Thermodynamics of selected trace elements in the Jovian atmosphere

The thermochemistry of several hundred compounds of twelve selected trace elements (Ge, Se, Ga, As, Te, Pb, Sn, Cd, Sb, Tl, In, and Bi) has been investigated for solar composition material along a Jupiter adiabat. The results indicate that AsF₃, InBr, TlI, and SbS, in addition to CO, PH₃, GeH₄, AsH₃, H₂Se, HCl, HF, and H₃BO₃ proposed by Barshay and Lewis (1978), may be potential chemical tracers of atmospheric dynamics. The reported observations of GeH₄ is interpreted on the basis of new calculations as implying rapid vertical transport from levels where T ? 800°K. Upper limits are also set on the abundances of many gaseous compounds of the elements investigated.     

Electric fields and currents in the ionosphere generated by field-aligned currents observed by TRIAD

On the basis of the experimental data on the ionospheric conductivities and field-aligned currents the electric fields and currents in the ionosphere generated by the field-aligned currents were computated for various magnetic activity conditions. The model of the ionospheric conductivities by Vanyan and Osipova (1975) was used taking into account the influence of the universal time seasons and magnetic activity. The field-aligned current patterns and their change with magnetic activity was set on the basis of the TRIAD data. It is shown that the calculated patterns of the ionospheric electric fields and currents are in agreement with the measured electric fields and the equivalent current systems of the magnetic disturbances in high latitudes. The conclusion is made that the magnetospheric field-aligned currents are the main sources of the presently known polar magnetic disturbances.     

Spectroscopic observations of winds on Venus: I. Technique and data reduction

We present out methods of measurement and reduction of high-dispersion photographic spectra of Venus. Our preliminary results are consistent with slow direct or no rotation at the level we sample, and disagree strongly with a 4-day retrograde rotation. A serious systematic error, which affects much published work, is due to blending of solar lines in the sky with those reflected from the planet. This always tends to produce a spurious retrograde “rotation.” Only data obtained in a dark sky, or daytime observations from which the sky lines have been accurately subtracted, can be relied upon. All such data give low wind speeds.     

Collision frequency and transport properties of electrons in the ionosphere

A unified ionospheric electron collision frequency model profile 〈ν_g〉 has been calculated in the height range 50–500 km. The computed profile accounts for the electron collisions with the neutral particles as well as the ions. Experimental values of momentum transfer cross-sections have been used for electron collisions with N₂, O₂ and Ar and theoretical values for N, O, He and H. It is observed that the electron-ion collisions 〈ν_ei〉 dominate over the electron-neutral collisions 〈ν_en〉 above 170 km. However, 〈ν_e?N〉 is of the same order of magnitude as 〈ν_e?O〉 in the height range 170–210 km. Above 360 km 〈ν_e?O〉 becomes more important among the neutrals. The temporal, seasonal and solar epoch variations of 〈ν_ei〉 are also shown. A typical electron collision frequency profile 〈ν_g〉 corresponding to the exospheric temperature of 1100 K has been compared with the available experimental results for D, E and F-regions obtained from different experimental techniques. This profile has been used to determine the electrical, thermal, heat flow and current flow conductivities, the mobility and the diffusivity of electrons. The results so obtained are found to be in good agreement with the earlier results.     

Interplanetary energy flux associated with magnetospheric substorms

It is shown that the interplanetary quantity ε(t), obtained by Perreault and Akasofu (1978), for intense geomagnetic storms, also correlates well with individual magnetospheric substonns. This quantity is given by $\text{ε(t) = VB}{}^2\text{sin}{}^4\text{(}\text{θ}\text{2}\text{)l}{}_{\mathrm{o}}{}^2$, where V and B denote the solar wind speed and the magnitude of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), respectively, and θ denotes the polar angle of the IMF; l_o is a constant ? 7 Earth radii. The AE index is used in this correlation study. The correlation is good enough to predict both the occurrence and intensity of magnetospheric substonns observed in the auroral zone, by monitoring the quantity ε(t) upstream of the solar wind.     

Photoelectric study of the δ Scuti star HR 1225

The periodogram analysis of theV observations of the Scuti star HR 1225 has been carried out. Two frequencies of 6.415 cd (P ₀=0 _. ^d 1558) and 8.418 cd (P ₁=0 _. ^d 1188) have been determined. The period ratio ofP ₁/P ₀=0.762 indicates radial pulsation. The absolute magnitude, effective temperature and mass of the star are derived to be 1 _. ^m 05, 7600 K and 1.9M , respectively.     

Water ice polymorphs and their significance on planetary surfaces

Impacts into an icy surface could produce significant amounts of high pressure forms of water ice. Due to the relatively low ambient surface temperatures on satellites in the outer solar system and the modest temperature rises accompanying the impact pressures required for water ice metamorphism, high-pressure polymorphs will be created by and may remain after large cratering events. If so, those high-pressure ices should be ubiquitous. Low-pressure cubic ice may be abundant as well. Impacts into an icy regolith may both produce high-pressure polymorphs from ice I and destroy high-pressure polymorphs already present. The result will be an (unknown) equilibrium concentration of high pressure polymorphs in the regolith. Polymorphs may be detectable and mappable by reflection spectroscopy at vacuum ultraviolet and mid-infrared wavelengths.     

Mass-radius relationships and constraints on the composition of Pluto,II

A new estimate of Pluto's mass within the range of possible masses considered in an earlier work has enabled us to refine our model of Pluto's interior.     

High spatial and spectral resolution 10-μm observations of jupiter

Ten-micrometer spectra of the North Tropical Zone, North Equatorial Belt, and Great Red Spot at a spectral resolution of 1.1 cm^?1 are compared to synthetic spectra. These ground-based spectra were obtained simultaneously with the Voyager 1 encounter with Jupiter in March, 1979. The NH₃ vertical distribution is found to decrease with altitude significantly faster than the saturated vapor pressure curve and is different for the three observed regions. Spatial variability in the NH₃ mixing ratio could be caused by changes in the amount of NH₃ condensation or in the degree of the NH₃ photolysis. The C₂H₆ emission at 12 μm has approximately the same strength at the North Tropical Zone and North Equatorial Belt, but it is 30% weaker at the Great Red Spot. A cooler temperature inversion or a smaller abundance of C₂H₆ could explain the lower C₂H₆ emission over the Great Red Spot.     

Proton-cyclotron instabilities in non-uniform loss-cone magnetospheric plasma

The waves, propagating nearly transverse to the ambient magnetic field, with frequencies near the harmonics of the proton-cyclotron frequency are studied in an inhomogeneous plasma with protons having loss-cone distributions. Three types of drift cyclotron instabilities have been studied: (i) non-flute instability; (ii) B-resonant instability; and (iii) non-resonant instability. Increases of loss-cone and density gradient increase the growth rates of all three instabilities. Increases in the positive temperature gradient and _t (ratio of thermal pressure of trapped protons to magnetic field pressure) have a stabilizing effect on the non-flute and non-resonant instabilities and a destabilizing effect on the B-resonant instability. The non-resonant instability has an interesting feature: a particular harmonic can be excited in two separate bands of unstable wave numbers. These instabilities can play an important role in the dynamics of the ring current and the inner edge of the plasma sheet region of the magnetosphere. The discrete turbulence generated by them would give rise to precipitation of protons on the auroral field lines, which may contribute to the excitation of diffuse aurora. These instabilities may be relevant to the observation of harmonic waves at 6R _E by Perrautet al. (1978).