Statistical “Z” parallaxes

A new method for deriving statistical parallaxes is proposed. The method uses the symmetry in the distribution of the Z-component of the stellar space velocity vectors. It should be suited to derive the statistical parallaxes of stars of population II, for which the usual method fails.     

Micropulsation “nose whistlers” a helium explanation

Occasionally micropulsation dynamic spectra show a series of nosed tones in place of the more usual purely rising tones. These are explained in some detail if, at times, some 3–10 per cent of the ionic content in the outer magnetosphere is helium (H₆⁺). Although this is one or two orders of magnitude greater than expected from diffusive equilibrium theory, it is in broad agreement with recent Ogo-A measurements.     

“Stickiness” in mappings and dynamical systems

We present results of a study of the so-called “stickiness” regions where orbits in mappings and dynamical systems stay for very long times near an island and then escape to the surrounding chaotic region. First we investigated the standard map in the form x_i+1 = x_i+y_i+1 and y_i+1 = y_i+K/2π · sin(2πx_i) with a stochasticity parameter K = 5, where only two islands of regular motion survive. We checked now many consecutive points—for special initial conditions of the mapping—stay within a certain region around the island. For an orbit on an invariant curve all the points remain forever inside this region, but outside the “last invariant curve” this number changes significantly even for very small changes in the initial conditions. In our study we found out that there exist two regions of “sticky” orbits around the invariant curves: A small region I confined by Cantori with small holes and an extended region II is outside these cantori which has an interesting fractal character. Investigating also the Sitnikov-Problem where two equally massive primary bodies move on elliptical Keplerian orbits, and a third massless body oscillates through the barycentre of the two primaries perpendicularly to the plane of the primaries—a similar behaviour of the stickiness region was found. Although no clearly defined border between the two stickiness regions was found in the latter problem the fractal character of the outer region was confirmed.     

Decoherence time scales for “meteoroid streams”

Abstract— We explore the orbital dynamics of Earth‐crossing objects with the intent to understand the time scales under which an “orbital stream” of material could produce time‐correlated meteorite falls. These “meteoroid streams” have been suggested to be associated with three well‐known meteorite‐dropping fireballs (Innisfree, Peekskill, and P?íbram). We have performed two different analyses of the statistical significance of the “orbital similarity,” in particular calculating how often orbits of the same level of similarity would come from a random sample. Secondly, we have performed extremely detailed numerical integrations related to these three cases, and we find that if they were streams of objects in similar orbits, then they would become “decoherent” (in the sense that the day‐of‐fall of meteorites of these streams become almost random) on time scales of 10⁴–10⁵ yr. Thus, an extremely recent breakup would be required, much more recent that the cosmic ray exposure ages of the recovered falls in each case. We conclude that orbital destruction is too efficient to allow the existence of long‐lived meteoroid streams and that the statistical evidence for such streams is insufficient; random fall patterns show comparable levels of clustering.     

A “lost” sunspot observation in 1785

The reconstruction of the solar activity during some years of the 18th century is poorly known because there are scarce sunspot observations. The aim of this short contribution is to present a “lost” sunspot observation realized by the Portuguese scientist Sanches Dorta during his observation of the solar eclipse of 1785 from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). This record was not included in the database compiled by Hoyt and Schatten (1998). We present new estimations of the solar activity during 1785. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

On the variability of the “blue objects”

The reality of the high percentage of variability among Blue Objects which was found in previous investigations was examined on 170 Tautenburg Schmidt plates of two test fields near M 31. The high percentage could not be confirmed. Spurious amplitudes can be explained by the large probable errors of the photometry (especially near the plate limit) and by bad suitability of good-looking plates. Out of 37 Blue Objects examined, only two (van den Bergh 5 and 12) are distinctly variable, but the final examination of Blue Objects which are suspected of variability can only be done by photoelectric photometry.     

>“Resolving” neutron stars physics and geometry

The unprecedented harvest of X‐ray photons detected from dozens of isolated neutron stars has made it possible to glimpse at their emission mechanisms as well as at their emission geometry. Rotating hot spot(s), superimposed to the global thermal emission from the neutron star surface, are seen from several objects, allowing to probe the stars' external heating sources. Non‐thermal emission is also seen to vary as the stars rotate. Moreover, absorption features have been detected in the spectra of several objects, allowing to probe (tentatively) the stars' magnetic fields. Spectacular tails, trailing the stars' supersonic motion, trace the boundaries of the relativist winds streaming from the star's magnetosphere. Apart from classical radio pulsar and certified radio‐quiet neutron stars, XMM‐Newton has devoted significant observation time to the enigmatic central compact objects, presumably isolated neutron stars shining at the center of their supernova remnants. Far from showing a unifying behaviour, XMM‐Newton data have unveiled a surprising diversity. Understanding the reason(s) behind such diversity is the challenge for the next decade of X‐ray observations. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A PRELIMINARY SORTING-OUT OF “NESS COUNTY” METEORITES

With the exception of a distinctive olivine-bronzite chondrite recognized by H. H. Nininger: “Ness County (1938)”, most of the numerous stony meteorites found in Ness County, Kansas, have been lumped together under the designation “Ness County (1894)”. It is the purpose of this paper to show that at least three separate falls are covered by this name     

A study of “chorus” observed at Australian stations

The very-low-frequency emission known as “chorus” has been studied for four Australian recording stations. The phenomenon exhibits a maximum of occurrence at about geomagnetic latitude 60° and occurs only about one-tenth as frequently at geomagnetic latitude 45°. It was never definitely observed at geomagnetic latitude 35°. Marked diurnal variations are present with morning peaks for all stations and also an evening peak at Adelaide and Hobart. Analysis of the diurnal variations suggests that two different mechanisms are involved. The average strength of chorus increases with increasing value of K-index at lower latitude stations and shows a maximum at moderate values of the index for geomagnetic latitude 61°. This is interpreted as meaning that the region of maximum average-chorus-strength moves towards lower latitudes at times of magnetic disturbance.     

GRIER(b), A “MONOMICT,” BRECCIATED CHONDRITE

The Grier(b), New Mexico meteorite, a single mass of 929.4 grams, was found in 1969. This brecciated chondrite can be classified as an L-group from the bulk chemical analysis, ～ 8 wt % metal with an estimated total iron content of 25 wt %, and the constant olivine (Fa_25.5) and orthopyroxene (Fs₂₃) compositions. The main portion of the meteorite fits the criteria for an L5 (grey to intermediate hypersthene) chondrite. A conspicuous, large (several cm³) dense fragment, texturally an L6–7 chondrite, contains practically no metal or chondrules. However, there is little variation in the bulk silicate and individual phase compositions between the fragment and the matrix. In spite of this, it seems unlikely that the fragment was created in situ because metal and sulfide are not found in the fragment-matrix contact zone; thus the formation of olivines and pyroxenes in both parts, as well as the “draining” of metal from the fragment, occurred prior to accretion with little, if any, subsequent thermal metamorphism.     

On Spinor Equations of Motion and their “Possible Integrals”

The motion of one point mass of the classical mechanics is treated by means of the relativistic spinor regularization (KUSTAANHEIMO 1975). Most general spinor equations of motion (2.9)‒(2.10)and the differential equations(3.16)‒(3.25)for the “possible integrals” (3.2)‒(3.11)of these quations of motion are deduced. If the force is a superposition of a conservative central force and of another force perpendicular to radius vector and velocity (Chapter 4, Case D), then the theory yields scalar and spinor integrals (4.7), (4.10)‒(4.12), (4.14)‒(4.15), (4.17), (4.28) that enable a parametric representation of the orbit by quadratures, as soon as one solution of a RICCATI differential equation (4.33) has been found.     

An anthropogenic origin of the “Sirente crater,” Abruzzi,Italy

Abstract— In this paper, we review the recent hypothesis, based mostly on geomorphological features, that a ～130 m‐wide sag pond, surrounded by a saddle‐shaped rim from the Sirente plain (Abruzzi, Italy), is the first‐discovered meteoritic crater of Italy. Sub‐circular depressions (hosting ponds), with geomorphological features and size very similar to those exhibited by the main Sirente sag, are exposed in other neighboring intermountain karstic plains from Abruzzi. We have sampled present‐day soils from these sag ponds and from the Sirente sags (both the main “crater” and some smaller ones, recently interpreted as a crater field) and various Abruzzi paleosols from excavated trenches with an age range encompassing the estimated age of the “Sirente crater.” For all samples, we measured the magnetic susceptibility and determined the Ni and Cr contents of selected specimens. The results show that the magnetic susceptibility values and the geochemical composition are similar for all samples (from Sirente and other Abruzzi sags) and are both significantly different from the values reported for soils contaminated by meteoritic dust. No solid evidence pointing at an impact origin exists, besides the circular shape and rim of the main sag. The available observations and data suggest that the “Sirente crater,” together with analogous large sags in the Abruzzi intermountain plains, have to be attributed to the historical phenomenon of “transumanza” (seasonal migration of sheep and shepherds), a custom that for centuries characterized the basic social‐economical system of the Abruzzi region. Such sags were excavated to provide water for millions of sheep, which spent summers in the Abruzzi karstic high pasture lands, on carbonatic massifs deprived of natural superficial fresh water. Conversely, the distribution of the smaller sags from the Sirente plain correlates with the local pattern of the calcareous bedrock and, together with the characteristics of their internal structure, are best interpreted as natural dolines. In fact, reported radiocarbon ages for the formation of the main sag pond and of the smaller sags differ (significantly) by more than two millennia, thus excluding that they were all contemporaneously formed by a meteoritic impact.     

Complex exposure histories for meteorites with “short” exposure ages

Abstract— We report measurements of ²⁶Al and ¹⁰Be activities in nine ordinary chondrites and of the light noble gas concentrations and ³⁶Cl and ⁴¹Ca activities in subsets of those meteorites. All but Murray have low ²¹Ne concentrations (<1.0 × 10^?8cm³STP/g) and have previously been used to estimate ²¹Ne production rates. Ladder Creek, Murchison, Sena, and Timochin have inventories of cosmogenic radionuclides that are compatible with a single stage of irradiation and give ²¹Ne production rates that are consistent with the standard L-chondrite value of 0.33 × 10^?8cm³STP/g/Ma. In contrast, Cullison, Guenie, Shaw, and Tsarev experienced complex irradiation histories. They and several other meteorites with low nominal exposure ages also have lower ³He/²¹Ne ratios than expected based on their ²²Ne/²¹Ne ratios. A general association between low ²¹Ne contents and ³He losses suggests that meteorites with short lifetimes often occupy orbits with small perihelia. However, meteorites with low ²¹Ne contents, one-stage exposure histories, and losses of cosmogenic ³He are rare. Possible explanations for the scarcity are (1) statistical, (2) that it is harder for more deeply buried protometeoroids to lose gas in a liberating collision, and (3) that it is harder to insert more deeply buried protometeoroids directly into orbits with small perihelia.     

A “division” treatment of the sky background in CCD images

Considering the errors transmitted from all pre-treatments, I suggest a “division” method for removing the sky background including interference fringes in CCD images. Compared to the traditional method, which may be called a “subtraction” method, the “division” method is easier to carry out and gives more accurate brightness measurement especially for the fainter images.