Cosmic-ray propagation in compressible turbulent media

The influence of compressibility of media on both the statistical acceleration and the turbulent diffusion of cosmic-ray particles is investigated. The averaging over an ensemble of random velocity fields of the medium was performed in the kinetic equation. The kinetic coefficients, which are responsible for the particle acceleration, were obtained in the cases of weak and strong scattering due inhomogeneous magnetic fields.     

The coating hypothesis for ammonia ice particles in Jupiter: Laboratory experiments and optical modeling

We report laboratory experiments and modeling calculations investigating the effect of a hydrocarbon coating on ammonia ice spectral signatures. Observational evidence and thermochemical models indicate an abundance of ammonia ice clouds in Jupiter's atmosphere. However, spectrally identifiable ammonia ice clouds are found covering less than 1% of Jupiter's atmosphere, notably in areas of strong vertical transport, indicating a short lifetime for the signature of ammonia absorption on condensed ammonia particles [Baines, K.H., Carlson, R.W., Kamp, L.W., 2002. Icarus 159, 74-94]. Current literature has suggested coating of ammonia ice particles by a hydrocarbon haze as a possible explanation for this paradox. The work presented here supports the inference of a coating effect that can alter or suppress ammonia absorption features. In the experiments, thin films of ammonia ices are deposited in a cryogenic apparatus, coated with hydrocarbons, and characterized by reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy. We have observed the effects on the ammonia ice absorption features near 3 and 9 μm with coverage by thin layers of hydrocarbons. Modeling calculations of these multilayer thin films assist in the interpretation of the experimental results and reveal the important role of optical interference in altering the aforementioned ammonia spectral features. Mie and T-matrix scattering calculations demonstrate analogous effects for ammonia ice particles and investigate the relative effects of ammonia ice particle size, shape, and coating layer thickness on the ice particle spectral signatures.     

On Dynamics of G-Band Bright Points

Various parameters describing the dynamics of G-band bright points (GBPs) were derived from G-band images, acquired by the Dutch Open Telescope (DOT), of a quiet region close to the disk center. Our study is based on four commonly used diagnostics (effective velocity, change in the effective velocity, change in the direction angle, and centrifugal acceleration) and two new ones (rate of motion and time lag between recurrence of GBPs). The results concerning the commonly used parameters are in agreement with previous studies for a comparable spatial and temporal resolution of the used data. The most probable value of the effective velocity is ～?0.9 km?s^?1, whereas we found a deviation of the effective velocity distribution from the expected Rayleigh function for velocities in the range from 2 to 4 km?s^?1. The change in the effective velocity distribution is consistent with a Gaussian one with FWHM=0.079 km?s^?2. The distribution of the centrifugal acceleration exhibits a highly exponential nature (a symmetric Gaussian centered at the zero value). To broaden our understanding of the dynamics of GBPs, two new parameters were defined: the real displacement between their appearance and disappearance (rate of motion) and the frequency of their recurrence at the same locations (time lag). For ～?45 % of the tracked GBPs, their displacement was found to be small compared to their size (the rate of motion smaller than one). The locations of the tracked GBPs mainly cover the boundaries of supergranules representing the network, and there is no significant difference in the locations of GBPs with small (m<1) and large (m>2) values of the rate of motion. We observed a difference in the overall trend of the obtained distribution for the values of the time lag smaller (slope of the trend line being ?0.14) and greater (?0.03) than ～?7 min. The time lags mostly lie within the interval of ～?2?–?3 min, with those up to ～?4 min being more abundant than longer ones. Results for both new parameters indicate that the locations of different dynamical types of GBPs (stable/farther traveling or with short/long lifetimes) are bound to the locations of more stable and long-living magnetic field concentrations. Thus, the disappearance/reappearance of the tracked GBPs cannot be perceived as the disappearance/reappearance of their corresponding magnetic field concentrations.     

Moments of inertia of the lunar globe,and their bearing on chemical differentiation of its outer layers

It is pointed out that the observed moments of inertia of the Moon, disclosed by its librations, are influenced mainly by the distribution of mass in the outer zone in which the lithostatic pressure is less than 10 kb (i.e., in the outer shell not more than 200 km deep); and a conspicuous departure of such moments from those expected in hydrostatic equilibrium disclosed that these layers could never have been fluid. In the same way, the actual shape of the lunar surface cannot represent a solidified surface of a fluid, petrified at any distance from the Earth.The shape of the Moon, and differences of its moments of inertia must reflect the way in which the initial process of cold accretion fell short of producing a globe with strictly spherically-symmetrical stratification of material; and has nothing to do with tides - present or fossil. Such melting or lava flows as may have occurred at the Moon's surface from time to time must have remained localized, and without much effect on the dynamical properties of the Moon. A global ocean of molten magma some 200 km in depth (postulated sometimes to provide a reservoir in which the differentiation of elements exhibited by surface rocks could have taken place) at any time in the past is incompatible with the dynamical evidence on the motion of the Moon about its center of gravity.Bellcomm, Inc., 955 L'Enfant Plaza North, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20024, U.S.A.     

Tidal evolution in close binary systems

The aim of the present paper will be to give a mathematical outline of the theory of tidal evolution in close binary systems of secularly constant total momentum — an evolution activated by viscous friction of dynamical tides raised by the two components on each other. The first section contains a general outline of the problem; and in Section 2 we shall establish the basic expressions for the energy and momenta of close binaries consisting of components of arbitrary internal structure. In Section 3 we shall investigate the maximum and minimum values of the energy (kinetic and potential) which such systems can attain for given amount of total momentum; while in Section 4 we shall compare these results with the actual facts encountered in binaries with components whose internal structure (and, therefore, rotational momenta) are known to us from evidence furnished by the observed rates of apsidal advance.The results show that all such systems — be these of detached or semi-detached type — disclose that more than 99% of their total momenta are stored in the orbital momentum. The sum of the rotational momenta of the constituent components amounts to less than a percent of the total — a situation characteristic of a state close to the minimum energy for given total momentum. This appears, moreover, to be true not only of the systems with both components on the Main Sequence, but also of those possessing evolved components in contact with their Roche limits.Under such conditions, a synchronism between rotation and revolution (characteristic of both extreme states of maximum and minimum energy) is not only possible, but appears to have been actually approached — if not attained — in the majority of cases. In other words, it would appear that — in at least a large majority of known cases — the existing close binaries have already attained orbits of maximum distension consistent with their momenta; and tidal evolution alone can no longer increase the present separations of the components to any appreciable extent.The virtual absence, in the sky, of binary systems intermediate between the stages of maximum and minimum energy for given momentum leads us to conjecture that the process of dynamical evolution activated by viscous tides may enroll on a time-scale which is relatively short in comparison with their total age — even for systems like Y Cygni or AG Persei, whose total age can scarcely exceed 10⁷ yr. A secular increase of the semi-major axes of relative orbits is dynamically coupled with a corresponding variation in the velocity of axial rotation of both components through the tidal lag arising from the viscosity of stellar material. The differential equations of so coupled a system are given in Section 5; but their solution still constitutes a task for the future.The Lunar Science Institute Contribution No. 90. The Lunar Science Institute is operated by the Universities Space Research Association under Contract No. NSR 09-051-001 with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.     

Is dark matter created in the gravitation field of galaxies?

Using the heuristic arguments of quantum physics we describe a new mechanism of the creation of short-living particles from the virtual ones in a stationary gravitation field. The mass of these particles is a function of the intensity of gravitation field. We suppose that the particles created in the gravitation field form a part of the non-baryonic dark matter. Having the intensity of gravitation field in a galaxy we can calculate the density of dark matter created in it by the vacuum quantum fluctuation. We calculate the distribution of this dark matter in a model galaxy and show that its total mass is comparable with the visible mass of the galaxy.     

Transient brightenings of interconnecting loops

We study sudden brightenings of coronal loops that interconnect active regions. Such brightenings often occur within one or two days after the birth of a new interconnecting loop, as well as in some old interconnections. The brightenings of young loops are obviously associated with the emergence of new magnetic flux near their footpoints, whereas some enhancements of old loops may be triggered by slowly moving disturbances propagating from other centers of activity. A few loop brightenings are associated with flares, but the loop does not brighten in consequence of energy supply from the flare. Both the flare and the loop brightening are independent consequences of one common agent, presumably newly emerging flux.Temperatures in brightened loops are between 3 and 4 × 10⁶ K and densities are < 2 × 10⁹ cm^–3, probably < 5 × 10⁸ cm^–3 in some old loops. The top part of a loop is the site of the most intense brightening in the initial phase of a loop enhancement. The most frequent lifetime of these brightenings is 6 to 7 hr.Hale Observatories are operated jointly by the Carnegie Institution of Washington and the California Institute of Technology.     

Long transequatorial interconnecting loops of the new solar cycle

We study two long transequatorial loops connecting high-latitude regions of the new solar cycle. These loops (with lengths of 47 and 61 heliographic degrees) provide evidence that the upper length limit of 37° found by Chase et al. (1976) from Skylab data was determined simply by the typical distances between northern and southern active regions during the period of Skylab observations. We find strong support for the idea that these long interconnecting loops originate through reconnection of field lines extending from the two active regions towards and beyond the equator, and confirm the earlier finding by Canfield, Pevtsov, and McClymont (1996) that only field lines from active regions with the same chirality reconnect. As we are not aware of any longitudinal (E–W) loops of comparable lengths, we suggest that it is mainly the solar differential rotation which drives the reconnection of latitudinal (N–S) field lines.     

Observational Evidence for Rising Penumbral Flux Tubes?

On 13 May 2000 parts of a penumbra were observed in an active region NOAA 8990 with the La Palma Stokes Polarimeter attached to the Swedish Vacuum Solar Telescope. The stratification over the solar atmosphere of different physical parameters is retrieved from these data by using the Stokes inversion based on response functions. The results confirm the previous findings of the penumbral structure. In general, the magnetic field becomes weaker and more horizontal with increasing distance from the umbra and the line-of-sight velocities are increasing towards the outer boundary of the penumbra. The results also suggest the existence of the unresolved fine structure of the penumbra. The stratifications of the temperature and of the magnetic field strength indicate the presence of rising flux tubes, which were predicted theoretically by Schlichenmaier, Jahn and Schmidt (1998, Astron. Astrophys. 337, 897).