A study of motions in the winter mesosphere using the partial reflection drift technique

Intensive partial reflection drift observations were made at Adelaide (35°S) for a seven day period in June 1973. The results have been analysed to isolate the prevailing motion and oscillations of various time scales: planetary, 24 hr, 12 hr and gravity waves. Each is discussed in turn with particular emphasis on the variability of energy from day to day and as a function of height. Evidence is presented for the local generation of planetary waves, the presence of the evanescent S_?2¹ mode in the 24 hr oscillation, the influence of the S₄² mode in the 12 hr oscillation and a definite polarization of gravity waves. The energies of all the forms of motion are shown to decay exponentially with increasing height and the deposition of energy and momentum in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere is discussed.     

Magnetic disturbance effects in the E region of the ionosphere

Detailed studies of the daytime E-region critical frequency at Aberystwyth (geomagnetic latitude +56°) show clear evidence for changes associated with both the axially-symmetric (Dst) and asymmetric (DS) components of the disturbance magnetic field. Comparison of the sensitivity of the E-region peak density to these two influences shows that the changes cannot entirely (if at all) be ascribed to the influence of electric currents in the region. It is suggested that a major role is played by dynamical influences associated with the neutral air “storm circulation” which distributes the energy fed into the auroral region to lower latitudes.     

The structure of a type-II supernova remnant G 160.5+2.8 (HB-9) observed at λ=12m

A two-dimensional brightness distribution of the old supernova remnant G 160.5+2.8 (HB-9) has been measured at a frequency of 25 MHz with the T-Shaped UTR-2 radio telescope, with the resolution 29×27. The source has a distinctly pronounced, almost spherical envelope. At the same time, individual features located near the internal boundary of the source are observable.Certain considerations are put forward to validate a suggestion that the brightest feature in the decameter range (maximum at=4^h55^m.3 and =46°.37) might be of an extragalactic origin.From structure considerations, the velocity of the pulsar PSR 0459+47 projected on HB-9 is estimated. The estimate does not contradict the hypothesis of Damasheket al. (1978) concerning a possible genetic relation between HB-9 and PSR 0459+47.     

Search for variability in hydrogen-poor stars

The evolutionary status of hydrogen-poor stars is analyzed.Photoelectric observations of six objects are reported as a first step of a long-term project devoted to search for variability of a large sample of hydrogen-poor stars.The observed stars show phenomena of microvariability with an amplitude of the order of 0^m. 1 or less.Two extreme helium stars have been examined: a period in the range of 0^d.162-0^d.164 has been found for BD+ 10⁰2179, andP=0^d.1079962 for BD+13⁰3324.The mass-losing O subdwarf (sdO) BD+37⁰ 443 presents short-term fluctuations with a time-scale of several minutes and long-term variations on a scale of months. The standard sdO BD+75⁰325 is probably non-variable, although light variations of very small amplitude (m0.03) with a time-scale of about 1 hr might be present. The high gravity sdO BD+25⁰4655, which is very close to the white dwarf stage, also presents variability on a time-scale of about 13 minutes, and might be an analog of the recently discovered pulsating sdO, or hot white dwarf, PG 1159-035.The variability of the intermediate helium star HD 37776 is finally confirmed.     

Torsional waves on the Sun and the activity cycle

Some properties of the recently-discovered torsional oscillations of the Sun are presented. The detailed relation of this velocity feature to magnetic activity gives evidence that these motions represent a fundamental oscillation within the Sun that is responsible for the solar activity cycle and that they are not a natural consequence of an - dynamo. A new torsional oscillation with wave number 1 hemisphere^–1 is demonstrated to exist on the Sun.     

Unusual coronal activity following the flare of 6 November 1980

For almost 30 hr after the major (gamma-ray) two-ribbon flare on 6 November 1980, 03:30 UT, the Hard X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (HXIS) aboard the SMM satellite imaged in > 3.5 keV X-rays a gigantic arch extending above the active region over the limb. Like a similar configuration on 22 May 1980, this arch formed the lowest part of a stationary post-flare radio noise storm recorded at metric wavelengths at Nançay and Culgoora. 6.5 hr after the flare a coronal region below the arch started quasi-periodic pulsations in X-ray brightness, observed by several SMM instruments. These brightness variations had no response in the chromosphere (H), very little in the transition layer (O v), but they clearly correlated with similar variations in brightness at 169 MHz. There were 13 pulses of this kind, with apparent periodicity of about 20 min, until another flare occurred in the active region at 15:00 UT. All the brightenings appeared within a localized area of about 30000 km² in the northern part of the active region, but they definitely did not occur all at the same place.The top of the X-ray arch, at an altitude of 155 000 km, was continuously and smoothly decaying, taking no part in the striking variations below it. Therefore, the area variable in brightness does not seem to be the footpoint of the arch, as we supposed for similar variations on 22 May. More likely, it is a separate region connected directly with the source of the radio storm; particles accelerated in the storm may be dumped into the low corona and cause the X-ray enhancements. The X-ray arch was enhanced by two orders of magnitude in 3.5–5.5 keV X-ray counts and the temperature increased from 7.3 × 10⁶ to 9 × 10⁶ K when the new two-ribbon flare occurred at 15:00 UT. Thus, it is possible that energy is brought into the arch via the upper parts of the reconnecting flare loops - a process that can continue for hours.     

The equatorial photospheric rotation rate

The equatorial photospheric rotation rate has been observed on 14 days in 1978–1980. The resulting rotation rate, = 14.14±0.04°/day, is 2% slower than the rate as observed for long-lived sunspots.Stationed at Kitt Peak National Observatory.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

Solar limb brightening at the extreme limb from photoelectric eclipse observations

Photoelectric observations of the light intensity from the solar crescent before and after totality were made during the eclipses of 7 March, 1970 and 26 February, 1979. Effective wavelengths were determined by interference filters of 20 nm bandwidth. To obtain the limb darkening function, the resulting intensity curves were analyzed by an extension of the method of Julius in which we take into account the actual lunar limb profile. The limb darkening function at 433 nm was obtained for the region 0.937 < sin < 0.9999. Our results are in good agreement with existing center-to-limb measurements in the region of overlap which extends to sin = 0.99. Additional data were obtained at 600 nm for 0.994 < sin < 0.9999. The curves at both wavelengths show a distinctive limb brightening effect at sin = 0.999.     

The political economy of urbanization in Melanesia

The authors attempt to provide a comprehensive review of urbanization in three Melanesian countries (Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu) and in Fiji. The focus of the paper is on the development and perpetuation of various forms of inequality exemplified by Melanesian urbanization and its colonial origins.     

TREK: A cosmic-ray experiment on the Russian space station MIR

The goals of the TREK experiment, now in place on the MIR Space Station, are to resolve and measure the composition of both odd-Z and even-Z cosmic-ray nuclei up to uranium, to measure the isotopic composition of Fe-group nuclei, and to search for transuranic nucleic and exotic particles such as strangelets. To collect tracks of ultraheavy cosmic rays, exterior panels holding an array of BP-1 phosphate glass 1.2m² in area and 16 plates thick are now mounted outside the Kvant-2 module on MIR. Heaters and relays regulate the temperature of the glass at 25°±5°C. The detectors will record 10³ cosmic-ray tracks withZ50 during 2.5 years. An interior panel consisting of an array 0.09 m² in area and 32 plates thick and mounted on the inside wall of the Soyuz spacecraft (attached to the Space Station) will collect tracks of about 13000 Fe and 500 Ni nuclei.