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.     

Dynamics of coronal hole regions

The hydrodynamic properties of a steadily expanding corona are explored for situations in which departures from spherically symmetric outflow are large, in the sense that the geometrical cross section of a given flow tube increases outward from the Sun faster than r ² in some regions. Assuming polytropic flow, it is shown that in certain cases the flow may contain more than one critical point. We derive the criterion for determining which of these critical points is actually crossed by the transonic solution which begins at the Sun and extends continuously outward. Next, we apply the theory to geometries which exhibit rapid spreading of the flow tubes in the inner corona, followed by more-or-less radial divergence at large distances. This is believed to be the type of geometry found in coronal hole regions. The results show that, if this initial divergence is sufficiently large, the outflow becomes supersonic at a critical point encountered low in the corona in the region of high divergence, and it remains supersonic at all greater heights in the corona. This feature strongly suggests that coronal hole regions differ from other open-field regions of the corona in that they are in a fast, low density expansion state over much of their extent. Such a dynamical configuration makes it possible to reconcile the low values of electron density observed in coronal holes with the large particle fluxes in the associated high speed streams seen in the solar wind.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Inclusions and Megacrysts from Undersaturated Tuffs and Basanites, East Fife, Scotland

This paper deals with inclusions, megacrysts, and nodules froma group of Stephanian and Permian vents and associated intrusiveson the Fife (Scotland) coast near Elie. The petrography andchemistry of inclusions of spinel Iherzolite, wehrlite, andclinopyroxenite are described. The Elie Ness vent contains coarse-grainedplutonic nodules (Elie type nodules) and megacrysts of pyrope,sub-calcic augite, kaersutite, and anorthoclase. Elie type nodulesare divisible into five groups: (1) kaersutite-olivine-pyroxenite,(2) type 1 +oligoclase, (3) biotite-pyroxenite, (4) sodic amphibole-biotite-albite,(5) biotite-albite. Experimental studies show that sub-calcic augite and pyropephenocrysts could have coprecipitated from an alkali basaltmagma at P > 25 kb, T = 1300–1450 ?C. It is proposedthat the primary alkali basalt liquid was formed by partialmelting of a vapour-free, mica-bearing garnet Iherzolite mantleat a depth of c. 100 km, with subsequent pyrope-augite phenocrystcrystallization at not less than 70 km depth. Geochemical studiesof clinopyroxenes from the Elie type nodules indicate crystallizationwithin the lower crust. It is proposed that types 1 and 2 nodulesare cumulates from the alkaline basaltic liquid, intercumuluskaersutite representing compositions of liquids intermediateon the Fife basalt trend. Type 3 nodules may represent basalticliquids at the basic end of the Fife trend, wholly crystallizedat pressure from 10–15 kb. Experimental data on stabilityof anorthoclase in its host basanite show it to be present inthe basanite melting interval only at P < 9 kb (dry). Itis thought that crystallization of anorthoclase may be associatedwith formation of types 4 and 5 nodules, possibly from a trappedpocket of evolved alkaline liquid at upper crustal levels. TheElie Ness eruption must have been rapid enough to strip theaccumulated pyroxenites from the lower crust and carry unresorbedgarnet megacrysts from depths of over 70 km. Spinel-lherzoliteinclusions are found only in late stage basic sheets whose intrusionmay be unrelated to the initial violent tuff eruptions.     

Effects of suprathermal grains

Grains ejected from stars at velocities of 10⁷ cm s^–1 and/or grains accelerated by the pressure of starlight in the intercloud medium to velocities in the range 2×10⁶–10⁷ cm s^–1 are slowed to velocities of about 2×10⁵ cm s^–1 in a typical interstellar cloud. The interaction of fast grains with gas atoms as they are slowed in clouds could provide (a) the dominant heat source for interstellar clouds; (b) sites for molecule formation; and (c) a mechanism of providing a pressure balance between clouds and the intercloud medium.Paper presented at the Symposium on Solid State Astrophysics, held at the University College, Cardiff, Wales, between 9–12 July, 1974.     

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.     

The Process of Competitive Discussion

Every active scientific discipline has arrived at its own peculiar definition of acceptable problems and acceptable ways of attacking them through a social process of mutual consent.     

Oscillations of coronal electron traps inferred from hard X-ray data

The work of Brown and Hoyng (1975) on the betatron acceleration of hard X-ray source electrons trapped in a vibrating flux tube is generalised to include Fermi acceleration by the varying transverse field. This development can explain the trajectory of bursts in a plot of equivalent thick-target electron flux versus spectral index as inferred from observations obtained by ESRO TD1A. Specifically the loops observed in this , diagram, unexplained in Brown and Hoyng's anslysis are accounted for by a changing phase relationship between the varying field strength f(t) and magnetic scale length g(t)- Application of the formalism to the detailed TD1A observations of the large events of 1972, August 4 and 7, allows inference of the evolution of f(t), g(t) in these events.Now at: Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, U.S.A.     

Mass-luminosity distribution and physical conditions of ionized gas in NGC 4575

Photographic photometry and spectroscopic observations of NGC 4575 suggest it to be a galaxy of reduced dimensionsD×d=14.4×13.5 kpc and of high luminosityM=–20.7. The rotation curve was also determined. Assuming a model of three homogeneous similar spheroids, we derived the density and mass distribution, and their total mass was found to be _T =2.33 × 10¹⁰.The mass luminosity ratio does not vary withinr=24, indicating that the stellar composition is similar within it, and the ratio _T / _T 1 suggests that this object contains a high proportion of young stars. From the emission lines it is found that the electronic density Ne100 cm^–3 is relatively low in the HII regions. The abundance ratiosN(N)/N(S) andN(N)/N(H) for the nucleus and two emission regions were also derived.     

On the relative magnitude of streaming velocities of alpha particles and protons at 1 AU

The occurrence at a heliocentric distance of 1 AU of alpha particle streaming velocities larger than proton streaming velocities,v /v _p >1 (Ogilvie, 1975) is investigated on the basis of the theory suggesting the existence in the solar wind of an accelerating force acting preferentially on the alpha particles.Accurate solution of the three-fluid model equations for the quiet solar wind indicates that anecessary andsufficient condition for (v /v _p )_{1 AU}>1 is the presence of a relativelyweak accelerating forceacting in a limited region in the vicinity of 1 AU. If the force is effectiveonly at small heliocentric distances, the alpha particle streaming velocity excess vanishes at distances less than 1 AU, because of the (equalization) action of the dynamical friction force.     

The concept of limiting magnitude and the performance of the Isaac Newton telescope for prime focus photography

A quantitative definition of limiting magnitude for stellar photographs is proposed, together with a method of measurement employing a Racine prism. Limiting magnitudes inU, B andV for the Isaac Newton telescope at Herstmonceux derived from a total of 72 prime focus photographs are presented and the results correlated with the size of the photographed image. The limiting magnitude for an extrapolated value of the seeing of 1 isB=22^m.0, in good agreement with a value obtained by scaling the limiting magnitudes of the 200 inch telescope.