2D hydrodynamic simulations of super star cluster winds in a bimodal regime

It is shown that the winds of very massive and compact clusters evolve in a special bimodal way, such that in which the material deposited by stars into the inner cluster region becomes thermally unstable, forms cold dense clumps, and eventually feeds further episodes of star formation, while the material deposited into the outer region creates a quasi-stationary wind. We perform 2D numerical simulations of such winds using the finite difference hydrodynamic code ZEUS for which the cooling routine has been modified to make it suitable for modelling extremely fast cooling regions. We explore how the fraction of the deposited mass which is accumulated inside the cluster depends on the cluster parameters.     

TNOs are Cool: A Survey of the Transneptunian Region

Over one thousand objects have so far been discovered orbiting beyond Neptune. These trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) represent the primitive remnants of the planetesimal disk from which the planets formed and are perhaps analogous to the unseen dust parent-bodies in debris disks observed around other main-sequence stars. The dynamical and physical properties of these bodies provide unique and important constraints on formation and evolution models of the Solar System. While the dynamical architecture in this region (also known as the Kuiper Belt) is becoming relatively clear, the physical properties of the objects are still largely unexplored. In particular, fundamental parameters such as size, albedo, density and thermal properties are difficult to measure. Measurements of thermal emission, which peaks at far-IR wavelengths, offer the best means available to determine the physical properties. While Spitzer has provided some results, notably revealing a large albedo diversity in this population, the increased sensitivity of Herschel and its superior wavelength coverage should permit profound advances in the field. Within our accepted project we propose to perform radiometric measurements of 139 objects, including 25 known multiple systems. When combined with measurements of the dust population beyond Neptune (e.g. from the New Horizons mission to Pluto), our results will provide a benchmark for understanding the Solar debris disk, and extra-solar ones as well.     

A Multi-Wavelength Simultaneous Study of the Composition of the Halley Family Comet 8P/Tuttle

We report on simultaneous optical and infrared observations of the Halley Family comet 8P/Tuttle performed with the ESO Very Large Telescope. Such multi-wavelength and coordinated observations are a good example of what can be done to support space missions. From high resolution optical spectroscopy of the CN (0,0) 388 nm and NH₂ (0,9,0) 610 nm bands using UVES at UT2 we determined ¹²C/¹³C = 90 ± 10 and ¹⁴N/¹⁵N = 150 ± 20 in CN and we derived a nuclear spin temperature of NH₃ of 29 ± 1 K. These values are similar to those found in Oort-Cloud and Jupiter Family comets. From low resolution long slit spectroscopy with FORS1 at UT2 we determined the CN, C₃ and C₂ production rates and the parent and daughter scale lengths up to 5.2 10⁵ km tailward. From high resolution IR spectroscopy with CRIRES at UT1 we measured simultaneously the production rates and mixing ratios of H₂O, HCN, C₂H₂, CH₄, C₂H₆, and CH₃OH.     

The Association of Solar Flares with Coronal Mass Ejections During the Extended Solar Minimum

We study the association of solar flares with coronal mass ejections (CMEs) during the deep, extended solar minimum of 2007?–?2009, using extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) and white-light (coronagraph) images from the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO). Although all of the fast (v>900 km?s^?1), wide (θ>100^°) CMEs are associated with a flare that is at least identified in GOES soft X-ray light curves, a majority of flares with relatively high X-ray intensity for the deep solar minimum (e.g. ?1×10^?6 W?m^?2 or C1) are not associated with CMEs. Intense flares tend to occur in active regions with a strong and complex photospheric magnetic field, but the active regions that produce CME-associated flares tend to be small, including those that have no sunspots and therefore no NOAA active-region numbers. Other factors on scales similar to and larger than active regions seem to exist that contribute to the association of flares with CMEs. We find the possible low coronal signatures of CMEs, namely eruptions, dimmings, EUV waves, and Type III bursts, in 91 %, 74 %, 57 %, and 74 %, respectively, of the 35 flares that we associate with CMEs. None of these observables can fully replace direct observations of CMEs by coronagraphs.     

The SUMER Data in the SOHO Archive

We have released an archive of all observational data of the VUV spectrometer Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) on SOHO that have been acquired until now. The operational phase started with ‘first light’ observations on 27 January 1996 and will end in 2014. Future data will be added to the archive when they become available. The archive consists of a set of raw data (Level 0) and a set of data that are processed and calibrated to the best knowledge we have today (Level 1). This communication describes step by step the data acquisition and processing that has been applied in an automated manner to build the archive. It summarizes the expertise and insights into the scientific use of SUMER spectra that has accumulated over the years. It also indicates possibilities for further enhancement of the data quality. With this article we intend to convey our own understanding of the instrument performance to the scientific community and to introduce the new, standard FITS-format database.     

Die Ablenkung des Lichtes an der Sonne und die Änderung Seiner Geschwindigkeit und Wellenlänge

Zusammenfassung Die Ergebnisse der Radar-Echo-Messungen von I. I. Shapiro, welche auf eine Verringerung der Lichtgeschwindigkeit beim Vorübergang des Lichtes an der Sonne hinweisen, werden zusammen mit der Ablenkung des Lichtes und der Verschiebung seiner Spektrallinien wellentheoretisch erklärt. Es genügt hierzu die Annahme eines materiellen lichtwellentragenden Mediums mit einer Dichte unterhalb des empirischen Vakuums; das Medium muss dann radial zur Sonne eine geringe Inhomogenität besitzen, die in entsprechenden kleinen Zusatzgliedern in den Maxwellschen Gleichungen ihren Ausdruck findet.Auf protophysikalischer Grundlage aufbauend wird die Phasengleichung (22) der an der Sonne vorbeigehenden Lichtwellen unter einfachsten Annahmen abgeleitet und integriert; als Resultat ergeben sich die drei genannten Effekte in Übereinstimmung mit der Erfahrung (Gleichung (39), (44), (47)).

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Shapiro (1968) published the first results of radar-echo-observations on Venus and Mercury in the neighbourhood of upper conjunctions with the Sun; the observations indicate a decrease of the velocity of light passing the Sun. The theory of Soldner is disproved; and the general relativity is in accord with the observed facts. But not this theory alone. In this publication the deflection of light, decrease of the velocity of light, and displacement of spectral-lines are explained with the aid of a wavetheory. Hereby the assumption of a material medium carrying light-waves is sufficient, the density of which is below that of the empirical vacuum; hence, the medium must have a small inhomogeneityh radial to the Sun, and the Maxwell equations contain small additional terms (Equation (3)). They lead to the field equations (4) and (5). The protophysical fundamentals of the wave-theory (6), (8), (9), (10a) lead to the Equations (12) of wave-phase. If we assume that the behaviour of the light passing the Sun is independent (in first approximation) from the wave-form (F), the Equation (22) of wave-phase, is deduced for simple-periodic waves of light. Figure 1 outlines the slope and deflection of the ray of light by the Sun. Section 5 contains the solution of (22); and Section 6 the results. The constant of inhomogeneity =1/210^–5 (of the radius of the Sun) produces a deflection (39) of light passing the Sun. The length of waves of the light approaching the Sun is decreased to a minimum and is increasing with increasing distance from the Sun until the former value ((43) and (44)). The velocity of light approaching the Sun is decreased to a minimum and increases with increasing distance from the Sun to its former value ((46) and (47)).

     

A search of a connection between the polarization of decam-type III bursts and magnetic fields in different heights of the solar atmosphere

Polarization measurements of type III bursts at 23.5 and 29.5 MHz have been compared for several years with indicators of magnetic fields in different height levels such as sunspot data, S-component characteristics, and noise storm data. By applying the Mount-Wilson and Brunner types of the related spot groups there results a positive relationship between the average degree of type III burst polarization and the magnitude or complexity of photospheric magnetic fields. For other parameters (leading spot area, peak intensity of the S-component at 9.1 cm wavelength) such a clear monotonic relation has not been found. Possibly the degree of polarization is influenced by height variations of the emitting level of the type III bursts at a fixed frequency due to variable electron densities. No connection has been detected between the type III burst polarization and noise storm fluxes which may be due to the local distance of the origin of both emissions.     

Common Proper Motion Search for Faint Companions Around Early-Type Field Stars – Progress Report

The multiplicity of early-type stars is still not well established. The derived binary fraction is different for individual star forming regions, suggesting a connection with the age and the environment conditions. The few studies that have investigated this connection do not provide conclusive results. To fill in this gap, we started the first detailed adaptive-optic-assisted imaging survey of early-type field stars to derive their multiplicity in a homogeneous way. The sample has been extracted from the Hipparcos Catalog and consists of 341 BA-type stars within ∼300 pc from the Sun. We report the current status of the survey and describe a Monte-Carlo simulation that estimates the completeness of our companion detection.     

Confirmation of the 25.5-day fundamental period of the Sun using the north-south asymmetry of the flare index

Short-term periodicities of solar activity were studied. To perform the study, a north-south asymmetry time series was constructed by using the northern and the southern hemisphere flare index values for solar cycle 22. The statistical significance of this time series was calculated. It indicates that in most of cases the asymmetry is highly significant during cycle 22. Power spectral analysis of this time series reveals a periodicity around 25.5 days, which was announced before as a fundamental period of solar activity (Bai and Sturrock, 1991). To investigate the time agreement between the two hemispheres, the phase distribution was studied and a phase shift of about 0.5 was found. An activity trend from the north to the south was found.