Aspects of the zero level problem of solar magnetographs

The zero level problem of solar magnetographs is particularly important for observations of large-scale magnetic fields on the Sun. Experiments conducted at the STOP telescope of the Sayan observatory show that, in addition to adjustment errors of the polarization analyzer and the spectrograph focusing, spurious signals of the magnetograph are caused by polarization effects in optical components preceding the polarization analyzer and aberration errors of the spectrograph.     

Slow changes of solar irradiance and energetics of active regions

A new numerical technique is applied to study long-term variations of total solar irradiance. The background solar flux is estimated not from, e.g., a running mean but as the mode on a moving short time interval. Statistical properties of short-term variations with respect to the running mode are studied. The probability distribution function describing the data from Nimbus-7 is asymmetric and departs from a Gaussian.The ratio of time-integrated short-term negative and positive deviations shows that the energy re-radiated from faculae makes up about 40% of the energy blocked by sunspots. The amplitude and phase relations are studied between deviations which decrease and increase the irradiance. They characterize the mechanism of energy transformation with frequency. The cross-covariance analysis reveals that some parts of the energy blocked by sunspots come to the surface of the Sun after long delays.     

Microwave observations of Saturn's rings: anisotropy in directly transmitted and scattered saturnian thermal emission

We present a new Very Large Array (VLA) image of Saturn, made from data taken in October 1998 at a wavelength of λ3.6 cm. The moderate ring opening angle (B≈15°) allows us to explore direct transmission of microwave photons through the A and C rings. We find a strong asymmetry of photons transmitted through the A ring, but not in the C ring, a new diagnostic of wake structure in the ring particles. We also find a weak asymmetry between east and west for the far side of the ansae. To facilitate quantitative comparison between dynamic models of the A ring and radio observations, we extend our Monte Carlo radiative transfer code (described in Dunn et al., 2002, Icarus 160, 132-160) to include idealized wakes. We show the idealized model can reproduce the properties of dynamic simulations in directly transmitted light. We examine the model behavior in directly transmitted and scattered light over a range of physical and geometric wake parameters. Finally, we present a wake model with a plausible set of physical parameters that quantitatively reproduces the observed intensity and asymmetry of the A ring both across the planet and in the ansae.     

Neutron background in large-scale xenon detectors for dark matter searches

Simulations of the neutron background for future large-scale particle dark matter detectors are presented. Neutrons were generated in rock and detector elements via spontaneous fission and (α,n) reactions, and by cosmic-ray muons. The simulation techniques and results are discussed in the context of the expected sensitivity of a generic liquid xenon dark matter detector. Methods of neutron background suppression are investigated. A sensitivity of 10⁻⁹–10⁻¹⁰ pb to WIMP-nucleon interactions can be achieved by a tonne-scale detector.     

What type was SN 1987A?

A comparison is made of the light and colour curves of the SN 1987A in the first 280 days with the mean properties of type II supernovae. The conclusion is that even though it has H lines, and was not a typical type II supernova, but a peculiar object from a photometric point of view. The implications for inclusion of SN 1987A in the context of the usual Minkowski-Zwicky classification are explicitly discussed.     

On the relation between orbital structure and observed bar morphology

We investigate the morphological relation between the orbits of the central family of periodic orbits ( x ₁ family) and the bar itself using models of test particles moving in a barred potential. We show that different bar morphologies may have as a backbone the same set of x ₁ periodic orbits. We point out that by populating initially axisymmetric stellar discs exponentially with test particles in circular, or almost circular motion, we may end up with a response bar which reveals a shape different in crucial details from that of the individual stable x ₁ orbits. For example, a bar model in which the x ₁ orbits are pure ellipses may have a much more complicated response morphology. This depends on the particular invariant curves around x ₁, which are populated in each model.     

Effects of clumping on temperature – I. Externally heated clouds

We present a study of radiative transfer in dusty, clumpy star-forming regions. A series of self-consistent, 3D, continuum radiative transfer models are constructed for a grid of models parametrized by central luminosity, filling factor, clump radius and face-averaged optical depth. The temperature distribution within the clouds is studied as a function of this parametrization. Among our results, we find that: (i) the effective optical depth in clumpy regions is less than in equivalent homogeneous regions of the same average optical depth, leading to a deeper penetration of heating radiation in clumpy clouds, and temperatures higher by over 60 per cent; (ii) penetration of radiation is driven by the fraction of open sky (FOS) – which is a measure of the fraction of solid angle along which no clumps exist; (iii) FOS increases as clump radius increases and as filling factor decreases; (iv) for values of   FOS >0.6–0.8  the sky is sufficiently 'open' that the temperature distribution is relatively insensitive to FOS; (v) the physical process by which radiation penetrates is preferentially through streaming of radiation between clumps as opposed to diffusion through clumps; (vi) filling factor always dominates the determination of the temperature distribution for large optical depths, and for small clump radii at smaller optical depths; (vii) at lower face-averaged optical depths, the temperature distribution is most sensitive to filling factors of 1–10 per cent, in accordance with many observations; (viii) direct shadowing by clumps can be important for distances approximately one clump radius behind a clump.