Development of a real-time algorithm for detection of solar wind discontinuities

A study is presented of an algorithm, based on the statistical analysis of interplanetary magnetic field data, for the real-time detection of discontinuities in the solar wind. The analysis is based on the application of a sliding or searching algorithm together with a minimum variance treatment. A demonstration is given for a Pioneer data set from 29 August, 1966. This particular data set was chosen because it has been extensively studied (in terms of the fast forward MHD shock wave) by previous groups who utilized the three-dimensional Rankine-Hugoniot shock equations after identifying the shock on a subjective basis. Our procedure differs in that it is perfectly objective because of its searching technique. For this particular data set we identify the original shock with excellent agreement with the earlier studies of its normal vector, as well as an additional shock and tangential discontinuity, neither of which had been identified previously.     

An estimate of the contribution of high nergy cosmic-ray protons to the absorbed dose inventory of a cometary nucleus

We discuss the contribution of cosmic-ray protons at all energies above 1 MeV to the absorbed doses of the surface layers of a comet. Since there exists no calculation which takes into account proton energy losses by means of losses to electrons and nuclear collisions (in a cascade process), and losses due to the low energy end-products of the cascade, we have made a rough estimate of all of these contributions. An analytical formula is proposed that allows a rapid estimate of ranges and the dose absorbed at any depth. We give dose-depth curves for two extreme values of the energy at which nuclear collisions begin to dominate the slowing-down process, and for an intermediate value we display the dose-depth curve down to 20 m from the surface. The relevance of these findings to dosimetry in comets and some alterations of cometary material are considered. The need for improving the analytical expression proposed is stressed.     

Variations in the HCN/HNC abundance ratio in the Orion molecular cloud

We have used observations of the rare isotopes of HCN and HNC to determine the relative abundance of these two chemical isomers along the central ridge of the Orion molecular cloud. The abundance ratio [HCN]/[HNC] decreases by more than an order of magnitude from the relatively warm plateau and hot core sources toward the KL nebula to the colder, more quiescent clouds to the north and south. Even in the cooler regions, however, the ratio is an order of magnitude larger than that found in previous investigations of cold dark clouds. We determine the kinetic temperature in the regions we have studied from new observations of methylacetylene (CH3CCH), together with other recent estimates of the gas temperature near KL. The results suggest that the warmer portions of the cloud are dominated by different chemical pathways than those in the general interstellar cloud material.     

Culgoora radio and skylab euv observations of emerging magnetic flux in the lower corona

Detailed comparisons of Culgoora 160 MHz radioheliograms of solar noise storms and Skylab EUV spectroheliograms of coronal loop structures are presented. It is concluded that: (1) there is a close association between changes in large-scale magnetic fields in the corona and the onset or cessation of noise storms; (2) these coronal changes result from the emergence of new magnetic flux at the photospheric level; (3) although new magnetic flux at the photospheric level is often accompanied by an increase in flare activity the latter is not directly responsible for noise storm activity; rather the new magnetic flux diffuses slowly outwards through the corona at rates 1–2 km s^–1 and produces noise storms at 160 MHz 1–2 days later; (4) the coronal density above or in large-scale EUV loop systems is sufficiently dense to account for noise storm emission at the fundamental plasma frequency; (5) the scatter in noise storm positions can be accounted for by the appearance and disappearance of individual loops in a system.     

Polarimetry of comets: A review

Some attempts of polarimetric sounding of Comet Halley will be undertaken from the flyby probes. In order to facilitate the final planning and the future interpretation of these experiments we have done a thorough analysis of practically all available polarimetric observations. An emphasis is made on interpretation attempts and their discussion. The results of the phase dependence of polarization investigations are presented covering a wide range of phase angles . The chief peculiarities of this dependence are: maximum polarization at = 90, diminishing through zero at 20, negative values up to several per cent and a final growth to zero at zero . A division into gaseous and dusty comets on polarimetric basis is revealed. The wavelength dependence of polarization is discussed. The numerous results of detailed polarimetry are compared to the negative results of attempts to detect the elliptical polarization. New observational problems arising from the evidence given by the negative polarization at small phase angles and by the opposition effect recently discovered are discussed.     

Static properties of galaxies in the Shapley-centaurus cluster

The data of Paper I (Doddet al., 1986), representing a catalogue of parameters measured for bright galaxies in field 444 of the Southern Sky Survey, are examined in a search for non-random effects. A global trend of bimodal alignment of galaxies in this field is found. This effect is present even for galaxies of large apparent ellipticity (e0.5) and is interpreted as revealing a real physical phenomenon on the large scale in this field. Analysis of nearest neighbouring pairs of galaxies reveals evidence also for small-scale interactions. The difference in apparent ellipticities between close pairs is larger than would be expected if the galaxies were randomly distributed. Nearest neighbouring galaxies also show a strong preference to be aligned with their major axes parallel. The results are discussed with regard to theories for galaxy formation.     

Comparison of analytical and numerical calculations of the first class periodic orbits

The analytic construction of the direct periodic orbits in the circular 3-body problem is given in explicit form to the linear terms in . It is shown to be in good agreement with the numerically found orbits for large values of .     

Energetic solar electrons in the interplanetary medium

ISEE-3 measurements extending down to 2 keV energy have provided a new perspective on energetic solar electrons in the interplanetary medium. Impulsive solar electron events are observed, on average, several times a day near solar maximum, with 40% detected only below 15 keV. The electron energy spectra have a nearly power-law shape extending smoothly down to 2 keV, indicating that the origin of these events is high in the corona. These coronal flare-like events often produced ³He-rich particle events.In large solar flares which accelerate electrons and ions to relativistic energies, the electron spectrum appears to be modified by a second acceleration which results in a double power-law shape above 10 keV with a break near 100 keV and flattening from 10–100 keV. Large flares result in long-lived (many days) streams of outflowing electrons which dominate the interplanetary fluxes at low energies. Even in the absence of solar activity, significant fluxes of low energy electrons flow out from the Sun.Solar type-III radio bursts are produced by the escaping 2–10² keV electrons through a beam-plasma instability. The detailed ISEE-3 measurements show that electron plasma waves are generated by the bump-on-tail distribution created by the faster electrons running ahead of the slower ones. These plasma waves appear to be converted into radio emission by nonlinear wave-wave interactions.     

Spectrophotometric study of Be stars

A large sample of Be stars has been studied spectrophotometrically in the visible region. The continuum energy distribution data for 23 Be stars included in the list of Harmanecet al. (1983) are presented and discussed in the wavelength range 3200 Å–8000 Å. For 15 Be stars the observations reported in the present work are new. By comparing the observed continua with models, the effective temperatures of these stars have been estimated. It is found that, in general, Be stars have lower effective temperature than the corresponding normal B stars. The present study shows that the early-Be stars (B0–B5) possess near-ultraviolet and near-infrared excess emissions more frequently than the late-Be stars (B5–B9). The seven new Be stars are detected to show pole-on characteristics.     

Integrated magnitudes and colors of open clusters

The integratedUBV characteristics of 50 galactic clusters, computed for the clusters' physical members only (segregated on the basis of the proper motions or radial velocities) are discussed.On the basis of a comparison between the empirically-obtained dependences and their theoretical counterparts (Searleet al., 1973) a suggestion has been made that the number of the massive stars (with masses>10M ) in the initial mass function must be considerably greater.Evolutionary effects on integrated parameters and their dependences have been discussed. An attempt at an evolutionary interpretation of the integrated luminosity function for galactic clusters, obtained by Starikova (1962) in the light of the self-obtained dependences has been made.