Hydrodynamical models of type II supernovae

A series of hydrodynamical models of type-II supernova outbursts (SNII) has been calculated. Approximate relations connecting the total outburst energy ε, the mass of envelope ejectedM, the presupernova radiusR, and the amount of ionizing quanta radiated by the supernovaeN _H with such values as the duration of the light curve plateau Δt, and absolute magnitude in the wavelength bandV and photospheric velocityU _PH observed near the middle of the plateau have been established. Advantage has been taken of the relations to obtain a preliminary evaluation for the characteristics of the average SN II: ε=7×10⁵⁰ erg,M=6M _⊙,R=500R _⊙,N _H=2×10⁵⁸. The SNIIs with plateau-like light curves seem to be accounted for by thermonuclear explosions of degenerate cores of red giant stars and result in a total disruption of the star without any stellar remnant. To the contrary, SNIIs with linear light curves have substantially different properties (in particular, they throw considerably less massive envelopes off). These SNII must signify the birth of collapsed objects—neutron stars (pulsars) or black holes.     

Variability of carbon monoxide in the mars atmosphere

In January of 1982 we measured a microwave spectrum of CO in the Martian atmosphere utilizing the rotational J = 1 → 2 transition of CO. We have analyzed data and reanalyzed the microwave spectra of R. K. Kakar, J. W. Waters, and W. J. Wilson, (Science196, 1090–1091, 1977, measured in 1975) and J. C. Good and F. P. Schloerb, (Icarus47, 166–172, 1981 measured in 1980) in order to constrain estimates of the temporal variability of CO abundance in the Martian atmosphere. Our values of CO column density from the data of Karar et al., Good and Schloerb, and our own are 1.7 ± 0.9 × 10²⁰, 3.0 ± 1.0 × 10²⁰, and 4.6 ± 2.0 × 10²⁰cm^?2, respectively. The most recent estimate of CO column density from the 1967 infrared spectra of J. Connes, P. Connes, and J.P. Maillard, (Atlas de Spectres Infarouges de Venus, Mars, Jupiter, et Saturne, Editions due Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, 1969), is 2.0 ± 0.8 × 10²⁰ cm^?2 (L.D.G. Young and A.T. Young, Icarus30, 75–79, 1977). The large uncertainties given for the microwave measurements are due primarily to uncertainty in the difference between the continuum brightness temperature and atmospheric temperatures of Mars. We have accurately calculated the variation among the observations of the continuum (surface) brightness temperature of Mars, which is primaroly a function of the observed aspect of Mars. A more difficult problem to consider is variability of global atmospheric temperatures among the observations, particularly the effects of global dust storms and the ellipticity of the orbit of Mars. The large bars accompanying our estimates of CO column density from the three sets of microwave measurements are primarily caused by an assumed uncertainty of ±10°K in our atmospheric temperature model due to possible dust in the atmosphere. A qualitative consideration of seasonal variability of global atmospheric temperatures among the measurements suggests that there is not strong evidence for variability of the column abundance of CO on Mars, although variability of 0–100% over a time scale of several years is allowed by the data set. The implication for the variability of Mars O₂ is, crudely, a factor of two less. We found that the altitude distribution of CO in the atmosphere of Mars was not well constrained by any of the spectra, although our spectrum was marginally better fitted by an altitude increasing profile of CO mixing ratios.     

Upper limits on the total radiant energy of solar flares

We establish limits on the total radiant energy of solar flares during the period 1980 February – November, using the solar-constant monitor (ACRIM) on board the Solar Maximum Mission. Typical limits amount to 6 × 10²⁹ erg/s for a 32-second integration time, with 5σ statistical significance, for an impulsive emission; for a gradual component, about 4 × 10³² ergs total radiant energy. The limits lie about an order of magnitude higher than the total radiant energy estimated from the various known emission components, suggesting that no heretofore unknown dominant component of flare radiation exists.     

Observation of chromospheric evaporation during the solar maximum mission

A sample of flares detected in 1980 with the Bent Crystal Spectrometer and the Hard X-Ray Burst Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission satellite has been analysed to study the upward motions of part of the soft X-ray emitting plasma. These motions are inferred from the presence of secondary blue-shifted lines in the Ca XIX and Fe XXV spectral regions during the impulsive phase of disk flares. Limb flares do not show such blue-shifted lines indicating that the direction of the plasma motion is mainly radial and outward. The temporal association of these upward motions with the rise of the thermal phase and with the impulsive hard X-ray burst, as well as considerations of the plasma energetics, favour the interpretation of this phenomenon in terms of chromospheric evaporation. The two measureable parameters of the evaporating plasma, emission measure and velocity, depend on parameters related to the energy deposition and to the thermal phase. The evaporation velocity is found to be correlated with the spectral index of the hard X-ray flux and with the rise time of the thermal emission measure of the coronal plasma. The emission measure of the rising plasma is found to be correlated with the total energy deposited by the fast electrons in the chromosphere by collisions during the impulsive phase and with the maximum emission measure of the coronal plasma.     

X-Ray and microwave observations of active regions

Radio and X-ray observations are presented for three flares which show significant activity for several minutes prior to the main impulsive increase in the hard X-ray flux. The activity in this ‘pre-flash’ phase is investigated using 3.5 to 461 keV X-ray data from the Solar Maximum Mission, 100 to 1000 MHz radio data from Zürich, and 169 MHz radio-heliograph data from Nançay. The major results of this study are as follows:

1. Decimetric pulsations, interpreted as plasma emission at densities of 10⁹–10¹⁰ cm^?3, and soft X-rays are observed before any Hα or hard X-ray increase.
2. Some of the metric type III radio bursts appear close in time to hard X-ray peaks but delayed between 0.5 and 1.5 s, with the shorter delays for the bursts with the higher starting frequencies.
3. The starting frequencies of these type III bursts appear to correlate with the electron temperatures derived from isothermal fits to the hard X-ray spectra. Such a correlation is expected if the particles are released at a constant altitude with an evolving electron distribution. In addition to this effect we find evidence for a downward motion of the acceleration site at the onset of the flash phase.
4. In some cases the earlier type III bursts occurred at a different location, far from the main position during the flash phase.
5. The flash phase is characterized by higher hard X-ray temperatures, more rapid increase in X-ray flux, and higher starting frequency of the coincident type III bursts.

     

A dynamo theory of solar flares

It is proposed that the solar flare phenomenon can be understood as a manifestation of the electrodynamic coupling process of the photosphere-chromosphere-corona system as a whole. The system is coupled by electric currents, flowing along (both upward and downward) and across the magnetic field lines, powered by the dynamo process driven by the neutral wind in the photosphere and the lower chromosphere. A self-consistent formulation of the proposed coupling system is given. It is shown in particular that the coupling system can generate and dissipate the power of 10²⁹ erg s^#X2212;1 and the total energy of 10³² erg during a typical life time (10³ s) of solar flares. The energy consumptions include Joule heat production, acceleration of current-carrying particles along field lines, magnetic energy storage and kinetic energy of plasma convection. The particle acceleration arises from the development of field-aligned potential drops of 10–150 kV due to the loss-cone constriction effect along the upward field-aligned currents, causing optical, X-ray and radio emissions. The total number of precipitating electrons during a flare is shown to be of order 10³⁷–10³⁸.     

Is there an oblique magnetic rotator inside the Sun?

The size of the rotational splitting recently observed (Claverie et al., 1981) is correlated with the 12.2^d variation in the measurements of solar oblateness observed by Dicke (1976) and implies a convection zone of depth of 0.1 R . The near equality of amplitudes of global velocity oscillations (Claverie et al., 1981) of the various m components of the l = 1 and l = 2 modes as seen from the Earth viewing the Sun nearly along the equator is unexpected for pure rotational splitting. It is suggested that a magnetic perturbation is present and an oblique asymmetric magnetic rotator with magnetic fields of a few million gauss is responsible. A more detailed account was submitted to Nature.Proceedings of the 66th IAU Colloquium: Problems in Solar and Stellar Oscillations, held at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, U.S.S.R., 1–5 September, 1981.     

Preliminary observations of solar radio sources with the Culgoora radioheliograph operating at four frequencies

The Culgoora radioheliograph has been modified for observing at 327.4 MHz, which is in addition to the three frequencies (43.25, 80, and 160 MHz) previously available. At the new frequency the array beamwidth is 56, which represents the highest resolution yet available for metre-wavelength solar mapping.At 327.4 MHz the sources of radio emission are mainly in the lowest layers of the corona. Some preliminary four-frequency observations have been made of type I storms. It is found that the source size generally decreases with increasing observing frequency. This result confirms earlier suggestions that the sources of both type I and type III emission are contained in structures whose boundaries diverge outwards in the corona.     

Microwave and hard X-Ray observations of a solar flare with a time resolution better than 100 ms

Simultaneous microwave and X-ray observations are presented for a solar flare detected on May 8, 1980 starting at 19:37 UT. The X-ray observations were made with the Hard X-Ray Burst Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission and covered the energy range from 28–490 keV with a time resolution of 10 ms. The microwave observations were made with the 5 and 45 foot antennas at the Itapetinga Radio Observatory at frequencies of 7 and 22 GHz, with time resolutions of 100 ms and 1 ms, respectively. Detailed correlation analysis of the different time profiles of the event show that the major impulsive peaks in the X-ray flux preceded the corresponding microwave peaks at 22 GHz by about 240 ms. For this particular burst the 22 GHz peaks preceded the 7 GHz by about 1.5 s. Observed delays of the microwave peaks are too large for a simple electron beam model but they can be reconciled with the speeds of shock waves in a thermal model.     

The Lower Permian Wasp Head Formation,Sydney Basin: high‐latitude,shallow marine sedimentation following the late Asselian to early Sakmarian glacial event in eastern Australia

The Lower Permian Wasp Head Formation (early to middle Sakmarian) is a ～95 m thick unit that was deposited during the transition to a non‐glacial period following the late Asselian to early Sakmarian glacial event in eastern Australia. This shallow marine, sandstone‐dominated unit can be subdivided into six facies associations. (i) The marine sediment gravity flow facies association consists of breccias and conglomerates deposited in upper shoreface water depths. (ii) Upper shoreface deposits consist of cross‐stratified, conglomeratic sandstones with an impoverished expression of the Skolithos Ichnofacies. (iii) Middle shoreface deposits consist of hummocky cross‐stratified sandstones with a trace fossil assemblage that represents the Skolithos Ichnofacies. (iv) Lower shoreface deposits are similar to middle shoreface deposits, but contain more pervasive bioturbation and a distal expression of the Skolithos Ichnofacies to a proximal expression of the Cruziana Ichnofacies. (v) Delta‐influenced, lower shoreface‐offshore transition deposits are distinguished by sparsely bioturbated carbonaceous mudstone drapes within a variety of shoreface and offshore deposits. Trace fossil assemblages represent distal expressions of the Skolithos Ichnofacies to stressed, proximal expressions of the Cruziana Ichnofacies. Impoverished trace fossil assemblages record variable and episodic environmental stresses possibly caused by fluctuations in sedimentation rates, substrate consistencies, salinity, oxygen levels, turbidity and other physio‐chemical stresses characteristic of deltaic conditions. (vi) The offshore transition‐offshore facies association consists of mudstone and admixed sandstone and mudstone with pervasive bioturbation and an archetypal to distal expression of the Cruziana Ichnofacies. The lowermost ～50 m of the formation consists of a single deepening upward cycle formed as the basin transitioned from glacioisostatic rebound following the Asselian to early Sakmarian glacial to a regime dominated by regional extensional subsidence without significant glacial influence. The upper ～45 m of the formation can be subdivided into three shallowing upward cycles (parasequences) that formed in the aftermath of rapid, possibly glacioeustatic, rises in relative sea‐level or due to autocyclic progradation patterns. The shift to a parasequence‐dominated architecture and progressive decrease in ice‐rafted debris upwards through the succession records the release from glacioisostatic rebound and amelioration of climate that accompanied the transition to broadly non‐glacial conditions.