Geoeffectiveness of interplanetary shocks during solar minimum (1995–1996) and solar maximum (2000)

Plasma and magnetic field parameter variations across fast forward interplanetary shocks are analyzed during the last solar cycle minimum (1995–1996, 15 shocks), and maximum year 2000 (50 shocks). It was observed that the solar wind velocity and magnetic field strength variation across the shocks were the parameters better correlated with Dst. Superposed epoch analysis centered on the shock showed that, during solar minimum, B _z profiles had a southward, long-duration variation superposed with fluctuations, whereas in solar maximum the B _z profile presented 2 peaks. The first peak occurred 4 hr after the shock, and seems to be associated with the magnetic field disturbed by the shock in the sheath region. The second peak occurred 19 hr after the shock, and seems to be associated with the ejecta fields. The difference in shape and peak in solar maximum (Dst peak =−50 nT, moderate activity) and minimum (Dst peak =−30 nT, weak activity) in average Dst profiles after shocks are, probably, a consequence of the energy injection in the magnetosphere being driven by different interplanetary southward magnetic structures. A statistical distribution of geomagnetic activity levels following interplanetary shocks was also obtained. It was observed that during solar maximum, 36% of interplanetary shocks were followed by intense (Dst≤−100 nT) and 28% by moderate (−50≤Dst <−100 nT) geomagnetic activity. During solar minimum, 13% and 33% of the shocks were followed by intense and moderate geomagnetic activity, respectively. Thus, during solar maximum a higher relative number of interplanetary shocks might be followed by intense geomagnetic activity than during solar minimum. One can extrapolate, for forecasting goals, that during a whole solar cycle a shock has a probability of around 50–60% to be followed by intense/moderate geomagnetic activity.     

The electron temperature and density in interstellar medium by using carbon radio recombination line observations

The intensities of carbon radio recombination lines (RRL’s) are definedallowing for the effect of dielectronic-like recombination. The rate ofdielectronic-like recombination is calculated as functions of line number,electron density and temperature accurate to 0.05. Following from the balanceequation solutions for populations, the RRL intensities are analytically foundby the method of successive approximations to an accuracy of 0.15. Theobservations of carbon RRL’s are analyzed toward Cassiopeia A. The averageelectron temperature, density, expanded CII region lengths and inaccuraciesare found with the experimental values of RRL widths and intensities.     

On Relativistic Equations of Motion of an Earth Satellite

For numerical integration of the geocentric equations of motion of Earth satellites in the general relativity framework one may choose now between rather simple equations involving in their relativistic dynamical part only the Earth-induced terms and very complicated equations taking into account the relativistic third-body action. However, it is possible quite easily to take into account the relativistic indirect third-body perturbations and to neglect much lesser direct third-body perturbations. Such approach is based on the use of the Newtonian third-body perturbations in geocentric variables with expressing them in the relativistic manner in terms of the barycentric arguments. Together with it, to extend the known results for the spheroid model of the Earth, the Earth-induced terms are treated in great detail by including the non-spin part of the Earth vector-potential and the Earth triaxial non-sphericity.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The equivalence between different Dark (matter) energy scenarios

We have shown that the phenomenological models with a cosmological constant of the type Λ=β( ) and Λ=3αH ², where R is the scale factor of the universe and H is the Hubble constant, are equivalent to a quintessence model with a scalar (φ) potential of the formV∝φ^-n, n= constant. The equation of state of the cosmic fluid is described by these parameters (α, β, n) only. The equation of state of the cosmic fluid (dark energy) can be determined by any of these parameters. The actual amount of dark energy will define the equation of state of the cosmic fluid.All of the three forms can give rise to cosmic acceleration depending the amount of dark energy in the universe.     

Dynamics and radiation of young type-Ia supernova remnants: Important physical processes

Astronomy Letters - We analyze the physical processes that should be taken into account when modeling young type-Ia supernova remnants (SNRs) with ages of several hundred years in which forward...     

Equation of state under nuclear statistical equilibrium conditions

We investigate a three-parameter equation of state for stellar matter under nuclear statistical equilibrium conditions in the ranges of temperatures 3×10⁹–10¹¹ K and densities 10⁴–10¹³ g cm^?3 and for various ratios of the total number of neutrons to the total number of protons within the range 1–1.5. These conditions correspond to the initial stages of the gravitational collapse of iron stellar cores that are accompanied by nonequilibrium matter neutronization. We analyze the effect of the excited levels of atomic nuclei on the thermodynamic properties of the matter. We show that this effect is insignificant at low densities, ρ?10¹⁰ g cm^?3, but it leads to an expansion of the instability region, γ<4/3, at higher densities. The incorporated effects of the Fermi degeneracy of free nucleons prove to be insignificant, because their concentrations are low at low temperatures. In the future, we plan to investigate the effects of Coulomb interactions and neutron-rich nuclei on the thermodynamic properties of the matter.     

Numerical simulation of seasonal dynamics of water vapor in the Martian atmosphere

The seasonal evolution of the H₂O snow in the Martian polar caps and the dynamics of water vapor in the Martian atmosphere are studied. It is concluded that the variations of the H₂O mass in the polar caps of Mars are determined by the soil thermal regime in the polar regions of the planet. The atmosphere affects water condensation and evaporation in the polar caps mainly by transferring water between the polar caps. The stability of the system implies the presence of a source of water vapor that compensates for the removal of water from the atmosphere due to permanent vapor condensation in the polar residual caps. The evaporation of the water ice that is present in the surface soil layers in the polar regions of the planet is considered as such a source. The annual growth of the water-ice mass in the residual polar caps is estimated. The latitudinal pattern of the seasonal distribution of water vapor in the atmosphere is obtained for the stable regime.Translated from Astronomicheskii Vestnik, Vol. 38, No. 6, 2004, pp. 497–503.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Aleshin.     

TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL CASE FOR HUMAN SPACE EXPLORATION

I will argue that an ambitious programme of human space exploration, involving a return to the Moon, and eventually human missions to Mars, will add greatly to human knowledge. Gathering such knowledge is the primary aim of science, but science’s compartmentalisation into isolated academic disciplines tends to obscure the overall strength of the scientific case. Any consideration of the scientific arguments for human space exploration must therefore take a holistic view, and integrate the potential benefits over the entire spectrum of human knowledge. Moreover, science is only one thread in a much larger overall case for human space exploration. Other threads include economic, industrial, educational, geopolitical and cultural benefits. Any responsibly formulated public space policy must weigh all of these factors before deciding whether or not an investment in human space activities is scientifically and socially desirable.     

On the Saturation of Astrophysical Dynamos: Numerical Experiments with the No-Cosines Flow

In the context of astrophysical dynamos we illustrate that the no-cosines flow, with zero mean helicity, can drive fast dynamo action and we study the dynamo’s mode of operation during both the linear and non-linear saturation regimes. It turns out that in addition to a high growth rate in the linear regime, the dynamo saturates at a level significantly higher than normal turbulent dynamos, namely at exact equipartition when the magnetic Prandtl number Pr_m∼ 1. Visualization of the magnetic and velocity fields at saturation will help us to understand some of the aspects of the non-linear dynamo problem.     

Search for short cosmic gamma-ray bursts using data from the APEX and LILAS experiments onboard the Phobos-2 interplanetary spacecraft

A statistical analysis of the spectral and temporal parameters for 546 triggering events on the APEX gamma-ray detector onboard the Phobos-2 spacecraft has revealed a group of 28 events that are probably short cosmic gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The distribution of the full group of 74 events of the APEX experiment in duration parameter is bimodal in shape, which is in good agreement with the bimodal shape of the BATSE GRB distribution. A search for the detected group of short events using data from the LILAS X-ray and soft gamma-ray detector onboard the same spacecraft has yielded no positive result. A comparison of the APEX and LILAS data has led us to conclude that the short GRBs have a significantly reduced soft gamma-ray flux at energies <100 keV relative to the power law dN/dE=CE^?α with the average index α=2.62.