Using X-ray observations to explore the binary interaction in Eta Carinae

We study the usage of the X-ray light curve, column density towards the hard X-ray source, and emission measure (density square times volume), of the massive binary system η Carinae to determine the orientation of its semimajor axis. The source of the hard X-ray emission is the shocked secondary wind. We argue that, by itself, the observed X-ray flux cannot teach us much about the orientation of the semimajor axis. Minor adjustment of some unknown parameters of the binary system allows to fit the X-ray light curve with almost any inclination angle and orientation. The column density and X-ray emission measure, on the other hand, impose strong constrains on the orientation. We improve our previous calculations and show that the column density is more compatible with an orientation where for most of the time the secondary – the hotter, less massive star – is behind the primary star. The secondary comes closer to the observer only for a short time near periastron passage. The 10-week X-ray deep minimum, which results from a large decrease in the emission measure, implies that the regular secondary wind is substantially suppressed during that period. This suppression is most likely resulted by accretion of mass from the dense wind of the primary luminous blue variable star. The accretion from the equatorial plane might lead to the formation of a polar outflow. We suggest that the polar outflow contributes to the soft X-ray emission during the X-ray minimum; the other source is the shocked secondary wind in the tail. The conclusion that accretion occurs at each periastron passage, every five and a half years, implies that accretion had occurred at a much higher rate during the Great Eruption of η Car in the 19th century. This has far reaching implications for major eruptions of luminous blue variable stars.     

Impact of dust storm on the atmospheric boundary layer: a case study from western India

Natural Hazards - The present study focuses on investigating the impacts of a sudden dust storm on the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) over Ahmedabad (23.02°N, 72.57°E), an urban site...     

Corona-like atmospheric escape from KBOs: II. The behavior of aerosols

In Levi and Podolak (Levi, A., Podolak, M. [in press] Icarus) we applied the theory of coronal expansion to gas escape from a small, cold, object such as those found in the Kuiper belt. Here we extend the theory to include aerosols that are lifted off the surface by the escaping gas. Aerosols carried by the gas but still gravitationally bound, tend to be lifted to a height above the surface that is dependent on the aerosol radius, so that in steady state the variation of aerosol radius with height is well-defined. We develop an extension of Parker’s coronal flow theory to include the effect of aerosols carried along by the gas and use this to estimate the optical depth of such an atmosphere. For KBOs with CO evaporation from the surface and with radii in the range 245-334 km, line-of-site optical depths through the atmosphere can exceed one at heights of a few hundred kilometers above the surface. Such aerosol layers should be observable, and might be used to infer the flow proprieties of the escaping gas.     

Genesis and rapid weakening of tropical cyclone Lehar (2013)

Natural Hazards - Tropical cyclogenesis and rapid weakening are subjects of considerable interest in the literature. This paper addresses the genesis and rapid weakening of a North Indian Ocean...     

Pointing of HAGAR telescope mirrors

An array of seven atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes was commissioned at a high altitude site in Hanle in the Ladakh region of the Himalayas. The array called HAGAR has been designed to observe celestial γ-rays of energy >100 GeV. Each telescope is altitude-azimuth mounted and carries seven parabolic mirrors whose optic axes are co-aligned with the telescope axis. The telescopes point and track a celestial source using a PC-based drive control system. Two important issues in positioning of each HAGAR telescope are pointing accuracy of telescope axis and co-alignment of mirrors’ optic axes with the telescope axis. We have adopted a three pronged strategy to address these issues, namely use of pointing models to improve pointing accuracy of the telescopes, RA-DEC scan technique to measure the pointing offsets of the mirrors and mechanical fine-tuning of off-axis mirrors by sighting a distant stationary light source. This paper discusses our efforts in this regard as well as the current status of pointing and monitoring of HAGAR telescopes.     

Models for wheat yield prediction using remotely sensed canopy temperature based indices

Canopy temperature in differentially irrigated and fertilized wheat plots were collected by hand held infrared thermometer from seedling emergence to maturity for two growing seasons (1981–82 and 1982–83). Canopy temperature indices like stress degree day (SDD) and crop water stress index (CWSI) based four-parameter (crop growth stage partitioned) and two-parameter (Non-partitioned) yield models suitable for remote sensing application were developed and tested with observed yield data. From statistical analysis of the models it was concluded that crop growth stage partitioned CWSI or SDD yield model was better than non-partitioned SDD models for predicting wheat grain as well as biological yields.     

Characteristics of sea-cliff erosion induced by a strong winter storm in the eastern Mediterranean

Changes in sea-cliff morphologies along the 30-km-long Sharon Escarpment segment of Israel's weakly cemented Mediterranean eolianite cliff line were analyzed to gain quantitative insights into erosion characteristics associated with a high-energy winter storm (10–20 year return interval). Ground-based repeat LiDAR measurements at five sites along the cliff line captured perturbations of cliff stability by basal wave scouring during the storm, subsequent post-storm gravity-driven slope failures in the cliff face above, and return of the system to transient stability within several months. Post-storm erosion, which amounted to 70% of the total volume of cliff erosion documented, resulted in dramatic local effects of up to 8 m of cliff-top retreat. And yet, at the larger scale of the 30-km cliff line examined, erosion during the storm and the year that followed affected less than 4% of the cliff length and does not appear to be above the average cliff-length annual erosion implied by previously published decadal-scale retreat rates along this sea cliff. Our results do not support a direct association between strong storm events and elevated erosion and retreat at the cliff-line scale.