Dissipationless disk accretion

We consider disk accretion resulting purely from the loss of angular momentum due to the outflow of plasma from a magnetized disk. In this limiting case, the dissipation due to the viscosity and finite electrical conductivity of the plasma can be neglected. We have obtained self-consistent, self-similar solutions for dissipationless disk accretion. Such accretion may result in the formation of objects whose bolometric luminosities are lower than the flux of kinetic energy in the ejected material.     

The possible escape of electron cyclotron maser radiation from hot stellar coronas through a window of transparency

The main argument against the idea that the intense radio emission observed from active regions on the Sun and flare stars is electron-cyclotron maser (ECM) radiation is that such radiation should be strongly absorbed in higher-lying layers where the condition for the cyclotron resonance at harmonics of the electron gyrofrequency is fulfilled. Cyclotron absorption lowers the efficiency of ECM radiation virtually to zero for a broad range of angles between the direction of propagation of the radiation and the magnetic field. Less severe absorption is possible only in narrow angular “windows” along (for ordinary and extraordinary waves) and perpendicular to (for ordinary waves) the magnetic field. However, the ECM radiation that is generated does not fall into these windows of transparency due to the kinematic conditions corresponding to coronal magnetic traps. We investigate the efficiency of induced scattering of ECM radiation on ions in the equilibrium plasma in the source. Under certain conditions, induced scattering leads to the formation of a condensate of ECM radiation with the direction of its wave vectors approximately along the magnetic field, enabling the escape of the radiation through windows of transparency. The most favorable conditions for this phenomenon are realized for ordinary waves. We estimate the optical depths of the sources of the ECM radiation to the scattering and the angular width of the condensate for ordinary and extraordinary waves for the cases of the flare radio emission of the star AD Leo and the sources of type I noise storms in the solar corona. In both cases, the polarization of the emergent radiation should correspond to the ordinary wave.     

Formation of the accretion disk in the SS 433 system with explicit radiative cooling,convective heat conduction,and radiation pressure

The paper continues three-dimensional hydrodynamical computations of the formation of an accretion disk in the SS 433 system, taking into account radiative cooling explicitly, convective thermal conductivity, and radiation pressure. The computational results show that the powerful, broad flow forms an optically thick accretion disk with a gas density of 10¹²–10¹⁴ cm^?3, a temperature of 15000–35 000 K, a radius of about 0.3, and a height of 0.2–0.3 (in units of the component separation). Spiral shocks form in the disk, and a narrow conelike cavity (tunnel) forms at the center. In this tunnel, gas is accelerated to relativistic speeds, leaving the system in the form of narrow jets.     

Radial-velocity curves and theoretical spectral-line profiles of the components of low-mass close X-ray binary systems

We present the results of calculations of theoretical absorption-line profiles and radial-velocity curves for optical components in X-ray binary systems. Tidal distortion of the optical star and X-ray heating by incident radiation from the relativistic object are taken into account. An emission component forms whose intensity varies with orbital phase in the absorption-line profile in the presence of significant X-ray heating. As a result, the width of the line decreases rather than increases at quadrature. The line profiles and equivalent widths and the radial-velocity curves depend substantially on the parameters of the binary systems. This provides the possibility of directly determining component masses and orbital inclinations from high-resolution spectroscopic observations of X-ray binary systems.     

Gamma-ray radiation with energy 2.223 MeV and the density distribution in the solar atmosphere during flares

Interactions of particles accelerated in solar flares with matter in the solar atmosphere give rise to neutrons, which are efficiently captured on hydrogen nuclei as they are slowed to thermal velocities. This capture is accompanied by the emission of a gamma-ray with energy 2.223 MeV. Observational data for the temporal profiles of the gamma-ray fluxes in this line are used to study the plasma-density distribution in the solar atmosphere during the flares of December 16, 1988, March 22, 1991, and November 6, 1997. This analysis is based on comparisons between the observations and profiles computed taking into account a number of parameters describing the generation and transport of the flare neutrons in atmospheric layers of various densities. In three cases studied, the density of the material in the photosphere below the flare region is enhanced compared to the density in an unperturbed part of the solar atmosphere at the same height. In the case of the December 16, 1988 flare, we are able for the first time to relate the profile of the 2.223 MeV line with the shape of the accelerated particle (proton) spectrum. This opens new possibilities for studies of particle acceleration on the Sun based on observations of flare gamma-ray emission.     

Arsenic mobility in alteration products of sulfide-rich, arsenopyrite-bearing mine wastes, Snow Lake, Manitoba, Canada

The Arsenopyrite Residue Stockpile (ARS) in Snow Lake, Manitoba contains approximately 250,000 tons of cyanide treated, refractory arsenopyrite ore concentrate. The residue was deposited between 1950 and 1959 in an open waste rock impoundment, and remained exposed until 2000, when the pile was capped with layers of waste rock and clay. During the time when the ARS was exposed to the atmosphere, arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, pyrite and chalcopyrite were oxidized producing scorodite, jarosite and two generations of amorphous Fe sulfo-arsenates (AISA). These secondary phases attenuated some of the As released to pore water during oxidation in the upper layers of the ARS. The imposition of the cap prevented further oxidation. The secondary As minerals are not stable in the reduced environment that currently dominates the pile. Therefore, As currently is being released into the groundwater. Water in an adjacent monitoring well has concentrations of >20 mg/L total As with relative predominance of As(III).     

Petrology of the Jurassic Shah-Kuh granite (eastern Iran), with reference to tin mineralization

The Shah-Kuh granitic pluton of eastern Central Iran was emplaced 165 Ma ago, in an active continental margin setting. It is made of two main units: a granodioritic unit (SiO₂=63–71 wt%) to the north–west and a syenogranitic unit (SiO₂=73–77 wt%) to the south–east. The former unit displays seriate medium-grained textures and contains locally abundant mafic enclaves. The latter unit is medium- to coarse-grained and porphyritic, with 0.5–3 cm long K-feldspar megacrysts. Fine-grained granitic bodies are present in both units. The rocks are metaluminous to slightly peraluminous (I-type) and peraluminous (S-type) and belong to the ilmenite-series granites. Fractional crystallization appears to have been a very effective differentiation process in both units, and the fractionated mineral assemblages are determined by mass balance calculations. Isotopic data (Sr_i=0.7065 and εNdt=−2.5) are consistent with a young upper crustal protolith. Tin mineralization in sheeted quartz-tourmaline (-cassiterite) veins is spatially associated with the granodioritic unit. The veins formed by hydraulic fracturing when the granodioritic to monzogranitic magma became water-saturated and exsolved a fluid phase during crystallization. The reduced nature of this magma is responsible for the incompatible behaviour of Sn, likely to favour Sn concentration in the residual melt and then in the exsolved fluid. Another fluid phase was exsolved by the syenogranitic magma and was responsible for local greisenized granites, characterized by high Y and HREE-contents and non-fractionated REE distribution patterns. Field and mineralogical data show that the (B, Sn) vein-forming fluid was different from the (F, Li) greisen-forming fluid.     

Estimation of petrol and diesel adulteration with kerosene and assessment of usefulness of selected automobile fuel quality test parameters

Kerosene is common adulterant utilized for mixing with diesel. Five fuel-adulterant mixtures in different proportions by volume were prepared and individually tested for density and kinematic viscosity. The mixtures were administered to six light cargo vehicles and the tail pipe exhaust emission was tested for opacity value. No appreciable density variation at different levels of adulteration was observed. Density was within the prescribed value even at higher adulteration. Considerable decrease in kinematic viscosity, a departure from prescribed viscosity, was noted at higher adulteration level. The percent opacity value decreased sharply even at small level of adulteration. The probable amount of kerosene present as an adulterant in diesel dispensed at filling stations in Kathmandu city ranged between 35% and 50%. The observations suggest density test is not a good indicator of diesel adulteration. Kinematic viscosity and opacity value are useful diesel adulteration test parameters. Existing diesel adulteration warrants initiation of strict compliance regulation.