Formation and evolution of planets

Hydrodynamical calculations are becoming increasingly successful at understanding the shapes and kinematics of planetary nebulae (PNs). The most successful models are two-dimensional interacting stellar wind models for which the PN nucleus is assumed to originally expel much or most of its mass in an equatorial waistband. The physics of the ensuing evolution seems to be explained nicely by a combination of hydrodynamics coupled with time-dependent stellar ionization and energy loss through nebular radiation. Recent radiation gas dynamic calculations are shown to yield excellent agreement with data.     

Some characteristics of pulsations in radio bursts at 9.375 GHz

A type of pulsation in a time scale of seconds superimposed on microwave burst at 9.375 GHz has been found during the twenty-second solar active maximum period by us. This phenomenon is quite different from radio spike emission at decimeter and long centimeter wavelengths. The flux level of the bursts rises as the repetition rate of pulsations increases, following an approximate linear relationship. This feature resembles that at mm wavelength, but some other features are different. Some mechanisms for interpretation have been proposed.     

A 20 cm2 CCD mosaic camera for a dark matter search part I : Mechanics,optics and cryogeny

A 20cm ² CCD mosaic camera has been especially built to search for dark galactic halo objects by the gravitational microlensing effect. The sensitive area is made of 16 edge-buttable CCDs developped by Thomson-CTS, with 23×23 µm ² pixels. The 35 kg camera housing and mechanical equipment is presented. The associated electronics and data acquisition system are described in a separate paper. The camera resides at the focal plane of a 40 cm, f/10, Ferson reflector. The instrument has been in operation since December 1991 at the La Silla Observatory (ESO).     

Radiation Products in Processed Ices Relevant to Edgeworth-Kuiper-Belt Objects

Near the inner edge of the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt (EKB) are Pluto and Charon, which are known to have N₂- and H₂O-dominated surface ices, respectively. Such non-polar and polar ices, and perhaps mixtures of them, also may be present on other trans-Neptunian objects. Pluto, Charon, and all EKB objects reside in a weak, but constant UV-photon and energetic ion radiation environment that drives chemical reactions in their surface ices. Effects of photon and ion processing include changes in ice composition, volatility, spectra, and albedo, and these have been studied in a number of laboratories. This paper focuses on ice processing by ion irradiation and is aimed at understanding the volatiles, ions, and residues that may exist on outer solar system objects. We summarize radiation chemical products of N₂-rich and H₂O-rich ices containing CO or CH₄, including possible volatiles such as alcohols, acids, and bases. Less-volatile products that could accumulate on EKB objects are observed to form in the laboratory from acid-base reactions, reactions promoted by warming, or reactions due to radiation processing of a relatively pure ice (e.g., CO → C₃O₂). New IR spectra are reported for the 1–5 mu;m region, along with band strengths for the stronger features of carbon suboxide, carbonic acid, the ammonium and cyanate ions, polyoxymethylene, and ethylene glycol. These six materials are possible contributors to EKB surfaces, and will be of interest to observers and future missions.