Densities deduced from perturbations at high altitudes

Atmospheric densities between 1500 and 3000km have been determined from observations of satellites with large surface to mass ratios. The analysis has been made for optimum periods where the satellite is continuously in sunlight and when the effects of Earth albedo are minimum. Twenty six values of density obtained from 1965 to 1970 have been analysed.     

Fine structure of a very bright active region at a wavelength of 2.8 cm

The radio structure of the active region McMath 11976 has been investigated with an east-west resolution of 16″ at a wavelength of 2.8 cm. Six bright components were found with angular sizes of the order of 20″. From the position measure of these components in two following days the heights above the solar photosphere are determined. Their positions are compared with the Hα and magnetic structure of the active region. The derived brightness temperatures reach unusual values, up to 6 × 10⁶K for the brightest component.     

Rock types present in lunar highland soils

Several investigators have attempted, from studies of lithic fragments and/or glasses, to determine the types of rocks that constitute the parent materials of lunar highland soils. Comparing only major element data, and thus avoiding the problems induced by individual classifications, these data appear to converge on a relatively limited number of rock types. The highland soils are derived from a suite of highly feldspathic rocks comprising anorthositic gabbros (or norites), high alumina basalts, troctolites, and less abundant gabbroic (or noritic) anorthosites, anorthosites and KREEP basalts.     

8–13 μm spectrophotometry of Comet Kohoutek

Spectrophotometry of Comet Kohoutek (1973f) covering the wavelength range 8–13 μm is presented. The spectral shape of the derived flux excess above a blackbody closely resembles that seen in circumstellar and interstellar dust and generally attributed to metallic silicates.     

THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF MAJOR ELEMENTS AND HEAVY TRACE METALS IN CHONDRITES PARAMBÙ AND MARILIA

The chemical composition of the newly observed fallen chondrites Parambù, 1967, and Marilia, 1971, was determined. Wet chemical methods were used for major elements analyses and the abundances of heavy trace elements from tungsten to uranium were determined by spark source mass spectrometry. The chemical composition confirmed the classification of Marilia as an H-group chondrite by Avanzo et al. (1973): Parambù was classified as an LL-group chondrite.     

Helium emission in the middle chromosphere

Slitless spectrograms obtained during the eclipse of 10 June 1972 have been analyzed to determine the height distribution of the D₃ He line intensity.For undisturbed regions the maximum of D₃ line intensity is confirmed to exist at about 1700km above the limb. Besides the above mentioned maximum, in plages a considerable intensity may be observed at low heights (h < 1000 km).An analysis of these observations for h > 1000 km has been carried out within the low temperature mechanism of triplet helium emission taking into account the helium ionization by XUV radiation. The density dependence of the 2³ S level population at different XUV flux values has been calculated. Our observations give N _e 2 × 10¹⁰ cm^–3 in the chromosphere at h = 2000 km. The probable coincidence of the H and He emission small filaments in the middle chromosphere is discussed.     

Magnetic field of the solar wind

Relationship between the geoefficiency of the solar flares as well as of the active regions passing the central meridian of the Sun and the configuration of the large scale solar magnetic field is studied.It is shown that if the tangential component of the large scale magnetic field at the active region or at the flare region is directed southwards, that region and that flare produce geomagnetic storm. In case when the tangential magnetic field is directed northward, the active region and the flares occurring at that region do not cause any geomagnetic disturbance.An index of the geoefficiency of the solar flares and of the active regions is proposed.     

The fusion crust of the Winchcombe meteorite: A preserved record of atmospheric entry processes

Fusion crusts form during the atmospheric entry heating of meteorites and preserve a record of the conditions that occurred during deceleration in the atmosphere. The fusion crust of the Winchcombe meteorite closely resembles that of other stony meteorites, and in particular CM2 chondrites, since it is dominated by olivine phenocrysts set in a glassy mesostasis with magnetite, and is highly vesicular. Dehydration cracks are unusually abundant in Winchcombe. Failure of this weak layer is an additional ablation mechanism to produce large numbers of particles during deceleration, consistent with the observation of pulses of plasma in videos of the Winchcombe fireball. Calving events might provide an observable phenomenon related to meteorites that are particularly susceptible to dehydration. Oscillatory zoning is observed within olivine phenocrysts in the fusion crust, in contrast to other meteorites, perhaps owing to temperature fluctuations resulting from calving events. Magnetite monolayers are found in the crust, and have also not been previously reported, and form discontinuous strata. These features grade into magnetite rims formed on the external surface of the crust and suggest the trapping of surface magnetite by collapse of melt. Magnetite monolayers may be a feature of meteorites that undergo significant degassing. Silicate warts with dendritic textures were observed and are suggested to be droplets ablated from another stone in the shower. They, therefore, represent the first evidence for intershower transfer of ablation materials and are consistent with the other evidence in the Winchcombe meteorite for unusually intense gas loss and ablation, despite its low entry velocity.     

Solar wind induction in Mercury: Constraints on the formation of a magnetosphere

The discovery of Mercury's magnetosphere by Mariner 10 was surprising since the conventional view of regenerative planetary dynamos had been that the spin requirement would likely have been in excess of the observed spin rate of Mercury. Also internal fluid motions were not expected to be sufficiently large. This paper explores the alternative model of the formation of Mercury's magnetosphere via electromagnetic induction forced by the solar wind. It is shown, however, that the constraints are so severe as to limit severely the applicability of such a model. Although induction is easily observed on the Moon, the modification of the magnetic boundary condition associated with a plasma magnetosphere on Mercury rules out its formation via induction except for interplanetary driving fields which are decreasing in amplitude. That model is explored but retains the difficulty that induced magnetospheres tend to be of small radial and temporal extent compared to that inferred by Ness et al. for Mercury.