Velocities of beam-plasma structures at their propagation in the solar corona

It was found recently that fast electrons travel through the plasma of the solar corona in the form of beam-plasma structure (BPS), which consists of electrons and Langmuir waves. In this paper the influence of scattering BPS Langmuir waves off plasma ions (l+i=l+i) on BPS velocity is studied. We show that the maximum BPS velocity equals 0.35c, which is close to the velocity of Type III bursts sources.     

The Kaidun meteorite: Clasts of alkaline‐rich fractionated materials

Abstract— Clasts of alkaline (the second find in meteorites) and subalkaline rocks were found in the Kaidun meteorite. One of them (#d4A) is a large crystal of albite with inclusions of fluorapatite, arfvedsonite, aenigmatite, and wilkinsonite. The two latter minerals were previously unknown in meteorites. Another clast (#d[3–5]D) has a melt crystallization texture of mainly feldspar (oligoclase) composition and contains relict grains of both high‐Ca and low‐Ca pyroxene and fluorapatite. The mineralogical characteristics of these clasts suggest a genetic relationship and an origin from the same parent body. The textural and mineralogical characteristics of the clasts indicate origin by extensive igneous differentiation. Such processes most likely took place in a rather large differentiated body. The material of clast #d(3–5)D is similar in some mineralogical respects to basaltic shergottites.     

A weak outburst of the millisecond X-ray pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658 in October 1996 as detected from RXTE slew data

Analysis of the RXTE slew data in October 1996 revealed a weak X-ray burst from the millisecond pulsar SAX J 1808.4-3658. The 3–20-keV energy spectrum of the source can be described by a power law with an index of 2.0 and a(3-to 20 keV) luminosity of ～1.4×10³⁵ erg s^?1 (the distance to the source was taken to be 2.5 kpc). Because of the short exposure time, we failed to detect weak pulsations at a frequency of 401 Hz in the source. The (2σ) upper limit of the pulse fraction is ～13%.     

Ice‐cover variability on shallow lakes at high latitudes: model simulations and observations

A one‐dimensional thermodynamic model for simulating lake‐ice phenology is presented and evaluated. The model can be driven with observed daily or hourly atmospheric forcing of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, cloud amount and snowfall. In addition to computing the energy balance components, key model output includes the temperature profile at an arbitrary number of levels within the ice/snow (or the water temperature if there is no ice) and ice thickness (clear ice and snow‐ice) on a daily basis, as well as freeze‐up and break‐up dates. The lake‐ice model is used to simulate ice‐growth processes on shallow lakes in arctic, sub‐arctic, and high‐boreal forest environments. Model output is compared with field and remote sensing observations gathered over several ice seasons. Simulated ice thickness, including snow‐ice formation, compares favourably with field measurements. Ice‐on and ice‐off dates are also well simulated when compared with field and satellite observations, with a mean absolute difference of 2 days. Model simulations and observations illustrate the key role that snow cover plays on the seasonal evolution of ice thickness and the timing of spring break‐up. It is also shown that lake morphometry, depth in particular, is a determinant of ice‐off dates for shallow lakes at high latitudes. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dissipative-acoustic instability in accretion disks at a nonlinear stage

Nonstationary hydrodynamic models of a viscous accretion disk around a central compact object were constructed. Two different numerical methods (TVD and SPH) are used to study the dynamics of dissipatively unstable acoustic perturbations at the nonlinear stage in terms of the standard α-disk model. The standard disk accretion in the Shakura-Sunyaev model is unstable against acoustic waves for various parameters of the system. If the α parameter, which specifies the level of turbulent viscosity, exceeds α?0.03, then a complex nonstationary system of small-scale weak shock waves is formed. The growth rate of the perturbations is higher in the central disk region. For α?0.2, the relative shock amplitude can exceed 50% of the equilibrium disk parameters. The reflection of waves from the disk boundaries and their nonlinear interaction are important factors that can produce unsteady accretion. The luminosity of such a disk undergoes quasi-periodic oscillations at a level of several percent (?5%) of the equilibrium level.     

Exchange and correlation interactions in electron-positron plasma

The effect of particle-particle interaction on the adiabatic index γ for an electron-positron plasma is considered. An improved method for numerically calculating the Hartree-Fock exchange integral is presented and its relativistic asymptotics is determined. An approximation formula is derived for the correlation part of the interaction in the low-density limit. This formula includes degeneracy and the positron component.