The Solar Corona 530.3 nm in the 20th cycle

The paper presents an analysis of the coronal data of emission line 530.3 nm. The analysis was carried out with data recorded at the coronal station of Lomnický tít for the period 1965–1976. Up till now the observed time and latitudal changes of the shape of the corona as well as the existence of two maxima have been fully proved. The development of intensities has, in many cases, different characters in the southern and northern hemispheres. Apart from this, the third increase of intensities in the course of the cycle was observed nearly at all latitudes in the coincidence with sunspot numbers in 1974–1975 years. The maximum of intensities of this impulse of activity was observed at latitudes around 60° in both hemispheres.     

Containment of an adiabatic plasma on magnetic lines of force by a self-generated electrostatic field

One component of a three-fluid adiabatic plasma is under certain conditions contained in a restricted region of space by a large-scale electrostatic field generated within the plasma. The containment is discussed here for plasma consisting of ions and two populations of electrons characterized by different pitch angle distribution functions.The bouncing motion of electrons along open fieldlines between a magnetic mirror and an electrostatic mirror produces a velocity distribution function similar to that generated by bouncing particles on closed fieldlines.     

Current estimates of the Earth's principal moments of inertia

Summary The principal moments of the Earth's inertia and their differences have been computed and their actual accuracy estimated on the basis of the most recent values of the 2nd degree geopotential parameters (model GEM-T2) and of the parameter H in the precession constant. The contributions due to the zero frequency zonal term in the tidal potential have been determined.

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au m nmnmuaa 2- mnu (¶rt; GEM-T2) u naama nm nuu n¶rt; aua m uuu u u u amu u ¶rt;am u a mmu. u a¶rt; n¶rt; uu nm amu a a nuu nmuaa.

     

On the determination of the European gravimetric geoid

Summary The method of the automated computation of the gravimetric deflections of the vertical and of the geoidal heights for the European region is described. The work was carried out during the period 1986–1988 by the Topographic Service of the Czechoslovak Army. The computation applies to 20 sheets of the international map 1:1 000 000 (total area of =16^c, =30^c - see Fig. 1). The mean values of the free-air anomalies for each surface element =5, =7.5, approximately 9 × 9 km, were used with radius of integration of 300 km.     

Large-scale distribution of magnetic fields,green corona and prominences during an extended activity cycle

The interrelations of the latitudinal distribution of the coronal green emission maxima, maximal numbers and areas of prominences, magnetic fields, sunspots, and polar faculae in the 20th and 21st sunspot cycles have been investigated. It is again demonstrated how the behaviour of all studied data depends on their heliographic latitude. In the polar zone, well separated from the equatorial we observe following polarity magnetic fields transported only polewards, while the equatorial zone is occupied mostly by leading polarity fields, developed there, moving equatorwards, and crossing the equator to the other hemisphere with the new cycle during the minimum of sunspot activity.This magnetic field distribution is well emphasized by the places of maximal occurrence of prominences and by the distribution of coronal green emission maxima which also differ in dependence on latitude.The question of identifying the first and last evolutionary stages of an extended cycle of activity is discussed and the existence of a magnetic activity cycle lasting 15–17 years is suggested.     

Eruptive instability of magnetic arcades

Eruptive prominences trace disruptions of magnetic arcades in which they are embedded. The stability of an arcade containing an electric current filament at its axis is discussed. The model provides criteria for the onset of the eruptive instability in terms of prominence twist and overall geometry, i.e., the parameters which could be measured directly. The evolution of the eruption is analyzed, and the dependence of the acceleration and the pitch of field-lines on the height is established. The model is compared with the observations of one eruptive prominence where the development of helical structure was followed.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.     

Sunspot indices characterizing the 11-year cycle as a whole and their relationship to the analogous indices of geomagnetic activity

Summary Sunspot indices characterizing the 11-year cycle as a whole were determined on the basis of Wolf's sunspot numbers and their total area as well as on the basis of the primary physically indices of the spot-generating activity of the Sun.Their interrelationship is shown and their relationship to the indices of geomagnetic activity aa and C_i is examined. It is shown that under high solar activity a certain saturation of the Earth's magnetosphere occurs and that the variations of geomagnetic activity correlate with the variations of the global sunspot indices (Wolf number and total area) but correlate but slightly with the primary physically sunspot indices.

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u u n¶rt;;u nm u uuu nu u¶rt;; nmaoam ¶rt;;mmu q, n¶rt;; u¶rt;;u nm, aamuu -mu u . aaa u aua u u u mu u¶rt;;a ¶rt;;a¶rt;;um amumu aa u _i. aa, m nu amumu mynam am aum u m auauu ¶rt;;a¶rt;;umo amumu um auauau ¶rt;; u¶rt;; nm (u a, aa na¶rt;), a um uuu nuu u¶rt;u nm.

     

Scattering by nonspherical particles and optical properties of Martian dust

Ultraviolet spectral reflectance data obtained from the Mariner 9 during the 1971 Mars dust storm were analyzed at two wavelengths to deduce the complex index of refraction of Martian dust. Martian dust particles were considered to be irregularly shaped and randomly oriented nonspherical particles. The analysis shows that the Mariner 9 data are consistent with the scattering by irregular particles with an index of refraction m = 1.59 ? 0.0015i at λ = 0.305 μm and m = 1.55 ? 0.004i at λ = 0.268 μm. Both the real and the imaginary parts of refractive index found are considerably smaller than previously reported results using a spherical shape model for Martian dust particles.     

Precambrian fluvial deposits: Enigmatic palaeohydrological data from the c. 2–1.9 Ga Waterberg Group, South Africa

Precambrian fluvial systems, lacking the influence of rooted vegetation, probably were characterised by flashy surface runoff, low bank stability, broad channels with abundant bedload, and faster rates of channel migration; consequently, a braided fluvial style is generally accepted. Pre-vegetational braided river systems, active under highly variable palaeoclimatic conditions, may have been more widespread than are modern, ephemeral dry-land braided systems. Aeolian deflation of fine fluvial detritus does not appear to have been prevalent. With the onset of large cratons by the Neoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic, very large, perennial braided river systems became typical. The c. 2.06–1.88 Ga Waterberg Group, preserved within a Main and a smaller Middelburg basin on the Kaapvaal craton, was deposited largely by alluvial/braided-fluvial and subordinate palaeo-desert environments, within fault-bounded, possibly pull-apart type depositories.

Palaeohydrological data obtained from earlier work in the Middelburg basin (Wilgerivier Formation) are compared to such data derived from the correlated Blouberg Formation, situated along the NE margin of the Main basin. Within the preserved Blouberg depository, palaeohydrological parameters estimated from clast size and cross-bed set thickness data, exhibit rational changes in their values, either in a down-palaeocurrent direction, or from inferred basin margin to palaeo-basin centre. In both the Wilgerivier and Blouberg Formations, calculated palaeoslope values (derived from two separate formulae) plot within the gap separating typical alluvial fan gradients from those which characterise rivers (cf. [Blair, T.C., McPherson, J.G., 1994. Alluvial fans and their natural distinction from rivers based on morphology, hydraulic processes, sedimentary processes, and facies assemblages. J. Sediment. Res. A64, 450–489.]). Although it may be argued that such data support possibly unique fluvial styles within the Precambrian, perhaps related to a combination of major global-scale tectono-thermal and atmospheric–palaeoclimatic events, a simpler explanation of these apparently enigmatic palaeoslope values may be pertinent. Of the two possible palaeohydrological formulae for calculating palaeoslope, one provides results close to typical fluvial gradients; the other formula relies on preserved channel-width data. We suggest that the latter will not be reliable due to problematic preservation of original channel-widths within an active braided fluvial system. We thus find no unequivocal support for a unique fluvial style for the Precambrian, beyond that generally accepted for that period and discussed briefly in the first paragraph.     

Glacial Erosion in the Abisko Mountains: Kärkevagge and Vassivagge, Northern Sweden

This paper discusses direct current resistivity soundings and geomorphological studies of Quaternary deposits in two glacial troughs in the Abisko Mountains of northern Sweden. The subject of the fieldwork is the depth of Pleistocene glacial erosion. Studies were carried out in 1998 and 2003 in the Kärkevagge and Vassivagge. The estimated thickness of Quaternary deposits and bedrock properties are discussed in the broader context of glacial erosion studies in the Abisko area. Geophysical and geomorphological studies suggest that the depth of glacial erosion was highly differentiated from –190 m in the Torneträsk basin to the metric overall erosion on the upland plateau. In medium‐sized valleys several kilometres long, erosion depth measures 30–50 m. Present‐day stream channel patterns reveal a strong relation to the bedrock configuration in valley floors