On the flux of neutrons from flares

Under the assumption that white-light flares are caused by energetic particles penetrating into the photosphere (vestka, 1970a; Najita and Orrall, 1970) the known number of protons needed for the white-light emission is used to obtain an estimate of the production of neutrons occurring at the same time. In the case of the white-light flare of 23 May, 1967, the peak flux of neutrons at the Earth distance had to exceed 3 neutrons/cm²s, thus being detectable in space. This maximum neutron flux reached the Earth as early as the time of the maximum phase of the flare in the H light. However, reasonable estimates show that flares associated with a detectable neutron flux should be fairly rare phenomena, maybe as rare as the white-light flares.On leave from the Astronomical Institute of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Ondejov.     

Correlation of interplanetary scintillation and spacecraft plasma density measurements

Interplanetary scintillation and spacecraft measurements of proton density are observed to be strongly correlated. This result confirms the association between corotating sectors of enhanced scintillation and compression regions located at the interface between fast and slow solar wind streams; it also suggests that scintillation observations provide a means of predicting, several days in advance, the arrival at the Earth, of solar plasma of enhanced density.     

Palaeomagnetism of Holocene lake sediments from north Poland

Summary. Detailed palaeomagnetic investigations of 17 cores of Holocene lake sediments from four lakes in Poland show a pattern of declination variations similar to those found in Lake Windermere, England and in addition a well defined pattern of inclination variations. A total of nine inclination swings are observed compared to five declination swings and their phase relationships are such that both sets of swings cannot be periodic. Exact dating of the palaeomagnetic record is not possible as radiocarbon ages are over 1000 yr older than those deduced from palynological studies. Thermomagnetic and X-ray studies on magnetic concentrates confirm the results of studies of remanence cooling, IRM acquisition and coercivity experiments which are consistent with fine grained magnetite as the main magnetic mineral in the sediments.     

Multi-spacecraft testing of time-dependent interplanetary MHD models for operational forecasting of geomagnetic storms

An MHD 2-1/2D, time-dependent model is used, together with observations of six solar flares during 3–7 February 1986, to demonstrate global, large-scale, compound disturbances in the solar wind over a wide range of heliolongitudes. This scenario is one that is likely to occur many times during the cruise, possibly even encounter, phases of the Multi-Comet Mission. It is suggested that a model such as this one should be tested with multi-spacecraft data (such as the MCM and Earth-based probes) with several goals in view: (1) utility of the model for operational real-time forecasting of geomagnetic storms, and (2) scientific interpretation of certain forms of cometary activities and their possible association with solar-generated activity.Presented at the Workshop on the Multi-Comet Mission, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, September 17–18, 1986.     

Geological, mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the Radzimowice Au–As–Cu deposit from the Kaczawa Mountains (Western Sudetes, Poland): an example of the transition of porphyry and epithermal style

The sheeted quartz–sulfide veins of the Radzimowice Au–As–Cu deposit in the Kaczawa Mountains are related to Upper Carboniferous post-collisional potassic magmatism of the composite Zelezniak porphyry intrusion. Multiple intrusive activity ranges from early calc-alkaline to sub-alkaline and alkaline rocks and is followed by multiple hydrothermal events. Early crustally derived dacitic magma has low mg# (<63) and very low concentrations of mantle-compatible trace elements, high large-ion lithophile elements (LILE), moderate light rare-earth elements (LREE), and low high-field-strength elements (HFSE). Later phases of more alkaline rocks have higher mg# (60–70), and LILE, LREE, and HFSE characteristics that indicate mafic magma contributions in a felsic magma chamber. The last episode of the magmatic evolution is represented by lamprophyre dikes which pre-date ore mineralization and are spatially related to quartz–sulfide–carbonate veins. The dikes consist of kersantite and spessartite of calc-alkaline affinity with K₂O/Na₂O ratios of 1.1–1.9, mg# of 77–79, and high abundances of mantle-compatible trace elements such as Cr, Ni, and V. They have high LILE, low LREE, and low HFSE contents suggesting a subduction-related post-collisional arc-setting. The mineralization started with arsenopyrite that was strongly brecciated and overprinted by multiple quartz–carbonate phases associated with base-metal sulfides and Au–Ag–Bi–Te–Pb±S minerals. The sulfur isotope composition of sulfides ranges from –1.1 to 2.8 ³⁴S and suggests a magmatic source. At least two generations of gold deposition are recognized: (1) early refractory, and (2) subsequent non-refractory gold mineralization of epithermal style. Co-rich arsenopyrite with refractory gold and pyrite are the most abundant minerals of the early stage of sulfide precipitation. Early arsenopyrite formed at 535–345°C along the arsenopyrite–pyrrhotite–loellingite buffer and late arsenopyrite crystallized below 370°C along the arsenopyrite–pyrite buffer. Non-refractory gold associated with base-metal sulfides and with Bi–Te–Ag–Pb–S mineral assemblages has an average fineness of about 685, and is represented by electrum of two generations, and minor maldonite (Au₂Bi). Fluid inclusions from various quartz generations co-genetic with base-metal sulfides and associated with carbonates, tellurides and non-refractory gold indicate fluids with moderate salinity (9–15 wt% NaCl equiv.) and a temperature and pressure drop from 350 to 190°C and 1.2 to 0.8 kbar, respectively. According to the result of the sulfur isotope fractionation geothermometer the temperature of base-metal crystallization was in the range from 322 to 289°C. Preliminary results of oxygen isotope studies of quartz from veins indicate a gradual increase in the proportion of meteoric water in the epithermal stage. The gold to silver ratio in ore samples with >3 ppm Au is about 1:5 (geometric mean). Hydrothermal alteration started with sericitization, pyritization, and kaolinitization in vein selvages followed by alkaline hydrothermal alteration of propylitic character (illitization and chloritization), albitization and carbonatization. The mineralization of the Radzimowice deposit is considered as related to alkaline magmatism and is characterized by the superposition of low-sulfidation epithermal mineralization on higher-temperature and deeper-seated mesothermal/porphyry style.Editorial handling: B. Lehmann     

Analysis on the interplanetary causes of the great magnetic storms in solar maximum (2000-2001)

In this paper, we analyze the interplanetary causes of eight great geomagnetic storms during the solar maximum (2000-2001). The result shows that the interplanetary causes were the intense southward magnetic field and the notable characteristic among the causal mechanism is compression. Six of eight great geomagnetic storms were associated with the compression of southward magnetic field, which can be classified into (1) the compression between ICMEs (2) the compression between ICMEs and interplanetary medium. It suggests that the compressed magnetic field would be more geoeffective. At the same time, we also find that half of all great storms were related to successive halo CMEs, most of which originated from the same active region. The interactions between successive halo CMEs usually can lead to greater geoeffectiveness by enhancing their southward field B_s interval either in the sheath region of the ejecta or within magnetic clouds (MCs). The types of them included: the compression between the fast speed transient flow and the slow speed background flow, the multiple MCs, besides shock compression. Further, the linear fit of the D_st versus gives the weights of and Δt as α=2.51 and β=0.75, respectively. This may suggest that the compression mechanism, with associated intense B_s, rather than duration, is the main factor in causing a great geomagnetic storm.     

Non-tidal variations in the deflection of the vertical at Beijing Observatory

At Beijing Observatory both astrometric and gravimetric observations are available to study the non-tidal variations in the deflections of the vertical (or non-tidal plumbline variations, PLVs). From repeated gravimetric observations performed in a network around the observatory, the PLVs at Beijing Observatory during the period 1987.0–1996.0 have been calculated. After comparison with the observational residuals (which also contain the PLV components) of the photoelectric astrolabe located at the observatory, the accuracy of the obtained PLV results has been examined. It is shown that, due to the asymmetry of the gravimetric network, the qualities of the two different PLV components are not equal. The longitude component of the PLV at Beijing has been determined successfully, to be of the order of 0.05, with a contribution of about 0.02 in the inter-annual time scale. The result for the latitude PLV component is not good enough to draw a conclusion. Although both techniques are able to measure the PLV, the result of the determination depends very much on the availability of observational data.     

Second Tesseral Harmonic Torque Due to the DynamicS of the Oceanic Surface Layer as Detected by TOPEX/POSEIDON Altimetry 1993-2000

Estimates of the second tesseral torque due to the variations in the radial space position of the mean ocean surface as monitored by TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter system are derived. The magnitude of the studied torque may be compared to the tidal torque and to the tesseral torque caused by deformations due to the Earths rotation. However, such torque estimates strongly depend on the thickness of the ocean surface layer adopted in the spherical model of which the dynamics is believed to be responsible for the derived torque. The dependence on the thickness is discussed.