splitting recently observed (Claverie et al., 1981) is correlated with the 12.2^d variation in the measurements of solar oblateness observed by Dicke (1976) and implies a convection zone of depth of 0.1 R . The near equality of amplitudes of global velocity oscillations (Claverie et al., 1981) of the various m components of the l = 1 and l = 2 modes as seen from the Earth viewing the Sun nearly along the equator is unexpected for pure rotational splitting. It is suggested that a magnetic perturbation is present and an oblique asymmetric magnetic rotator with magnetic fields of a few million gauss is responsible. A more detailed account was submitted to Nature.Proceedings of the 66th IAU Colloquium: Problems in Solar and Stellar Oscillations, held at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, U.S.S.R., 1–5 September, 1981.     

Is there a weak mixed polarity background field? Theoretical arguments

A number of processes associated with the formation of active regions produce U-loops: fluxtubes having two ends at the photosphere but otherwise still embedded in the convection zone. The mass trapped on the field lines of such loops makes them behave in a qualitative different way from the omega-loops that form active regions. It is shown that U-loops will disperse though the convection zone and form a weak (down to a few gauss) field that covers a significant fraction of the solar surface. This field is tentatively identified with the inner-network fields observed at Kitt Peak and Big Bear. The process by which these fields escape through the surface is described; a remarkable property is that it can make active regions fields apparently disappear in situ. The mixed polarity moving magnetic features near sunspots are interpreted as a locally intense form of this disappearance by escape of U-loops.     

Is there lower limit to velocity or velocity change?

Here we explore the possibility of a lower limit to velocity or velocity change which is 20 orders of magnitude smaller than the speed of light and explore the various observable signatures including those in cosmic rays and gamma ray bursts.     

Formation of density inhomogeneity in laser produced plasmas for?a?test bed of magnetic field amplification in supernova remnants

Density inhomogeneities for a test bed of magnetic field amplification in supernova remnants (SNRs) were created in laser produced plasmas. The density inhomogeneity is considered to be essential to the large magnetic field amplification to account for the very fast cosmic ray acceleration. In order to model the density variations about an order of magnitude in an interstellar medium, we performed three types of experiments using a high-power laser system: (1) irradiating a plastic (CH) plane with a single focal spot beams, (2) the same target with spatial separation of laser focal spots, and (3) irradiating a striped target of thin and thick CH plane. By irradiating a CH plane target with a single focal spot laser beams, a plasma plume was produced with the large density range. On the other hand, when the several laser beams with displacements of the focal spots, bumpy structures of electron density were produced. Making thin stripes on a CH plane target, density and velocity inhomogeneities were produced by irradiating the striped target with the laser beams. In the all methods the density variations were very large, which can be used for a model experiment of the magnetic field amplification.     

Alfvén node-free vibrations of white dwarf in the model of solid star with toroidal magnetic field

In the context of white dwarf asteroseismology, we investigate the vibrational properties of a non-convective solid star with an axisymmetric purely toroidal intrinsic magnetic field of two different shapes. Focus is laid on the regime of node-free global Lorentz-force-driven vibrations about the symmetry axis at which material displacements have one and the same form as those for nodeless spheroidal and torsional vibrations restored by Hooke’s force of elastic shear stresses. Particular attention is given to the even-parity poloidal Alfvén modes whose frequency spectra are computed in analytic form, showing how the purely toroidal magnetic fields completely buried beneath the star surface can manifest itself in seismic vibrations of non-magnetic white dwarfs. The spectral formulae obtained are discussed in juxtaposition with those for Alfvén modes in the solid star model with the poloidal, homogeneous internal and dipolar external, magnetic field whose inferences are relevant to Alfvén vibrations in magnetic white dwarfs.     

Is there a news function for an infinite cosmic string?

A special form of the Bondi news function can be associated with an infinite static cosmic string. In case of a radiaing isolated system pierced by an infinite cosmic string, the total news function will be composed of two parts — one characterizing the radiation field, the other the string. Some examples are discussed and related to a recently given solution, which was interpreted as an outgoing gravitational wave due to the splitting of an infinite cosmic string.     

Is there GR in the bimetric scalar-tensor theory of gravitation?

A theory of gravitation with a flat background metric and a dynamical variable (variable gravitational constant) is investigated. It is shown that such bimetric scalar-tensor theory (BSTT) generalized GR as all the solutions of GR equations and(x) = constant satisfy BSTT equations, firstly, and BSTT equations contain non-Einstein solutions with the variable, secondly. Due to this fact, the problem on the agreement of BSTT with the observational data is reduced to the problem on the agreement of GR with the observational data and to the interpretation of the solutions with the variable. The latter may prove useful for the prediction of new effects. Examples of such effects are discussed.     

Two-photon positron–electron annihilation in a strong magnetic field

We consider the two-photon positron and electron annihilation in flight, it means the annihilating particles exhibit the middly relativistic momenta in a super strong magnetic field. Such particles are present in the corona of pulsars and magnetars. The paper presents how the total emission rate for the two-photon process is affected not only by magnetic field but also by the relativistic momentum of the annihilating particles. We found that the momenta influence significantly the total emission rate and the directions of the emitted photons. Additionally, the total emission for the two-photon process is comparable to that for the one-photon process at the momentum of annihilating particles of about m₀, where m₀ is the electron mass, and the magnetic field close to the critical Schwinger value of 4.41 × 10¹³ G. The latter is reported as a main annihilation channel in a super strong magnetic field. We calculated also the energetic spectra of annihilating photons emitted, which are also affected by the magnetic field and the momenta of the annihilating particles.     

State transitions triggered by inverse magnetic field: probably applied in high-mass X-ray binaries?

Previous works suggested that the state transitions in an X-ray binary can be triggered by accreting an inverse magnetic field from its companion star. A key point of this mechanism is the accretion and magnification of large-scale magnetic fields from the outer boundary of a thin disk. However, how such a process can be realized is still an open question. In this work, we check this issue in a realistic X-ray binary system. According to our calculations, a quite strong initial magnetic field, B~10~2- 10~3 G, is required in order to assure that the large-scale magnetic field can be effectively dragged inward and magnified with the accretion of gas. Thus, such a picture probably can be present in high-mass X-ray binaries possessing a strong stellar magnetic field, e.g., Cyg X-1.     

Is there a precession-type movement in the nucleus of NGC 4151?

Optical spectra of the NGC 4151 with the TV scanner of the 6-meter telescope in 1986–1991 are presented. Spectra averaged over periods of 2.5 months show changes of asymmetry of the He II 4686 Å broad emission line with a characteristic time scale 2 years (the full cycle of the changes is approximately 4 years). Possible explanations involving a precession-type of movement of cones of ionizing radiation are discussed.     

Detection of methane in the martian atmosphere: evidence for life?

Using the Fourier Transform Spectrometer at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, we observed a spectrum of Mars at the P-branch of the strongest CH₄ band at 3.3 μm with resolving power of 180,000 for the apodized spectrum. Summing up the spectral intervals at the expected positions of the 15 strongest Doppler-shifted martian lines, we detected the absorption by martian methane at a 3.7 sigma level which is exactly centered in the summed spectrum. The observed CH₄ mixing ratio is 10±3 ppb. Total photochemical loss of CH₄ in the martian atmosphere is equal to , the CH₄ lifetime is 340 years and methane should be uniformly mixed in the atmosphere. Heterogeneous loss of atmospheric methane is probably negligible, while the sink of CH₄ during its diffusion through the regolith may be significant. There are no processes of CH₄ formation in the atmosphere, so the photochemical loss must therefore be balanced by abiogenic and biogenic sources. Outgassing from Mars is weak, the latest volcanism is at least 10 million years old, and thermal emission imaging from the Mars Odyssey orbiter does not reveal any hot spots on Mars. Hydrothermal systems can hardly be warmer than the room temperature at which production of methane is very low in terrestrial waters. Therefore a significant production of hydrothermal and magmatic methane is not very likely on Mars. The calculated average production of CH₄ by cometary impacts is 2% of the methane loss. Production of methane by meteorites and interplanetary dust does not exceed 4% of the methane loss. Methane cannot originate from an extinct biosphere, as in the case of “natural gas” on Earth, given the exceedingly low limits on organic matter set by the Viking landers and the dry recent history which has been extremely hostile to the macroscopic life needed to generate the gas. Therefore, methanogenesis by living subterranean organisms is a plausible explanation for this discovery. Our estimates of the biomass and its production using the measured CH₄ abundance show that the martian biota may be extremely scarce and Mars may be generally sterile except for some oases.     

Double ONe–Mg white dwarfs merging as the source of the powerfull gravitational waves for LIGO/VIRGO type interferometers

New strong non-spiralling-in gravitational wave (GW) source for LIGO/VIRGO detectors are proposed. Double ONe–Mg white dwarf mergers can produce strong gravitational waves with frequencies in the several hundreds Hz range. Such events can be followed by a Super Nova type Ia.     

Charge accumulation and cyclic image transfer on CCD: Search for rapid variations of magnetic field in γ Equ

We search for the variable component of themagnetic field in γ Equ by studying four Nd III lines with the Main Stellar Spectrograph of the 6-m BTA telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory via accumulation and cyclic transfer of the electronic image of the Zeeman spectrum on the CCD. The single exposure time was set equal to 1/8 of the spectral variability period. We detected no variable component in the magnetic field of γ Equ with a period of 12.1 min in the November 5/6, 2003 observations.     

Have the electric currents produced by plasma and magnetic field gradients been discovered in the solar photosphere?

We check whether the currents of inhomogeneities (diffusion, thermodiffusion, and gradient ones) can exist at the photospheric level. For this purpose, the vertical currents are compared with the theoretically estimated currents of inhomogeneities; our comparison shows them to be of the same order of magnitude. Therefore, the currents of inhomogeneities actually exist in the solar photosphere; their exact values are determined by the (electron density, temperature, and magnetic field) gradients, which are not known very well at present. This paper continues the current tendency in describing the atmospheric magnetic field (in particular, its fine structure) that consists in allowing for the Hall, diffusion, and thermodiffusion currents.     

Is there Aβ/L relation for any type of qso absorption line system?

The possible correlation noted between the intrinsic quasar luminosity and the absorption line expulsion velocity is re-examined using homogeneous data sets for metal and L only line systems. The method of analysis is chosen to enable any reasonable form of correlation to be found. No correlation is detected at a confidence level >10%.     

Is there a common explanation for scattering of type III radio bursts and solar radar?

The apparently common source heights of type III fundamental and harmonic components and the source height of the solar 38 MHz radar echoes may all refer to scattering at a coronal level where (radio wavenumber) × (electron gyroradius) 1, that is, where radio frequency = (2 to 5) × plasma frequency.     

Is there evolution in the infrared Tully–Fisher relation? Comparing two linear regressions

In a recent paper, Puech and co-workers compared K -band Tully–Fisher relations derived for nearby and distant galaxies, respectively. They concluded that the two relations differ, and deduced that there is evolution in the Tully–Fisher relations. The statistical comparison between the two regression lines is re-examined, and it is shown that the statistical test used gives non-significant results. It is argued that better results can be obtained by comparing the 'inverse' Tully–Fisher relations, and it is demonstrated by two different methods that the nearby- and distant-sample relations do indeed differ at a very high significance level. One of the statistical methods described is non-parametric, and can be applied very generally to compare linear regressions from two different samples.     

Does the large-scale solar magnetic field distribution really reflect the convective velocity fields?

We have tried to decide whether the typical circular cellular-like features, which are striking during some intervals in the large-scale distribution of weak magnetic fields measured with low resolution, are related to large-scale convective motions. Two scales of such patterns were found and their morphological, kinematical and evolutionary behaviour was estimated. Their slower and overall rotation is also demonstrated in comparison with the rotation of highly averaged sunspot and magnetic fields. It is difficult to explain all the observed characteristics as random, or due to the method of field measurement and map construction used. We also discuss the change of their magnetic field polarities with the solar polar field reversal.