Solar-Cycle Variation of Subsurface Zonal Flow

We study the solar-cycle variation of the zonal flow in the near-surface layers of the solar convection zone from the surface to a depth of 16 Mm covering the period from mid-2001 to mid-2013 or from the maximum of Cycle 23 through the rising phase of Cycle 24. We have analyzed Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) Dopplergrams with a ring-diagram analysis. The zonal flow varies with the solar cycle showing bands of faster-than-average flows equatorward of the mean latitude of activity and slower-than-average flows on the poleward side. The fast band of the zonal flow and the magnetic activity appear first in the northern hemisphere during the beginning of Cycle 24. The bands of fast zonal flow appear at mid-latitudes about three years in the southern and four years in the northern hemisphere before magnetic activity of Cycle 24 is present. This implies that the flow pattern is a direct precursor of magnetic activity. The solar-cycle variation of the zonal flow also has a poleward branch, which is visible as bands of faster-than-average zonal flow near 50° latitude. This band appears first in the southern hemisphere during the rising phase of the Cycle 24 and migrates slowly poleward. These results are in good agreement with corresponding results from global helioseismology.     

A Full-Sun Magnetic Index from Helioseismology Inferences

Solar magnetic indices are used to model the solar irradiance and ultimately to forecast it. However, the observation of such indices is generally limited to the Earth-facing hemisphere of the Sun. Seismic maps of the far side of the Sun have proven their capability to locate and track medium–large active regions at the non-visible hemisphere. We present here the possibility of using the average signal from these seismic far-side maps, combined with similarly calculated near-side maps, as a proxy to the full-Sun magnetic activity.     

Sputtering and high altitude meteors

Conventional ablation theory assumes that a meteoroid undergoes intensive heating during atmospheric flight and surface atoms are liberated through thermal processes. Our research has indicated that physical sputtering could play a significant role in meteoroid mass loss. Using a 4th order Runge-Kutta numerical integration technique, we tabulated the mass loss due to the two ablation mechanisms and computed the fraction of total mass lost due to sputtering. We modeled cometary structure meteoroids with masses ranging from 10⁻¹³ to 10⁻³ kg and velocities ranging from 11.2 to 71 km s⁻¹. Our results indicate that a significant fraction of the mass loss for small, fast meteors is due to sputtering, particularly in the early portion of the light curve. In the past 6 years evidence has emerged for meteor luminosity at heights greater than can be explained by conventional ablation theory. We have applied our sputtering model and find excellent agreement with these observations, and therefore suggest that sputtered material accounts for the new type of radiation found at great heights.     

The isolated non-circular ringlets of Saturn

We show that the combined effect of electrodynamic and gravitational forces can account for a number of features observed by Voyagers 1 and 2 in the isolated fine dust rings of Saturn. These include (a) the appearance and disappearnce of the braids in the F-ring, (b) the eccentricities of the F-ring and the ringlets within the Encke and Cassine divisions and a gap in the C-ring, and (c) the kinks in the eccentric Encke ring. They may also account for the very existence of these rings.     

On the braids and spokes in Saturn's ring system

Two of the features in the Saturnian ring system recently observed by the Voyager 1 spacecraft are (a) the braiding of theF-ring and (b) the radial spokes that rotate across theB-ring. Both of these phenomena are explained by recognizing that the grains that constitute both theF-ring and the spokes are charged to high electrostatic potentials and are sufficiently small to be strongly affected by the magnetic field of the planet. Processes for the charging of the grains are also suggested.     

The dynamic response of the two-electrode conductivity cell

The dynamic response of the two-electrode conductivity cell in the dual-needle configuration of M.C. Gregg et al. (1981) was investigated both theoretically and experimentally. A theory is presented which answers fundamental questions regarding the effective cell volume and the mathematical form of the transfer function. These characteristics are shown to be functionally dependent on the spacing between the wires. Experimental determinations of cell response were performed with a thermal plume as the stimulus rather than with the step-response-in-salinity method of Gregg et al. The data are shown to confirm the theoretical form of the transfer function.<>     

Detection of individual normal modes of oscillation of the Sun in the period range from 2 hr to 10 min in solar diameter studies

Solar Physics - New observations of solar oscillations are reported. Power density spectra derived from these observations reveal narrow-band oscillations that are spatially global, have spatial...