A New Protocol for the Astrometric Follow-up of Near Earth Asteroids

A new protocol was devised to improve the efficiency of astrometric follow-up observations of Near Earth Asteroids for the accurate determination of their orbits. It was implemented in the activities of the Spaceguard Central Node (SCN, a facility of the Spaceguard Foundation, established with the support of the European Space Agency) in the form of a Priority List. Here we describe this protocol and results obtained during five years of activity (2000–2004).     

Free convection effects on the oscillatory flow in the Stokes's problem past an infinite porous vertical limiting surface with constant suction — I

An analysis of Rayleigh's problem (also Stokes's problem) for the flow of a viscous fluid (e.g. of a stellar atmosphere) past an impulsively started infinite, vertical porous limiting surface (e.g. of a star) with constant suction, when the free stream velocity oscillates in time about a constant mean, has been carried out. On solving the coupled non-linear equations in approximate way, expressions for the mean velocity, the mean temperature, the mean skin-friction and the mean rate of heat transfer, expressed in terms of Nusselt number, are obtained. The effects of Grashof numberG, Eckert numberE and Prandtl numberP, on these quantities, is discussed for the cases of an externally heating and cooling of the limiting surface, by the free convection currents, and the variations of them are shown graphically.     

On the α-effect for slow and fast rotation

This paper deals with the influence of global rotation on a special inomogeneous field of incompressible turbulence. All its deviations from homogeneity and isotropy may be described only by a constant gradient of turbulence intensity. Using a FOURIER representation we are able to determine the α-effect for any given rotational rates and material constants. In the case of slow rotation our expressions show a strong similarity with those of other authors. Increasing angular velocities do not – as is to be assumed at first sight – suppress the production of mean electromotive force caused by turbulence. They rather lead to a two-dimensionality of this e.m.f. with respect to the axis of rotation. It seems, therefore, that very fast rotation can not completely delete the dynamo instability.     

Observations of the structure and evolution of solar flares with a soft X-ray telescope

132 soft X-ray flare events have been observed with The Aerospace Corporation/Marshall Space Flight Center S-056 X-ray telescope that was part of the ATM complement of instruments aboard Skylab. Analyses of these data are reported in this paper. The observations are summarized and a detailed discussion of the X-ray flare structures is presented. The data indicated that soft X-rays emitted by a flare come primarily from an intense well-defined core surrounded by a region of fainter, more diffuse emission. Loop structures are found to constitute a fundamental characteristic of flare cores and arcades of loops are found to play a more important role in the flare phenomena than previously thought. Size distributions of these core features are presented and a classification scheme describing the brightest flare X-ray features is proposed. The data show no correlations between the size of core features and: (1) the peak X-ray intensity, as indicated by detectors on the SOLRAD satellite; (2) the rise time of the X-ray flare event, or (3) the presence of a nonthermal X-ray component. An analysis of flare evolution indicates evidence for preliminary heating and energy release prior to the main phase of the flare. Core features are found to be remarkably stable and retain their shape throughout a flare. Most changes in the overall configuration seem to be the result of the appearance, disappearance or change in brightness of individual features, rather than the restructuring or re-orientation of these features. Brief comparisons with several theories are presented.     

Tectonics of the Laptev Sea – Moma `Rift' Region: Investigation with Seismologic Broadband Data

Based on teleseismic broadband data, mainly recorded from stationsof the Incorporated Research Institute for Seismology (IRIS) and theGräfenberg (GRF) array in Germany, the focal mechanism and thefocal depth of the largest earthquakes in northeastern Siberia in thetime interval 1976–1996 were determined. For 9 events the relativeanelastic attenuation of the shear wave with respect to the compressionalwave along the travel paths could be calculated. Using the slip vectorsfrom the best constrained focal mechanisms and additional slip vectorsfrom Jemsek et al. (1986) and Parfenov et al. (1988), we obtained the North American–Eurasian pole of rotation west of the Cherskii mountainsat 67.1^° N, 132.3^° E.The investigation shows that the extension of the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridgeinto the continental shelf acts as a continental graben structure.Actually, the crustal extension is concentrated on the eastern LaptevSea area and the seismicity of the western part of the Laptev Sea canbe explained by the assumption of a separate microplate. In the continentsoutheast of the Laptev Sea a series of northwest trending depressions,known as the Moma `Rift', are observed. Although in this region elevatedheat flow, recent volcanism and a low crustal thickness were found (i.e.Duchkov and Sokolova, 1985; Devyatkin, 1985), there is only a poorcorrelation between the seismicity and the rift valleys. So the Momastructures seem to be related to an aborted rift structure.     

Petrophysical properties of rocks in seismogenic crustal blocks of the southeastern Greater Caucasus and their geological and geophysical interpretation

The elastic and density properties of rocks of the Shamakha-Ismailly seismogenic blocks are studied by the ultrasonic pulse method in quasi-hydrostatic high pressure apparatuses. An attempt is made to more accurately determine the upper crustal lithology of these blocks. The observed values of the elastic and density characteristics of the rocks at high pressures suggest that the upper layers in the Ismailly and Shamakha blocks can consist of sedimentary carbonate rocks such as marls, sandstones, mudstones, and limestones. The middle layers apparently consist of volcaniclastic rocks: lithoclastic tuffs, andesites, etc. The lower layer (basement) in both blocks is likely composed of basic rocks such as basalts, trachybasalts, etc. According to the values of elastic wave velocities and densities, gabbroid rocks may compose the fourth layer of the Buinuz intrusion, identified from seismic data.     

Analysis of the positive ionospheric response to a moderate geomagnetic storm using a global numerical model

Current theories of F-layer storms are discussed using numerical simulations with the Upper Atmosphere Model, a global self-consistent, time dependent numerical model of the thermosphere-ionosphere-plasmasphere-magnetosphere system including electrodynamical coupling effects. A case study of a moderate geomagnetic storm at low solar activity during the northern winter solstice exemplifies the complex storm phenomena. The study focuses on positive ionospheric storm effects in relation to thermospheric disturbances in general and thermospheric composition changes in particular. It investigates the dynamical effects of both neutral meridional winds and electric fields caused by the disturbance dynamo effect. The penetration of short-time electric fields of magnetospheric origin during storm intensification phases is shown for the first time in this model study. Comparisons of the calculated thermospheric composition changes with satellite observations of AE-C and ESRO-4 during storm time show a good agreement. The empirical MSISE90 model, however, is less consistent with the simulations. It does not show the equatorward propagation of the disturbances and predicts that they have a gentler latitudinal gradient. Both theoretical and experimental data reveal that although the ratio of [O]/[N₂] at high latitudes decreases significantly during the magnetic storm compared with the quiet time level, at mid to low latitudes it does not increase (at fixed altitudes) above the quiet reference level. Meanwhile, the ionospheric storm is positive there. We conclude that the positive phase of the ionospheric storm is mainly due to uplifting of ionospheric F2-region plasma at mid latitudes and its equatorward movement at low latitudes along geomagnetic field lines caused by large-scale neutral wind circulation and the passage of travelling atmospheric disturbances (TADs). The calculated zonal electric field disturbances also help to create the positive ionospheric disturbances both at middle and low latitudes. Minor contributions arise from the general density enhancement of all constituents during geomagnetic storms, which favours ion production processes above ion losses at fixed height under day-light conditions.     

Contributions from oceanic and ionospheric dynamos to the lunar daily variation at Alibag

Summary. The contributions from the oceanic and ionospheric dynamos, L_o and L_I respectively, to the geomagnetic lunar daily variation, L , at Alibag, a coastal station in the Indian equatorial region, are calculated from the L harmonics derived from a 41–yr long series of observations. The analysis in the calendar months shows a steady and significant ocean dynamo contribution in the vertical component, Z, in all the months except April. Examination, by an analysis of the data year by year, of the association of L_o and L_I with varying solar and magnetic activities reveals, surprisingly, a stable correlation between the magnetic activity index A _P and the oceanic part in the horizontal and vertical components but not in declination, which probably indicates the influence of induced currents, along the latitudes, on L _o.     

Annual and sub-annual effects of euv heating—I. Harmonic analysis

In this paper we compute the rate of solar EUV heating in the upper atmosphere by photo-dissociation and photo-ionization, taking care to include properly the effects of oblique incidence of solar flux, sphericity of the atmosphere and ellipticity of the Earth's orbit. The time and latitudinal variations of the computed heat function are revealed by numerical Fourier analysis of the heat function into harmonics of the yearly cycle. It is shown that EUV absorption contains a ‘latitude independent’ semi-annual component of heating with the ‘proper phase’ to account for the semi-annual density variations. Further, the annual component of the heat function predicts the existence of ‘summer polar’ density increases in the northern and southern hemispheres.