Multiple frequency sounding of a Jovian cloud

Prior analysis of 20- and 45-μm flux measurements made from Pioneer 10 of broad regions near the Jovian equator revealed a cold longitudinal inhomogeneity (interpreted as a cloud obscuration) on the rising limb in the South Equatorial Belt. This feature appeared quite prominently at 45 μm and also at 5 μm in ground-based maps made simultaneously with the spacecraft measurements, but it does not appear at visible wavelengths. We describe a method by which the 5-μm observations are used to determine the fraction of 45-μm flux originating from only the region of the SEB obscured by this “anomalous” cloud. This allows the 45-μm data to constrain the cloud properties. On one extreme, the top of the SEB cloud was about 160°K, some 10°K warmer than a cloud in the neighboring South Tropical Zone, if the cloud was optically thick (nontransmissive). On the other hand, if the SEB cloud was as cool as the STrZ cloud, it must have been 60 to 80% transmissive, i.e., somewhat diffuse. With less uncertainty in the fraction of cloud obscuration, the ambiguity between tansmissivity and temperature is significantly diminished. The method described offers a potentially valuable tool for monitoring properties of clouds which do not necessarily appear at visible wavelengths.     

Generation of 1–30 Hz waves near the plasmapause by resonant electron-instability

A generation mechanism for 1–30 Hz waves of the second category, observed near the plasmapause by Taylor and Lyons (1976), is suggested in terms of a resonant electron instability. The instability arises because of the resonant interaction between the ring current electrons outside the plasmapause and the ordinary mode drift waves. The instability can generate waves in the frequency range from 0.45 to 35.0 Hz in the region between L = 4.5 and 5.5. The instability can also explain satisfactorily the other properties such as no changes in the proton distributions, the direction of the wave magnetic field and the localization of the region of wave activity, associated with these waves.     

The development and structure of bright active regions at 2.8 cm

The development of three intense active centers during their appearance on the solar disk is examined using high resolution observations at 2.8 cm. Each region shows a very bright component with brightness temperature > 10⁶ K and size smaller than 20.The development of the bright components have been investigated on different time scales. Intensity fluctuations on a time scale of minutes are within the instrumental accuracy while the evolution over periods of days shows a variation of the flux density up to 30–40% per day.The problem of the bright cores height is discussed. Heights within 10 × 10³ and 40 × 10³ km are found using their apparent displacement on the disk.     

Interhemispheric flow of thermal plasma in a closed magnetic flux tube at mid-latitudes under sunspot minimum conditions

The coupled H⁺ and O⁺ time-dependent continuity and momentum equations are solved within a region of the L = 3 magnetic flux tube lying between (and including) the F2-layers of conjugate hemispheres. The method of solution is an extended and modified version of the Murphy et al. (1976) method. The model is used to study the coupling between the F2-layers of conjugate hemispheres during magnetically quiet periods.The results of the calculations strongly indicate that the protonosphere acts as a reservoir, with variable H⁺ content, which prevents direct coupling between the F2-layers of conjugate hemispheres. However there is generally a significant interhemispheric flow of plasma. This flow is caused by conditions in the summer and winter topside ionospheres and it maintains continuity in the plasma concentration within the protonosphere. There are times when the direction of flow is from the winter hemisphere to the summer hemisphere. It is suggested that maintenance of the winter F2-layer at night is not assisted directly by the F2-layer of the conjugate summer hemisphere.It is shown that during the first few days of protonosphere replenishment after a magnetic storm there is an upflow of H⁺ in the topside ionosphere at all times in the summer hemisphere. There is also an upflow of H⁺ during the daytime in both hemispheres. A comparison with the results obtained when the interhemispheric H⁺ flux is held permanently at zero shows that both F2-layers are little affected by the interhemispheric H⁺ flux. Nevertheless both F2-layers are affected by the H⁺ tube content of the protonosphere. When the H⁺ flux at 1000 km in one hemisphere is much greater than the H⁺ flux at 1000 km in the conjugate hemisphere, there is a corresponding signature in the interhemispheric H⁺ flux.The results suggest that there is insufficient time between magnetic storms for complete replenishment of the protonosphere to occur.     

The polarization of X-ray emission of some solar flares in July 1974

Preliminary results of polarization measurements at three solar flares of July 5 and 6, 1974, are given. The measurements were performed at h 15 keV with Thomson-scattering polarimeter on the Intercosmos 11 satellite.At the decay phase of the flare on July 5 we obtained P = 3.4–5.0%, which did not exclude some contribution from non-thermal processes. At the flares of July 6 we found P =1.0–1.9% and P = 0.1–2.0%, respectively: neither value exceeds the level of statistical fluctuations.Presented at XVIII COSPAR Meeting (VARNA, May–June 1975), contribution III.B.2.9.     

Helium emission in the middle chromosphere

Slitless spectrograms obtained during the eclipse of 10 June 1972 have been analyzed to determine the height distribution of the D₃ He line intensity.For undisturbed regions the maximum of D₃ line intensity is confirmed to exist at about 1700km above the limb. Besides the above mentioned maximum, in plages a considerable intensity may be observed at low heights (h < 1000 km).An analysis of these observations for h > 1000 km has been carried out within the low temperature mechanism of triplet helium emission taking into account the helium ionization by XUV radiation. The density dependence of the 2³ S level population at different XUV flux values has been calculated. Our observations give N _e 2 × 10¹⁰ cm^–3 in the chromosphere at h = 2000 km. The probable coincidence of the H and He emission small filaments in the middle chromosphere is discussed.     

Classification of lunar rocks and glasses by a new statistical technique

A new multivariate statistical technique have been developed for detection of populations groupings in data arrays. General characteristics of the method are described. Results obtained analyzing lunar rocks and glasses are discussed. Lunar rocks lie in a genetically related sequence: pyroxenitic mantle materials produce mare type basalts; anorthositic rocks are the most distant members of the differentiation; noritic, hi-Ti and high KREEP basalts materials appear to be intermediate products. Lunar glasses parallel the overall behaviour of rocks, with some peculiar local characteristics. Granitic materials are present only as glasses, suggesting an origin as residuals. Links between several identified classes are discussed in terms of the evolution of the lunar crust.     

Variations in composition and δ18O values within the Kaffo albite—Riebeckite granite of Liruei Complex,Younger Granites of Nigeria

The peralkaline Kaffo albite—riebeckite granite is an albitised, low-temperature intrusion in Liruei Complex, one of the oldest of the ring-complexes in the Younger Granite province of Nigeria. Analyses of borehole samples from different parts of the intrusion show it to be compositionally heterogeneous, especially in respect of Si, Al, Na, K and F distribution and this, in part, can be correlated with the variable degree of albitisation. Isotopically the granite is a normal plutonic type with δ¹⁸ O values of $\text{+ 8.1 ± 0.2‰}$, and albitisation does not seem to have been accompanied by exchange of isotopes between albitising fluid and the granite. Co-existing riebeckitic-arfvedsonite and aegirine pairs from borehole samples show extreme enrichment in Na and Fe; the amphibole also shows considerable substitution of Fe by Ti, Zn and Mn, and of OH by F. Isotopically the amphibole and pyroxene are different from others, having low, variable δ¹⁸ O values (+5.3–+6.4 and $\text{+4.4–+5.1‰}$, respectively), and the fractionation value Δ Px — Am is always large, negative and constant (—$\text{1.2 ± 0.2‰}$). The low δ¹⁸ O values are considered to be due to special features of the crystal chemistry of the alkali amphiboles and pyroxenes, and the spread of each set of values may be due to sub-solidus isotope exchange between the minerals and albitising fluid.     

Reversals of the geomagnetic field,magnetostratigraphy, and relative magnitude of paleosecular variation in the phanerozoic

The percentage of normal and reversed magnetization in land-based paleomagnetic studies of Phanerozoic rocks (0 to ? 570 m.y.) have been compiled in order to determine the long-term variation in polarity bias of the geomagnetic field. Where possible the results are compared with the record from marine magnetic anomalies. Only rarely is there an even balance between normal and reversed polarity. During the past 350 m.y. two quiet intervals can be recognized when few reversals occurred, the Cretaceous (KN about ? 81 to ? 110 m.y.) and Permo-Carboniferous (PCR about ? 227 to ? 313 m.y.). Less firmly established are two other quiet intervals, one in the Jurassic (JN about ? 145 to ? 165 m.y.), and one in the Triassic (TRN about ? 205 to ? 220 m.y.). Between these quiet intervals there are disturbed intervals when reversals were comparatively frequent. From ? 680 to ? 350 m.y. the paleomagnetic record is inadequate to delineate a succession of quiet and disturbed intervals although one is probably present. Maximum entropy spectral analysis reveals three periodicities, a dominant one at about 300 m.y. and others, less well-defined, at 113 and 57 m.y. The variations in polarity bias are compared with the paleosecular variation, and it is shown that the magnitude of the paleosecular variation is greater in disturbed than in quiet intervals. This indicates that the magnitude of paleosecular variation and polarity bias are governed by variations in the balance between non-dipole and dipole components of the field, and that these variations probably had their origin in processes near the core—mantle interface. The correspondence between the dominant periods of 300 m.y. and plate tectonics is noted and a causal relationship suggested.     

Observation of temporal and spatial variations in the Fe/O charge composition of the solar particle event of 4 July, 1974

Comprehensive measurements of the temporal variations of the Z 6 charge composition in the 4 July 1974 solar event made with experiments aboard IMP-7 and 8 show that large variations in the charge composition occur in three-hour-averaged intensities. Hourly averaged fluxes show variations as large as factors of 3 to 4 from one hour to the next and 3 hour averages show nearly a factor of 10 peak to minimum over the event. The precision of the measurements are limited by counting statistics of the Fe-group channel. Iron to oxygen variations are established by both rate channel and pulse height analysis techniques. Comparison of measurements from IMP-7 and 8, separated by about 70 R _E shows that, while significant differences in composition and intensity exist for brief periods, the gross compositional variations are reproduced well at both spacecraft. These observations provide particularly stringent conditions for theories of the acceleration, release, and propagation of solar energetic particles.