Spectral investigation of chromospheric fine structure

H spectra and effectively simultaneous filtergrams were taken at the Fraunhofer Observatory on Capri with the 35 cm domeless Coudé. The spatial resolution of the 19 best spectra selected for analysis was estimated to be 1–2 arc sec. The comparison of several hundred H line profiles emitted by typical chromospheric structure elements with theoretical prediction yielded strong evidence to suggest that the chromosphere consists of two parts: A lower, rather uniform layer at rest superposed by clouds (condensations of great spatial variability) which constitute the well-known structure pattern of H filtergrams. For most image points the line-of-sight velocity, optical thickness, source function and Doppler broadening of these clouds could be determined. While the values of the latter three quantities were found to be similar to what Beckers (1968) has found for limb spicules the velocity of the bright and of the dark mottles is considerably smaller than to be expected if these features were the spicules as seen on the disk. However, our results do not rule out the possibility that the spicules rise at the centers of rosettes where they are difficult to detect.Mitteilung aus dem Fraunhofer Institut No. 105.     

Local thermonuclear runaways among classical novae

A classical nova may accrete a non-homogeneousenvelope, which can result in the ignition of a local thermonuclear runaway on the surface of the white dwarf. We studied the propagation of thermal flows along the meridian in the hydrogen rich envelope, to find the conditions under which a thermonuclear runaway is not spherically symmetric. We included mass accretion and tested the effect of temperature inhomogeneities in the secular evolution of the envelope, supposing perturbations with different wavelengths, ranging from very small to comparable with the radius of the white dwarf. The calculations were stopped at the onset of a thermonuclear runaway, when the hydrodynamic expansion starts. We found the ranges of accretion rates and masses of white dwarfs for which the runaway ignites locally. The propagation time of the runaway along the meridian may be as long as days and weeks. Local thermonuclear runaways can explain the asymmetries and inhomogeneities of the nova shells and account for the slow rise time to maximum (about one week) of many novae.     

Gravitational waves as a source for the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background

The polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) induced by gravitational waves (GWs) is studied by solving in a semi-analytical way the Chandrasekhar radiative transfer equation; following the Polnarev approach, the equation is written as a second-kind Volterra integral equation and its kernel is handled by performing a series expansion of the trigonometric functions it contains. In this way, a recursive calculation of the Volterra equation gets possible and the polarizing effect of the gravitational waves can be brought out.The polarization degree of the CMB coming from this analysis shows a peak for a wavenumber corresponding to GWs re-entering the horizon at the end of the recombination epoch: the position and the size of the maximum are in agreement with the results of other works, based on a totally numerical calculation. However, a difference quite relevant can be remarked when one looks at the shape of the polarization plot: a semi-analytical calculation of the solution of the Volterra integral equation gives a sharp peak due to the fact that the contribution of each packet of GWs of fixed wavenumberk is strongly singled out when one substitutes the integrals with series and sums.As a consequence, this solution method may have some usefulness when one wants to point out the contributions really dominating in producing a polarization for the CMB.From this analysis one can also infer that the best angular scales to test in order to detect a polarization for the CMB are 2°–3°, smaller than those investigated by COBE.     

Observations of chromospheric lines from OSO-8

The line profiles of L, Ca ii K and Mg iik were measured with the spectrometer of the Laboratoire de Physique Stellaire et Planétaire on board of OSO-8. The results of these measurements are presented.Mitteilungen aus dem Kiepenheuer-Institut Nr. 181.     

Report on the geo-environmental inquiry project, central and eastern Europe

 The Commission on Geological Sciences for Environmental Planning (COGEOENVIRONMENT) of IUGS and UNESCO have initiated a joint project to develop a worldwide data base on earth-science-related environmental problems and to assess which geoscientific information is available locally for prevention, prediction or mitigation of such problems. As a first step, a pilot project on geo-environmental problems and geo-information was launched for central and eastern Europe. In this paper the results of a questionnaire sent to all these partly new countries are presented. Analysis of the results of the questionnaire shows that the most serious and common geo-environmental problems in central and eastern Europe are earthquakes, landslides, soil contamination, groundwater pollution and flooding by rivers. Other geo-environmental problems in this part of Europe and some difficulties experienced during the pilot project are also referred to. Some suggestions for the application of geoscientific knowledge to mitigate such problems are presented at the end of this paper. Received: 25 February 1997 · Accepted: 28 January 1998     

Inversely graded turbidite sequences in the deep Mediterranean: a record of deposits from flood-generated turbidity currents?

Turbidity currents generated during floods of small and medium rivers have been demonstrated to be an important process of sediment transport from continent to abyss. They produce fine-grained turbidite deposits. No deposit related to these flood-related turbidity currents has yet been described in the deep sea. In this paper, we present some unusual sandy to muddy turbidite beds cored in the Var turbidite system (NW Mediterranean). They show a coarsening-upward basal unit capped with a classical fining-upward unit which are related to the periods of increasing and decreasing discharge at the river mouth, respectively. The two units are separated by a contact which can be gradational to erosional. This intrabed contact is interpreted as resulting from erosion during peak flood conditions. This intrabed contact can be confused with classical basal contacts of turbidite beds. The frequency of hyperpycnal turbidite beds can be used to relate climatic changes inland to the deep-sea sedimentary record, as an increase corresponds to periods of enhanced flooding at the river mouth.     

Annual variability of planktonic ostracods (Crustacea) in the South Adriatic Sea

Temporal variability and population structure of planktonic ostracods were investigated for the first time in the South Adriatic Sea during 1996. The maximal total ostracod abundance (1167 ind·100 m⁻³; 69% juveniles, 18% females and 13% males) was recorded in February. Thirteen species of marine planktonic ostracods were identified. Porroecia spinirostris and Archiconchoecia striata dominated the ostracod assemblage, accounting respectively for 62% and 18% of the total abundance. Their annual peaks were recorded during the cold season, which was the period of their intense reproduction, with favourable temperature conditions and lack of predators. The females surpassed the males in abundance in most species. The presence of the mesopelagic species indicated a strong influence of intermediate layer water masses from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.     

Analyses of the Relationship Between Mucous Aggregates and Phytoplankton Communities in the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic Sea) by Multivariate Techniques

Abstract. Multivariate techniques (cluster analysis and Principal Component Analysis) applied on phytoplankton data collected in June, July, August, and September 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993 in the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic Sea) highlighted a clear temporal pattern from 1990 to 1993. In the summer of 1991, phytoplankton communities showed a dramatic increase in the dinoflagellatddiatom ratio. In particular, during June and July 1991 only few specimens of diatoms ( Cylindrorhecu closreriurn. Probosciu alata, Nirzschio longissimu , and Nitzschiu spp.) were collected; this confirmed the diatom scarcity in the phytoplankton communities before and during the appearance of large mucous aggregates (mucilage) in July 1991 in the Gulf of Trieste. The differences observed between the structure of the phytoplankton communities inside the aggregates and in the ambient waters suggested two hypotheses: 1) the aggregates were not produced in the gulf, but were carried ints the gulf by the eastern bordering current; 2) the aggregates were produced by a few, scarce species with a high exudate production that are capable of quickly reaching a high reproductive rate within the aggregates.