Complexity in astroplasmas

Ideas of complexity theory – including self-organized criticality – are being applied to the study of turbulence and astroplasmas in the solar system. An RAS MIST meeting in London brought together researchers from different disciplines to compare established paradigms with more recent ideas. Sandra Chapman , Mervyn Freeman and Sean Oughton report.     

Lunar tidal componentsN 1 andO 2 in the atmospheric pressure

Summary The lunar tidal componentsO ₁(p) andN ₂(p) in the barometric pressure are determined for several observatories for which long series of data are available in machine readable form. AlsoN ₂(p) results are derived from some earlier analyses. The results are compared with those predicted by equilibrium tidal theory.This paper was presented at the General Scientific Assembly of I.A.G.A., held in Madrid in September 1969.     

THE FOREMAN STORY–CLOSURE OF IDAHO FLOWING WELL AFFECTS GROUND WATER IN ENTIRE AREA

Abstract In 1962, a 2,980-foot deep well was drilled for D. I. Foreman in Middle Castle Creek Valley, Owyhee County, Idaho. This well, which flowed approximately 3,600 gpm, yielded water of 170°F from basalt and silicic volcanic formations; original shut-in pressure was 105 psi. However, leakage began to occur around the casing, and in 1967, a suit was filed on behalf of the Idaho Department of Water Administration to have the well repaired.
The Andrew Well Drilling Company, of Idaho Falls, was hired to repair the well, and was on the site in November 1968. Additional casing, packers, and pressure grouting sealed the well adequately. The effect of closure of the foreman well on ground water of the entire area was dramatic. As an example, within 8 hours of closure, water in an observation well 5.7 miles away, rose more than a tenth of a foot. Net increase in this observation well since closure has been 26 feet.     

The solar and lunar daily geomagnetic variation of declination at Trevandrum, 1853–1869

Summary The eye readings of easterly declination at Trevandrum observatory have been analysed to determine solar and lunar daily vatiations. Hourly readings during February 1853 to February 1865 are analysed by Chapman-Miller method. The 8 values read at unequidistant day-time hours during March 1865 to December 1869 are analysed to compute the amplitude and phase of the semimonthly wave at each of the hours separately. The semi-monthly lunar wave obtained from the hourly readings shows a considerable night-time variation. A brief discussion of the results is also given.Contributions from the Earth Physics Branch, No. 323     

On the source of the slowly varying component at centimeter and millimeter wavelenghts

The general features of the slowly varying component at centimeter and millimeter wavelengths are explained by magneto-ionic thermal emission. A model of an active region is constructed in which the electron temperature and density profile is based on recent EUV measurements, and the current-free magnetic field configuration is derived from a longitudinal magnetogram and scalar potential theory. In the model, the contributions of the reflected component of the inward extraordinary wave is important in determining the characteristic features of the radio flux and polarization. Emission by the mechanism of resonance absorption does not appear to be a significant factor in this model.     

J, H, K photometry of 433 Eros and other asteroids

We report photometry for nine asteroids at wavelengths of 1.25, 1.65, and 2.22 μm. Three C-type objects (88, 129, and 511) seem slightly redder in H?K and J?H color indices than four S-type objects (5, 6, 7, and 116) and an E-type object (64). Eros has an unusually red J?H color index; its infrared spectral reflectance is consistent with an appreciable quantity of metallic iron plus some pyroxene and olivine on its surface. JHK photometry is less diagnostic of composition than either higher resolution spectrophotometry in the infrared or spectrophotometry at shorter wavelengths.     

Doppler Patterns Associated with Emerging Flux Regions

We have observed several emerging flux regions (EFRs) using the Video Spectra-Spectro-Heliograph (VSSHG) at the San Fernando Observatory (SFO). The best studied region, NOAA 7968, was near disk center when it was observed on 5–8 June 1996. This EFR showed no organized upflow between the leader and follower spots over the 4-day period covered by our observations. The main concentrations of magnetic flux in the region (leader and follower) showed a slow separation as flux emerged, but little or no upflow was seen. Two other EFRs were observed for part of a single day each and one region was observed for only one sequence. For all regions observed, no discrete features were seen between the leader and follower polarity sunpots that had upflowing material as the regions grew. In all cases, the downward velocities were smaller in area than the magnetic parts of the regions. At times there were several localized areas of greater-amplitude downflows near sunspots.