Real-time difference imaging analysis of MOA Galactic bulge observations during 2000

We describe observations carried out by the MOA group of the Galactic bulge during 2000 that were designed to detect efficiently gravitational microlensing of faint stars in which the magnification is high and/or of short duration. These events are particularly useful for studies of extrasolar planets and faint stars. Approximately 17 deg² were monitored at a sampling rate of up to six times per night. The images were analysed in real time using a difference imaging technique. 20 microlensing candidates were detected, of which eight were alerted to the microlensing community whilst in progress. Approximately half of the candidates had high magnifications (≳10), at least one had very high magnification (≳50), and one exhibited a clear parallax effect. The details of these events are reported here, together with details of the on-line difference imaging technique. Some nova-like events were also observed and these are described, together with one asteroid.     

A study of the magnetic helicity during eight HELIOS-observed solar proton events

We have studied the influence of the magnetic helicity on solar particle propagation using the IMF data observed by the HELIOS spacecraft in the range 0.31–0.95 AU, during eight solar proton events. For this, we have derived power and helicity spectra of the turbulence of the magnetic field during the time of the events. These are used to compute the particle pitch-angle scattering coefficients according to the quasi-linear theory (QLT) treatment of particle propagation in turbulent magnetic fields. The results show that in all the cases the helicity effects are negligible and the particle's mean free paths deduced from the pitch-angle diffusion coefficients are the same regardless of whether or not helicity effects are included in the calculations. The computed mean free paths are quite different in each case.Deceased 10 April, 1995.     

Accretion disk spectra of super-luminal jet sources and ultra-luminous compact X-ray sources in nearby spiral galaxies

The Ultra-luminous Compact X-ray Sources (ULXs)in nearby spiral galaxies and the Galactic super-luminaljet sources sharethe common spectral characteristic that they haveextremely high disk temperatures which cannot be explainedin the framework of the standard accretion disk modelin the Schwarzschild metric. We have calculated an extreme Kerr disk model to examine if the Kerr disk model can instead explain the observed `too hot' accretion disk spectra.We found that the Kerr disk spectrum becomes significantly hardercompared to the Schwarzschild disk only when the disk is highlyinclined.For super-luminal jet sources, which are known to beinclined systems, the Kerr disk model may thuswork if we choose proper values for the black hole angular momentum. For the ULXs, however, the Kerr disk interpretation will be problematic,as is is highly unlikely that their accretion disks are preferentiallyinclined.     

Remarks on dynamical ellipticity at the Earth's

In this paper, two factors — the redistribution of the density and the variation in the angular velocity of the Earth rotation, that affect the adopted value of the flattening for equidensity surface within the Earth, are discussed. The computational results show that the contribution of the redistribution of the density in the Earth interior (especially in the core) on the change of the flattening at the core-mantle boundary (CMB) is marginal, and that the calculated value of the flattening at the CMB can be in good agreement with the VLBI observed value so long as the fact that the angular velocity of the Earth rotation has undergone the tidal evolution is taken into account. As a result, this paper presents a set of recommended values of the dynamical parameters of the Earth (see Table III) for computing Earth's forced nutation series.     

On the resonant spin flavor precession of the neutrino in the sun

This work deals with the possible solution of the solar neutrino problem in the framework of the resonant neutrino spin-flavor precession scenario. The event rate results from the solar neutrino experiments as well as the recoil electron energy spectrum from SuperKamiokande are used to constrain the free parameters of the neutrino in this model (Δm² and μ_ν). We consider two kinds of magnetic profiles inside the sun. For both cases, a static and a twisting field are discussed.     

Umbral Three-Minute Oscillations and Running Penumbral Waves

We present results of investigations into chromospheric velocity oscillations in sunspots, carried out at the Sayan Solar Observatory. It is shown that the “chevron” structures in the space-time diagrams demonstrate wavetrain properties. Such structures are indicators of a propagating wave process and they are typical of many sunspots. In the authors’ opinion, three-minute umbral oscillations are not the source of running penumbral waves (RPW). It is very likely that umbral oscillations and RPW initially propagate along different magnetic field lines. We explain the decrease in RPW propagation velocity and frequency in the outer penumbra, as compared with the inner, by the combined action of different frequency modes. To better reveal the properties of these modes, frequency filtering was used. Our measurements of the RPW (five-minute mode) wavelength and RPW propagation velocity in different sunspots vary from 12^″ to 30^″ and from 28 to 60 – 70 km s⁻¹ correspondingly.     

Characterization of soil's structural crust by spectral reflectance in the SWIR region (1.2–2.5 μm)

Structural crust is a thin layer formed on the soil surface after a rainstorm. The crust is the result of a physical segregation and rearrangement of soil particles in a way that affects some of the soil properties, such as infiltration, runoff and soil erosion. In practice, there is no rapid, in situ method for monitoring, assessing and mapping crust intensity and quality. In this study, a controlled spectral investigation of the structural crust across the NIR–SWIR spectral region was conducted on three selected Israeli soils, to study the potential of reflectance radiation to detect structural crust in soils. Two major factors served as the driving forces for this study: (1) there is no valid method for in situ assessment of the crust's characteristics in the agriculture field, and (2) the crust might bias thematic remote sensing of soils, because the thin layer of crust blocks photon–matter interaction, which represents the relevant soil body. Through the use of a laboratory rainfall simulator and a sensitive spectrometer, it was revealed that for three selected soils, significant spectral differences occurred between the crust and its bulk soil. The spectral information was found to be related to changes in particle size distribution and texture at the surface of the soil. This conclusion was based on indications of absorption of OH in clay lattice, OH in adsorbed water and CO₃ in carbonates. It was concluded that the structural crust is a phenomenon that should not be ignored by remote-sensing users. In fact, in the field of agriculture, the spectral properties of crust can be used as tools for estimating the crust's intensity.     

Microboudin structures of piemontite along the Sambagawa metamorphic belt, Japan: implications for lateral variation of differential stress during regional metamorphism

Evidence is presented of a lateral variation in differential stress during metamorphism along a regional metamorphic belt on the basis of the proportion of microboudinaged piemontite grains (p) in a quartz matrix in metacherts. It is proposed that p is a practical indicator of relative differential stress. Analysis of 123 metacherts from the 800 km long Sambagawa metamorphic belt, Japan, reveals that p‐values range from < 0.01 to 0.7 in this region. Most samples from Wakayama in the mid‐belt area have p‐values of 0.4–0.6, whereas those from western Shikoku have p‐values of < 0.1. This difference cannot be explained by variations in metamorphic temperature, and is instead attributed to a regional, lateral variation in differential stress during metamorphism.     

Simulations of a giant hybrid air shower detector

We have used Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the capabilities of a giant air shower observatory designed to detect showers initiated by cosmic rays with energies exceeding 10¹⁹ eV. The observatory is to consist of an array of detectors that will characterise the air shower at ground level, and optical detectors to measure the fluorescence light emitted by the shower in the atmosphere. Using these detectors together in a ‘hybrid’ configuration, we find that precise geometrical reconstruction of the shower axis is possible, leading to excellent resolution in energy. The technique is also shown to provide very good reconstruction below 10¹⁹ eV, at energies where the ground array is not fully efficient.