Origin of chaos in the Prometheus-Pandora system

We demonstrate that the chaotic orbits of Prometheus and Pandora are due to interactions associated with the 121:118 mean motion resonance. Differential precession splits this resonance into a quartet of components equally spaced in frequency. Libration widths of the individual components exceed the splitting, resulting in resonance overlap which causes the chaos. Mean motions of Prometheus and Pandora wander chaotically in zones of width 1.8 and 3.1 deg yr⁻¹, respectively. A model with 1.5 degrees of freedom captures the essential features of the chaotic dynamics. We use it to show that the Lyapunov exponent of 0.3 yr⁻¹ arises because the critical argument of the dominant member of the resonant quartet makes approximately two separatrix crossings every 6.2 year precessional cycle.     

A predator–prey model for moon-triggered clumping in Saturn’s rings

UVIS occultation data show clumping in Saturn’s F ring and at the B ring outer edge, indicating aggregation and disaggregation at these locations that are perturbed by Prometheus and by Mimas. The inferred timescales range from hours to months. Occultation profiles of the edge show wide variability, indicating perturbations by local mass aggregations. Structure near the B ring edge is seen in power spectral analysis at scales 200–2000 m. Similar structure is also seen at the strongest density waves, with significance increasing with resonance strength. For the B ring outer edge, the strongest structure is seen at longitudes 90° and 270° relative to Mimas. This indicates a direct relation between the moon and the ring clumping. We propose that the collective behavior of the ring particles resembles a predator–prey system: the mean aggregate size is the prey, which feeds the velocity dispersion; conversely, increasing dispersion breaks up the aggregates. Moons may trigger clumping by streamline crowding, which reduces the relative velocity, leading to more aggregation and more clumping. Disaggregation may follow from disruptive collisions or tidal shedding as the clumps stir the relative velocity. For realistic values of the parameters this yields a limit cycle behavior, as for the ecology of foxes and hares or the “boom-bust” economic cycle. Solving for the long-term behavior of this forced system gives a periodic response at the perturbing frequency, with a phase lag roughly consistent with the UVIS occultation measurements. We conclude that the agitation by the moons in the F ring and at the B ring outer edge drives aggregation and disaggregation in the forcing frame. This agitation of the ring material may also allow fortuitous formation of solid objects from the temporary clumps, via stochastic processes like compaction, adhesion, sintering or reorganization that drives the denser parts of the aggregate to the center or ejects the lighter elements. Any of these more persistent objects would then orbit at the Kepler rate. We would also expect the formation of clumps and some more permanent objects at the other perturbed regions in the rings… including satellite resonances, shepherded ring edges, and near embedded objects like Pan and Daphnis (where the aggregation/disaggregation cycles are forced similar to Prometheus forcing of the F ring).     

A rotational light curve for the Kuiper belt object 1997 CV29

We present R- and V-band rotational light curves for classical Kuiper belt object 1997 CV₂₉. The imaging data was obtained from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) archive located at the Canadian Astronomical Data Center (CADC). The data consist of one nights observations of a series of 42, 8 minute exposures in R band followed by 33, 8 minute exposures in V band acquired on the following night. Using relative photometry we determined a highly significant variation in the brightness of 1997 CV₂₉. Using phase-dispersion-minimization we find 8.0, 11.2, and 15.8 hrs to be the most likely, periods of rotation and we argue that the ∼16 hr period is the most likely based on our limited observing window. The phased light curve has a peak-to-peak range of Δm?0.4±0.1 mag suggesting an axial ratio of a/b?1.45.     

Nonequilibrium Processes in the Solar Corona,Transition Region,Flares, and Solar Wind <Emphasis Type="Italic">(Invited Review)</Emphasis>

We review the presence and signatures of the non-equilibrium processes, both non-Maxwellian distributions and non-equilibrium ionization, in the solar transition region, corona, solar wind, and flares. Basic properties of the non-Maxwellian distributions are described together with their influence on the heat flux as well as on the rates of individual collisional processes and the resulting optically thin synthetic spectra. Constraints on the presence of high-energy electrons from observations are reviewed, including positive detection of non-Maxwellian distributions in the solar corona, transition region, flares, and wind. Occurrence of non-equilibrium ionization is reviewed as well, especially in connection to hydrodynamic and generalized collisional-radiative modeling. Predicted spectroscopic signatures of non-equilibrium ionization depending on the assumed plasma conditions are summarized. Finally, we discuss the future remote-sensing instrumentation that can be used for the detection of these non-equilibrium phenomena in various spectral ranges.     

A new treatment of the albedo radiation pressure in the case of a uniform albedo and of a spherical satellite

The purpose of this paper is to present a model for the radiation pressure acceleration of a spherical satellite, due to the radiation reflected by a planet with a uniform albedo. A particular choice of variables allows one to reduce the surface integrals over the lit portion of the planet visible to the satellite to one-dimensional integrals. Exact analytical expressions are found for the integrals corresponding to the case where the spacecraft does not "see" the terminator. The other integrals can be computed either numerically, or analytically in an approximate form. The results are compared with those of Lochry (1966). The model is applied to Magellan, a spacecraft orbiting Venus.     

Holocene paleoenvironmental changes inferred from diatom assemblages in sediments of Kusawa Lake, Yukon Territory, Canada

The southwest Yukon Territory, Canada, is an important region for recovering sensitive records of Holocene paleoclimatic change. More information is needed, however, to constrain the timing of the major Holocene climatic transitions, and to understand associated impacts on different ecosystems. For example, paleolimnological studies have focused on small lakes and ponds, but the history of large lakes has received little study. We analyzed diatom assemblages, species richness, valve concentrations, and biogenic silica, in the sediments of Kusawa Lake (60°16.5'N; 136°10.9'W; 671 m a.s.l.) to reconstruct the responses of this large (surface area = 142 km²), deep (Z_max = 135 m) freshwater ecosystem to Holocene climatic transitions. Diatoms colonized the lake soon after ice retreat, around 11,000 cal yr BP; assemblages throughout the record were dominated by planktonic types. Diatom concentrations and biogenic silica were high during the Holocene Thermal Maximum between 10,700 and 7300 cal yr BP, then began to decrease in response to cooling associated with orbitally driven reductions in insolation. Diatom assemblages shifted towards taxa with lower surface water temperature optima after 8300 cal yr BP, perhaps in response to abrupt and progressive cooling. Our study confirms that diatom assemblages in large lakes are sensitive to regional-scale paleoclimatic changes.     

Shallow seismicity at Montagne Pelée volcano,Martinique, Lesser Antilles

Continuous seismic monitoring at Martinique since the 1902 eruption of the Montagne Pelée volcano did not detect local earthquakes for the first 70 years. For the only eruption which occurred in this time span in 1929 the seismograph was 20 km away and of a standard type, not particularly suited for the detection of small-scale local seismicity. Improvement of the monitoring array over the last 15 years with the installation of sensors on the volcano itself allowed the detection of signals of local origin which were interpreted as being due to surface sources, such as rockfalls and landslides. Since December 1985 seismic sources in the volcano itself, i.e. small earthquakes at shallow depth, were identified and located with the aid of a temporary upgrading of the array close to these weak sources. Such an onset of local seismicity could not have been detected with previous seismic equipment; such episodes of seismicity in the volcano might have occurred in the past, apparently quiescent history of the volcano as the reinterpretation of seismograms of some events in 1976 would indicate, without evolving to more important volcanic phenomena. For seismographs on volcanoes the constant upgrading of observation capabilities is certainly perferred to a strict continuity of standard observations.     

Circumstellar dynamics and transfer

This paper is both a review and a presentation of new models. Observation and modelization of circumstellar envelopes of early type or late type stars are now quickly evolving because of new techniques and facilities for observations, and increased power of computers. More and more complex physical phenomena involved in mass driving can now be modelized, at many different size scales. While most of models were previously based on informations derived from spectrophotometric data only or on measurements concerning objects observed with no spatial resolution, observations at much increased angular resolution can provide constraints on models of these phenomena. Theory and modelization must take this new situation into account. Two approaches are possible and effectively used. On the one hand, dynamical/physical self consistent models can be built; on the other hand, elaborate semi-empirical models including complicated distributions of matter with asymmetries (3D models) can be built and fitted for direct comparison with results of High Angular Resolution Measurements. Adding such constraints to classical constraints leads to a new insight in the physics of circumstellar matter and, through it, of stellar and interstellar evolution. Two examples have been chosen, in which new models are presented and assuming or not spherical symmetry is carefully discussed:

?Circumstellar matter around evolved stars

?Shock waves propagating in the circumstellar matter around evolved stars.