Energetic ions in solar γ-ray flares

Solar flares emit line and continuum -radiation as well as neutrons and charged particles. These high-energy emissions require the presence of energetic ions within the magnetic structures of the flare proper. We have already learned a great deal about the location and mode of particle acceleration. The observations have now become extensive enough so that we can begin to study the dynamics of the energetic ions within the flare structures themselves. This paper reviews the -ray and neutron observations and the theory of their emission, and discusses on this basis the presence of energetic ions deep within the flaring atmosphere.     

The blanketing in the rocket ultraviolet from 225.2 to 319.6 nm

The blanketing effect for the solar disc center and its value near the limb (cos = 0.23) are obtained for the rocket ultraviolet region using the Harvard center and limb spectra. The value of for the disc center appears to be 0.67 (on average) relative to the quasicontinuum. The essential decrease of towards the limb is also revealed.     

Determinants and characteristics of female migration: a case study of Salem City in Tamil Nadu,India

A random sample of 521 male and 481 female migrants surveyed in Salem city in Tamil Nadu, India, during 1980-1981 was analyzed on the basis of a classification related to reasons (association, marriage, distress, and voluntary) for migration. Women were found to outnumber males in associational migration, both in rural to urban and urban to urban streams. They also formed almost all the marriage migrants. They were more numerous in distress migration as well. There were, however, comparatively few women among voluntary migrants. The incidence of illiteracy among migrant women was generally high, except for voluntary migrants who had completed high school. The share of working women was not negligible, but in most cases present work status was achieved after migrating.     

Absolute spectrophotometry of Neptune: 3390 to 7800 Å

Absolute spectrophotometry of Neptune from 3390 to 7800 Å, with spectral resolution of 10 Å in the interval 3390–6055 and 20 Å in the interval 6055–7800 Å, is reported. The results are compared with filter photometry (Appleby, 1973; Wamsteker, 1973; Savage et al., 1980) and with synthetic spectra computed on the basis of a parameterization proposed by Podolak and Danielson (1977) for aerosol scattering and absorption. A CH₄/H₂ ratio of is derived for the convectively mixed part of Neptune's atmosphere, and constrains optical properties of hypothetical aerosol layers.     

Extreme relativistic model for neutron stars and pulsars

Exact solutions have been obtained for a massive fluid sphere under the extreme causality condition (dP/dρ)=1. Radial pulsational stability of these structures has been discussed. It is found that for pulsationally stable configurations the surface to central density ratio is greater than 0.30, the maximum values for surface and central redshifts are 0.85 and 3.40 respectively in the extreme case, and the maximum mass and size are respectively 4.8M _⊙ and 20.1 km. It has also been shown that these structures are gravitationally bound, with a maximum binding energy per unit rest mass equal to 0.25 for a surface to central density ratio ?0.40. Slow rotation of these configurations has also been considered, and the relative drag and moment of inertia have been calculated. These results have been applied to the Crab pulsar and the mass of the pulsar has also been calculated based upon this model.     

Upper limits on the total radiant energy of solar flares

We establish limits on the total radiant energy of solar flares during the period 1980 February – November, using the solar-constant monitor (ACRIM) on board the Solar Maximum Mission. Typical limits amount to 6 × 10²⁹ erg/s for a 32-second integration time, with 5σ statistical significance, for an impulsive emission; for a gradual component, about 4 × 10³² ergs total radiant energy. The limits lie about an order of magnitude higher than the total radiant energy estimated from the various known emission components, suggesting that no heretofore unknown dominant component of flare radiation exists.     

A dynamo theory of solar flares

It is proposed that the solar flare phenomenon can be understood as a manifestation of the electrodynamic coupling process of the photosphere-chromosphere-corona system as a whole. The system is coupled by electric currents, flowing along (both upward and downward) and across the magnetic field lines, powered by the dynamo process driven by the neutral wind in the photosphere and the lower chromosphere. A self-consistent formulation of the proposed coupling system is given. It is shown in particular that the coupling system can generate and dissipate the power of 10²⁹ erg s^#X2212;1 and the total energy of 10³² erg during a typical life time (10³ s) of solar flares. The energy consumptions include Joule heat production, acceleration of current-carrying particles along field lines, magnetic energy storage and kinetic energy of plasma convection. The particle acceleration arises from the development of field-aligned potential drops of 10–150 kV due to the loss-cone constriction effect along the upward field-aligned currents, causing optical, X-ray and radio emissions. The total number of precipitating electrons during a flare is shown to be of order 10³⁷–10³⁸.     

The Hα-cyclonic spectra of a flare loop system on 1981 April 27

The data such as the H-spectrum-spectroheliographic (SSHG) observations, the H-chromospheric observations, etc., of a flare loop prominence which occurred on the western solar limb on 1981 April 27 have been obtained at Yunnan Observatory. The distribution of the internal motions and the macroscopical motion of the flare loop prominence with time and space in the course of its eruption and ascension is derived from the comprehensive analysis of the data. The possible physical pictures and the instability of the motions of the loop are inferred and discussed.     

Evolution of electron and proton temperatures in a flaring loop

We have investigated numerically how a temperature difference between electrons and protons is produced in a flaring loop by adopting a one-fluid, two-temperature model instead of a single-temperature model. We have treated a case in which flare energy is released in the form of heating of electrons located in the top part of the loop.In this case, a large temperature difference (T _e/T _p 10) appears in the corona in the energy-input phase of the flare. When the material evaporated from the chromosphere fills the corona, the temperature difference in the loop begins to shrink rapidly from below. Eventually, in the loop apex, the proton temperature exceeds the electron temperature mainly due to cooling of the electrons by conduction down the loop and heating of the protons by compression of the ascending material. In the late phase of the flare (t 15 min from the flare onset), the temperature difference becomes less than 2% of the mean temperature of electrons and protons at every point in the loop.     

Quaternary fault segmentation and interaction in the epicentral area of the 1561 earthquake (Mw = 6.4), Vallo di Diano, southern Apennines, Italy

The main structural characteristics of the Caggiano and Polla faults, exposed in the epicentral area of the 1561 earthquake (Mw = 6.4), southern Italy, have been investigated in detail to assess their spatial and temporal properties, and to evaluate their seismogenic potential. These right stepping normal faults show an overlap of about 7 km and an across strike separation of about 4 km. The geometric relationships between the Caggiano and Polla faults, but also the displacement distribution along each fault, demonstrate that they have been strongly interacting throughout the Pleistocene. Nevertheless, geological evidence of Holocene tectonic activity was mainly recognized along the Caggiano Fault (faulted late glacial deposits) and in the southernmost part of the Polla Fault (faulted deposits of probably Late Pleistocene age). This suggests that the Caggiano Fault can be considered as the most tectonically active fault in the Vallo di Diano Fault System. By calculating Coulomb stress changes, we have constrained modes of mechanical interactions between the two faults in a scenario compatible with the 1561 earthquake. This approach allows us to argue that both the Caggiano and the Polla Faults are probably linked at depth, and part of the same seismogenic structure which may be potentially responsible for composite ruptures with magnitude ≥ 6.5.