Differential rotation caused by anisotropic turbulent viscosity

The law of rotation as well as the corresponding meridional circulations in the hydrogen convection zone (HCZ) are investigated by solving numerically the time independent Navier-Stokes equations. The HCZ is assumed to be a spherical layer of fluid with constant density and viscosity. It is assumed further that the viscosity is caused by unisotropic turbulent motions.The results show differential rotation together with circulations. The detailed behaviour depends on a parameters characterizing the nonisotropic friction and on the kinematic viscosityv. If the friction is larger in radial direction than in lateral directions (0 s < 1) the poles rotate faster than the equator and the circulation rises at the equator and falls at the poles; if friction is smaller in radial direction (s > 1) the equator rotates faster and the sense of the circulation is reversed. The differential rotation observed at the solar surface is obtained for the values = 1.2.For small values ofv the angular velocity is constant on cylindrical surfaces, for large values ofv it is constant on spherical surfaces. The solar law of rotation turns out to be very close to the first case.Based on the author's Thesis in Göttingen.     

Polarimetric and photometric observations of the star m cephei

The results of photometric and polarimetric observations of the star Μ Cep at Byurakan Observatory are presented. Some interesting correlations between the parameters of the star’s brightness variation and the degree of polarization of the light are obtained. It is suggested that the recorded rapid changes in the degree of polarization may result from Μ Cep being a double star. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 43, No. 2, pp. 219-228, April–June, 2000.     

Intensity ratios of spectral cores Ca ii K to H across a sunspot

Ratios of the intensity in the core of the Ca ii K line to the intensity of the H line core across a sunspot (SPO 5007) were determined from measurements of spectra made simultaneously with the Echelle spectrograph at the Vacuum Tower Telescope, Sacramento Peak Observatory. The measured values averaged over the neighboring nonspot region, the penumbra and the umbra are found to be 1.13 ± 0.04, 1.19 ± 0.05, and 1.25 ± 0.03, respectively.This work was supported by the U.S.-Republic of Korea Cooperative Science Program (K-24).     

On the emptiness of voids

The observability of a galaxy population inside of voids is estimated by assuming a void population similar to the one of nearby field galaxies in density as well as in morphological mixture. Obviously an extension to apparent magnitudes beyond m = 22 for a complete sample of galaxies in a sufficient large field is needed to get reliable information on a void population.     

Could CoRoT-7b and Kepler-10b be remnants of evaporated gas or ice giants?

We present thermal mass loss calculations over evolutionary time scales for the investigation if the smallest transiting rocky exoplanets CoRoT-7b (∼1.68R_Earth) and Kepler-10b (∼1.416R_Earth) could be remnants of an initially more massive hydrogen-rich gas giant or a hot Neptune-class exoplanet. We apply a thermal mass loss formula which yields results that are comparable to hydrodynamic loss models. Our approach considers the effect of the Roche lobe, realistic heating efficiencies and a radius scaling law derived from observations of hot Jupiters. We study the influence of the mean planetary density on the thermal mass loss by placing hypothetical exoplanets with the characteristics of Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus to the orbital location of CoRoT-7b at 0.017 AU and Kepler-10b at 0.01684 AU and assuming that these planets orbit a K- or G-type host star. Our findings indicate that hydrogen-rich gas giants within the mass domain of Saturn or Jupiter cannot thermally lose such an amount of mass that CoRoT-7b and Kepler-10b would result in a rocky residue. Moreover, our calculations show that the present time mass of both rocky exoplanets can be neither a result of evaporation of a hydrogen envelope of a “Hot Neptune” nor a “Hot Uranus”-class object. Depending on the initial density and mass, these planets most likely were always rocky planets which could lose a thin hydrogen envelope, but not cores of thermally evaporated initially much more massive and larger objects.     

Chemical alternation of waters in the Kuroshio/Oyashio Interfrontal Zone

An intensive survey has been conducted of the distributions of some chemical properties (dissolved oxygen, nutrients and carbonate properties) in the Kuroshio/Oyashio Interfrontal Zone. Many low-salinity water patches were found down to depths of 640 m. Each chemical property also showed anomalies in these patches, but the degree of variation showed a low correlation with salinity. This may be due to the high variability of biological processes in the surface waters where these patches are formed. Vertical profiles of the chemical properties were also observed along the Kuroshio extension axis from 140.50°E to 146.75°E. The concentrations of nutrients and total carbonate (TC) in the water having densities greater than σ_θ=26.60 can be regarded as being formed by the isopycnal mixing of the Kuroshio component water and Oyashio component water and biological degradation within the density surfaces. This implies that the transport of chemical properties by the diapycnal mixing is negligible in these density layers in the K/O zone.