The Mees CCD imaging spectrograph

The Mees CCD (MCCD) instrument is an imaging spectroscopy device which uses the 25 cm coronagraph telescope and the 3.0 m Coudé spectrograph at Mees Solar Observatory (MSO) on Haleakala, Maui. The instrument works with resolving power up to R 200 000 with significant throughput from 3934 Å (Caii K) to 10 000 Å. A fast guiding active mirror stabilizes the image during observations. A rapidly writing magnetic tape storage system allows observations to be recorded at 256 kbytes s^–1. Currently, the MCCD is used for imaging spectroscopy of solar flares at 6563 Å (H), and velocity measurements of umbral oscillations; future plans include emission line studies of active region coronae, and photospheric studies of solar oscillations.     

The inter-relationship of hard X-ray and EUV bursts during solar flares

A comparison is made between the flux-versus-time profile in the EUV band and the thick target electron flux profile as inferred from hard X-rays for a number of moderately large solar flares. This complements Kane and Donnelly's (1971) study of small flares. The hard X-ray data are from ESRO TD-1A and the EUV inferred from SFD observations.Use of a ₂ minimising method shows that the best overall fit between the profile fine structures obtains for synchronism to 5 s which is within the timing accuracy. This suggests that neither conduction nor convection is fast enough as the primary mechanism of energy transport into the EUV flare and rather favours heating by the electrons themselves or by some MHD wave process much faster than acoustic waves.The electron power deposited, for a thick target model, is however far greater than the EUV luminosity for any reasonable assumptions about the area and depth over which EUV is emitted. This means that either most of the power deposited is conducted away to the optical flare or that only a fraction 1–10% of the X-ray emitting electrons are injected downwards. Recent work on H flare heating strongly favours the latter alternative - i.e. that electrons are mostly confined in the corona.     

Stellar polarization and the structure of the magnetic field of our galaxy

The stellar polarization data have been examined using a new catalogue containing accurate stellar distances. On the assumption of a magnetic alignment hypothesis, correlations on the larger distance scale indicate the existence of a dominant regular magnetic field, although its characteristics are difficult to determine. Within 500 pc its direction is towardsl45° and beyond this towardsl60°, though it is clear that such a longitudinal model is too simple. There is also some evidence for an inclination of this field to the galactic plane. The distribution of the polarization vectors away from the galactic plane has been examined and it is proposed that the two largest loop structures, previously identified as Supernova remnants, are linked by the regular field. Incremental polarization maps have been produced but they show little correlation with the spiral structure. The polarization appears to be saturated at about 1 kpc from the Sun, which is explained as the result of an observational selection effect. On the smaller distance scales an autocorrelation analysis in different directions has revealed no obvious coherence in the irregular component on scales greater than 50 pc.     

Amino acid composition of organic matter associated with carbonate and non-carbonate sediments

Amino acids comprise from 15 to 36% by weight of humic substances from carbonate and non-carbonate sediments. Humic and fulvic acids extracted from carbonate sediments are characterized by an amino acid composition consisting primarily of the acidic amino acids, aspartic and glutamic acid. Humic substances from non-carbonate sediments have a distinctly different amino acid composition consisting primarily of glycine and alanine. Amino acid analyses of various molecular weight fractions of fulvic acids extracted from carbonates show that lower molecular weight fractions have appreciably higher relative abundances of the acidic amino acids compared to higher molecular weight fractions. Based on typical values for carboxyl group content in humic substances, acidic amino acids may be a significant contributor of these functional groups. Carbonate surfaces appear to selectively adsorb aspartic acid-enriched organic matter while non-carbonates do not have this property.     

Upper limits to trace constituents in Jupiter's atmosphere from an analysis of its 5-μm spectrum

A high-resolution (0.6 cm^?1) spectrum of Jupiter at 5 μm recorded at the Kuiper Airborne Observatory is used to determine upper limits to the column density of 19 molecules. The upper limits to the mixing ratios of SiH₄, H₂S, HCN, and simple hydrocarbons are discussed with respect to current models of Jupiter's atmosphere. These upper limits are compared to expectations based upon the solar abundance of the elements. This analysis permits upper limit measurements (SiH₄), or actual detections (GeH₄), of molecules with mixing ratios with hydrogen as low as 10^?9. In future observations at 5 μm the sensitivity of remote spectroscopic analyses should permit the study of constituents with mixing ratios as low as 10^?10, which would include the hydrides of such elements as Sn and As as well as numerous organic molecules.     

The height variation of granular and oscillatory velocities

Previous observations of spatially-resolved vertical velocity variations in ten lines of Fe i spanning the height range 0 h 1000 km are re-analyzed using velocity weighting functions. The amplitudes and scale heights of granular and oscillatory velocities are determined, as well as those of the remaining unresolved velocities. I find that the optimal representation of the amplitude of the outward-decreasing granular velocities is an exponentially decreasing function of height, with a scale height of 150 km and a velocity at zero height of 1.27 km s^–1. The optimal representation of the same quantities for oscillatory velocities is an exponential increase with height, with a scale height of 1100 km and a velocity at zero height of 0.35 km s^–1. The remaining unresolved velocities decrease with height, with a scale height of 380 km and a velocity at zero height of 2.3 km s^–1.     

Acoustic core logging in blast-damaged rock

Thill, R.E. and D' Andrea, D. V., 1975. Acoustic core logging in blast-damaged rock. Eng. Geol., 10: 13–36.The Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with the Duval Corp., conducted a blast-fragmentation experiment to determine the feasibility of preparing a porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit for in-situ leaching. The blast was designed with ten 9-inch-diameter blastholes to depths of 110 feet in an equilateral triangle configuration; spacings between blastholes were 15, 20, and 25 ft. One of the major problems in the experiment was in assessing blast damage. Acoustic core-logging equipment and methods were devised and used as one approach in solving this problem. Ultrasonic pulse travel-times were determined in four diametral directions at 2-ft intervals of depth to a final depth of 120 ft in three preblast and six postblast drill cores at the Duval test site. The acoustic logging program provided compressional wave travel-time at 0°, 45°, 90°, and 135° around the core circumference, maximum travel-time difference, mean compressional-wave velocity, and an anisotropy factor. Other acoustic parameters introduced in the analyses were stiffness modulus, seismic quality designation (SQD), and a compensated velocity to account for portions of the core that were nonrecoverable or too highly fractured to permit diametral travel-time measurements.The acoustic parameters all indicated the deterioration in structural quality from the preblast condition, in which the rock already was badly fractured and weathered, to the more highly fractured postblast condition. Because of the highly fragmented, poor structural condition of the rock after blasting, the rock was indicated to be suitable for in-situ leaching, at least at the 20- and 15-ft blasthole spacings, and even in some zones in the rock at the 25-ft blasthole spacing.