Electron-positron pairs in a mildly relativistic plasma in active galactic nuclei

We investigate the electron-positron pair concentration in an optically thin mildly relativistic plasma which is supposed to exist in active galactic nuclei. Firstly the equilibrium concentration is calculated when copious soft photons are supplied through the cyclotron higher harmonics. It is shown that the attainable states of the plasma are strongly restricted. Secondly we examine the pair production in a hot accretion plasma around a massive black hole, comparing relevant time scales. We find that significant pair production occurs when the accretion rate is moderately high and the infall velocity is slow compared to the free fall.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984     

NanoSIMS analysis of organic carbon from the Tissint Martian meteorite: Evidence for the past existence of subsurface organic‐bearing fluids on Mars

Two petrographic settings of carbonaceous components, mainly filling open fractures and occasionally enclosed in shock‐melt veins, were found in the recently fallen Tissint Martian meteorite. The presence in shock‐melt veins and the deuterium enrichments (δD up to +1183‰) of these components clearly indicate a pristine Martian origin. The carbonaceous components are kerogen‐like, based on micro‐Raman spectra and multielemental ratios, and were probably deposited from fluids in shock‐induced fractures in the parent rock of Tissint. After precipitation of the organic matter, the rock experienced another severe shock event, producing the melt veins that encapsulated a part of the organic matter. The C isotopic compositions of the organic matter (δ¹³C = ?12.8 to ?33.1‰) are significantly lighter than Martian atmospheric CO₂ and carbonate, providing a tantalizing hint for a possible biotic process. Alternatively, the organic matter could be derived from carbonaceous chondrites, as insoluble organic matter from the latter has similar chemical and isotopic compositions. The presence of organic‐rich fluids that infiltrated rocks near the surface of Mars has significant implications for the study of Martian paleoenvironment and perhaps to search for possible ancient biological activities on Mars.     

Solar radio burst (type III)

This article describes the observations of a type III radio burst observed at 103 MHz simultaneously by the two radio telescopes situated at Rajkot (22.3°N, 70.7°E) and Thaltej (23°N, 72.4°E). This event occurred on September 30, 1993 at about 0430 UT and lasted for only half a minute. The event consisted of several sharp spikes in a group. The rise and fall time of these are comparable, however the peaks of individual spikes varied by a factor of four. The comparison of these observations with the data of solar radio spectrograph HiRAS indicates that this was a metric radio burst giving highest emission at about 103 MHz.     

Magnetic Reconnection, Turbulence, and Collisionless Shock

A short summary of recent progress in measuring and understanding turbulence during magnetic reconnection in laboratory plasmas is given. Magnetic reconnection is considered as a primary process to dissipate magnetic energy in laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. A central question concerns why the observed reconnection rates are much faster than predictions made by classical theories, such as the Sweet–Parker model based on MHD with classical Spitzer resistivity. Often, the local resistivity is conjectured to be enhanced by turbulence to accelerate reconnection rates either in the context of the Sweet–Parker model or by facilitating setup of the Pestchek model. Measurements at a dedicated laboratory experiment, called MRX or Magnetic Reconnection Experiment, have indicated existence of strong electromagnetic turbulence in current sheets undergoing fast reconnection. The origin of the turbulence has been identified as right-hand polarized whistler waves, propagating obliquely to the reconnecting field, with a phase velocity comparable to the relative drift velocity. These waves are consistent with an obliquely propagating electromagnetic lower-hybrid drift instability driven by drift speeds large compared to the Alfven speed in high-beta plasmas. Interestingly, this instability may explain electromagnetic turbulence also observed in collisionless shocks, which are common in energetic astrophysical phenomena.     

Sound velocity and density of liquid Ni68S32 under pressure using ultrasonic and X-ray absorption with tomography methods

A new experimental setup for simultaneous P-wave velocity (V_P) and density (ρ) measurements for liquid alloys is developed using ultrasonic and X-ray absorption methods combined with X-ray tomography at high pressures and high temperatures. The new setup allows us to directly determine adiabatic bulk moduli (K_S) and to discuss the correlation between the V_P and ρ of the liquid sample. We measured V_P and ρ of liquid Ni₆₈S₃₂ up to 5.6 GPa and 1045 K using this technique. The effect of pressure on the V_P and ρ values of liquid Ni₆₈S₃₂ is similar to that of liquid Fe₅₇S₄₃. (Both compositions correspond to near-eutectic ones.) The obtained K_S values are well fitted to the finite strain equation with a $K_{{\text{S}}_0}$ value (K_S at ambient pressure) of 31.1 GPa and a dK_S/dP value of 8.44. The measured V_P was found to increase linearly with increasing ρ, as approximated by the relationship: V_P [m/s] = 1.29 ρ [kg/m³] – 5726, suggesting that liquid Ni–S follows an empirical linear relationship, Birch's law. The dV_P/dρ slope is similar between Ni₆₈S₃₂ and Fe₅₇S₄₃ liquids, while the V_P–ρ plot of liquid Ni–S is markedly different from that of liquid Fe–S, which indicates that the effect of Ni on Birch's law is important for understanding the V_P–ρ relation of planetary and Moon's molten cores.     

On the Concentrations of the Dissolved Chemical Elements in the Estuary Water of the Chikugogawa River

When river water mixes with sea water in estuary area, the concentrations of the dissolved element in river water may be changed by either a simple physical mixing process or some complex chemical processes. It has been clarified in the Chikugogawa River estuary area that the change in concentrations of SO ₄ ²⁻ , BO ₃ ³⁻ , Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺ and F⁻ is only due to the mixing process but the change in concentrations of SiO ₃ ²⁻ and Al³⁺ is due to the chemical process in addition to the mixing process.      

Measurements of vertical air temperature gradients with dipmeter

By means of measuring the dips of horizon with a Pulfrich dipmeter, vertical air temperature gradients near the sea surface were obtained with an accuracy of ca. ±0.01°C/m, much better than a conventional method with an array of temperature sensors. The additional advantage of this technique was that the measurements were made on board a ship underway, consequently data from wide oceanic areas could be accumulated rather quickly and easily. From the results of dip measurements at 125 stations on two cruises of the T/V Oshoro Maru of the Hokkaido University, extending from the Bering Sea to the south of Australia, the temperature gradients were computed with a new formula with an assumption that the refractive index of air varied with a height only. It was found that, in the northern North Pacific Ocean, vertical air temperature gradients were positive, while in the subtropical and tropical Pacific Ocean both the negative and positive gradients were observed. Generally, in the same sea region, the temperature profiles had the similar form, irrespective of air-sea temperature differences.     

High‐pressure minerals in shocked meteorites

Heavily shocked meteorites contain various types of high‐pressure polymorphs of major minerals (olivine, pyroxene, feldspar, and quartz) and accessory minerals (chromite and Ca phosphate). These high‐pressure minerals are micron to submicron sized and occur within and in the vicinity of shock‐induced melt veins and melt pockets in chondrites and lunar, howardite–eucrite–diogenite (HED), and Martian meteorites. Their occurrence suggests two types of formation mechanisms (1) solid‐state high‐pressure transformation of the host‐rock minerals into monomineralic polycrystalline aggregates, and (2) crystallization of chondritic or monomineralic melts under high pressure. Based on experimentally determined phase relations, their formation pressures are limited to the pressure range up to ~25 GPa. Textural, crystallographic, and chemical characteristics of high‐pressure minerals provide clues about the impact events of meteorite parent bodies, including their size and mutual collision velocities and about the mineralogy of deep planetary interiors. The aim of this article is to review and summarize the findings on natural high‐pressure minerals in shocked meteorites that have been reported over the past 50 years.     

Seismic behaviour of pile groups by hybrid experiments

Non-linear seismic soil-pile interaction was studied with a hybrid procedure that used a pseudo-dynamic testing (PDT) method modified to account for frequency dependence and developed for foundation-soil systems. The numerical scheme used in the conventional PDT was improved by the introduction of a time-dependent pseudo-forcing function derived from the frequency-dependent dynamic characteristics of the system by Hilbert transformation in the frequency domain. Single, 2-, 3- and 9-pile group foundation models were used, their mechanical characteristics later being determined from static and forced vibration dynamic tests. Amplitude scaling was used for three recorded accelerograms. Data recorded during an earthquake at the site of the experiments revealed that the proposed methodology predicts well seismic nonlinear interaction and accounts for frequency dependence and non-linearity in the time domain.