High-temperature geothermal reservoir possibilities in Hungary

Theoretical studies have shown the possibility of high-temperature ('high enthalpy') geothermal reservoirs in the pre-Tertiary rocks at 4–5 km depth range within the Pannonian Basin. This expectation was proven by the hotwater/steam blowout of Fábiánsebestyén-4 borehole (16.12.85–31.1.86). Exploration efforts carried out during 1987–88 in the broad vicinity of the borehole proved that reservoirs of this type can be found with the combination of seismic reflection, silica-thermometry and magnetotelluric sounding methods. Deliberate prospection should be continued in all suitable areas within the basin, since high enthalpy reservoirs promise profitable operation of geothermal power stations.     

Capture of particles in hypervelocity impacts in aerogel

Abstract— The capture in aerogel of 106 μm diameter glass beads is investigated for impact speeds of 1 to 7.5 km s^?1. Three different aerogel densities were used, 60,96 and 180 kg m^?3. It was found that the length of the penetration track in the aerogel increases with speed until a maximum is reached. Above the maximum speed the track length decreases. This behaviour is similar to that which has previously been observed for particles impacting polystyrene foams and porous alumina. Whilst track length was not found to be an unambiguous indicator of impact speed, the excavated track volume was found to be a suitable indictor of speed. Further, it was possible to estimate the original particle size by measurements of the track volume and entrance hole size. In addition sub‐100 μm diameter particles composed of various minerals were fired into aerogel and the characterisation of the particles in situ by use of a Raman spectrometer was evaluated. This was found to work well, giving vibrational spectra essentially similar to those of the bulk minerals, thus providing a mineralogical rather than an elemental signature for the captured particles.     

The electron pressure in the outer atmosphere of ε Eri (K2 V)

Observations of ε Eri (K2 V) have been made with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope . The spectra obtained show a number of emission lines which can be used to determine, or place limits on, the electron density and pressure. Values of the electron pressure are required in order to make quantitative models of the transition region and inner corona from absolute line fluxes, and to constrain semi-empirical models of the chromosphere. Using line flux ratios in Si  iii and O  iv a mean electron pressure of P _e= N _e T _e=4.8×10¹⁵ cm⁻³ K is derived. This value is compatible with the lower and upper limits to P _e found from flux ratios in C  iii , O  v and Fe  xii . Some inconsistencies which may be because of small uncertainties in the atomic data used are discussed.     

SARG: The High Resolution Spectrograph of TNG

SARG is a cross dispersed echelle spectrograph in operation since late spring 2000 at the Italian Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) 3.5 m telescope, La Palma. SARG offers both single object and long slit (up to 26 arcsec) observing modes covering a spectral range from λ = 0.37 up to1 μm, with resolution ranging from R = 29,000 up to R = 164,000. Cross dispersion is provided by means of a selection of four grisms; interference filters may be used for the long slit mode (up to 26 arcsec). A dioptric camera images the cross dispersed spectra onto a mosaic of two 2048 × 4096 EEV CCDs (pixel size: 13.5 μm) allowing complete spectral coverage at all resolving power for λ < 0.8 μm. In order to reach a high wavelength calibration precision an iodine-absorbing cell is provided. A Distributed Active Temperature Control System (DATCS) maintains constant the temperature of all spectrograph components at a preset value. Early results show that SARG works according to original specifications in terms of wavelength coverage, efficiency (measured peak efficiency is about 13%),resolution (maximum resolution R = 164,000 using a 0.3 arcsec slit, R ∼144,000 using an image slicer), and stability (preliminary estimates of radial velocity accuracy is ∼3 m/s using the iodine cell and ±150 m/s without the iodine cell). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Rotational broadening and Doppler tomography of the quiescent X-ray nova Centaurus X-4

We present a library of 47 open-cluster integrated spectra, mostly obtained at CASLEO (San Juan, Argentina) in the range  3600 < λ < 7400 Å  , which are made available at CDS. The data are combined with previous spectra to obtain 10 high signal-to-noise ratio basic templates in the young and intermediate-age domains, which are also provided in the library. These Galactic disc templates represent the increased time resolution spectral evolution of a stellar population unit around the Solar metallicity level. The improved signal-to-noise ratio of the present templates with respect to previous template lists, together with their increased time resolution, allowed us to improve the fundamental parameters of some open clusters. The present spectral library will be useful for several astrophysical applications, particularly for population syntheses of star-forming giant galaxies.     

Chemo-spectrophotometric evolution of spiral galaxies – IV. Star formation efficiency and effective ages of spirals

We study the star formation history of normal spirals by using a large and homogeneous data sample of local galaxies. For our analysis we utilize detailed models of chemical and spectrophotometric galactic evolution, calibrated on the Milky Way disc. We find that star formation efficiency is independent of galactic mass, while massive discs have, on average, lower gas fractions and are redder than their low-mass counterparts; put together, these findings convincingly suggest that massive spirals are older than low-mass ones. We evaluate the effective ages of the galaxies of our sample and we find that massive spirals must be several Gyr older than low-mass ones. We also show that these galaxies (having rotational velocities in the 80–400 km s⁻¹ range) cannot have suffered extensive mass losses, i.e. they cannot have lost during their lifetime an amount of mass much larger than their current content of gas+stars.     

The minimum orbital period in thermal time-scale mass transfer

We show that the usual picture of supersoft X-ray binary evolution as driven by conservative thermal time-scale mass transfer cannot explain the short orbital periods of RX J0537.7–7034 (3.5 h) and 1E 0035.4–7230 (4.1 h). Non-conservative evolution may produce such periods, but requires very significant mass loss, and is highly constrained.     

Some New Observed Properties of Elliptical Galaxies

We suggest that elliptical galaxies, as stellar systems in a stage of quasi-equilibrium, may have a specific entropy. We use the Sérsic law to describe the light profile. The specific entropy (the Boltzmann–Gibbs definition) is then calculated assuming that the galaxy behaves as a spherical, isotropic, one-component system. We predict a relation between the three parameters of the Sérsic law linked to the specific entropy, defining a surface in the parameter space, an ‘entropic plane’. We have analysed a sample of simulated merging elliptical galaxies (virtual) and a sample of galaxies belonging to the Coma Cluster (real). Both virtual and realgalaxies are: 1) located in their own ‘entropic plane‘ and 2) in this plane, they are located on a straight line, indicating constant entropy: another physical property A careful examination of the value of the specific entropy indicates a very small increase in the specific entropy with the generation after merging (virtual sample). Although one cannot distinguish between various generations for real galaxies, the distribution of specific entropy in this sample is very similar to that in the virtual sample. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Noble gases in interplanetary dust particles,II: Excess helium‐3 in cluster particles and modeling constraints on interplanetary dust particle exposures to cosmic‐ray irradiation

Abstract— Measurements of He isotopes in cluster interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) from stratospheric dust collector L2009 reveal anomalous ³He/⁴He ratios comparable to those seen earlier, up to ～40x the solar wind ratio, in particles from the companion collector L2011. These overabundances of ³He in the L2009 samples are masked by much higher ⁴He contents compared to the L2011 particles, and are visible only in minor gas fractions evolved by stepwise heating at high temperatures. Cosmic‐ray induced spallogenic reactions are efficient producers of ³He. The majority of this paper is devoted to a detailed assessment of the possible role of spallation in generating the ³He excesses in these and other cluster IDPs. A model of collisional erosion and fragmentation during inward transit through the interplanetary dust environment is used to estimate space lifetimes of particles from asteroidal and Edgeworth–Kuiper Belt sources. Results of the modeling indicate that Poynting–Robertson orbital evolution timescales of IDPs small enough to elude destruction on their way to Earth from either location are far shorter than the cosmic‐ray exposure ages required to account for observed ³He overabundances. Grains large enough to have sufficiently long space residence times are fragmented close to their sources. An alternative to long in‐space exposure could be prolonged irradiation of particles buried in parent body regoliths prior to their ejection as IDPs. A qualitative calculation suggests, however, that collisional erosion of asteroidal upper‐regolith materials is likely to occur on timescales shorter than the > 1 Ga burial times needed for accumulation of spallogenic ³He to the levels seen in several cluster particles. In contrast, regoliths on Edgeworth–Kuiper Belt objects may be stable enough to account for the ³He excesses, and delivery of heavily pre‐irradiated IDPs to the inner solar system by short‐period Edgeworth–Kuiper Belt comets remains a possibility. A potential problem is that the expected associated abundances of spallation‐produced ²¹Ne appear to be absent, although here the present IDP data base is too sparse and for the most part too imprecise to rule out a spallogenic origin. Relatively short periods of pre‐ejection residence in asteroidal regoliths may be responsible for the curiously broad exposure age distributions reported for micrometeorites extracted from Greenland and sea‐floor sediments.