An analytic model of the Earth's magnetosphere

An analytic magnetic field model for the Earth's magnetosphere is constructed from a dipole field and a tail field. This model can be taken as a generalization of the Dungey's model, after one adds to it a horizontal component. The magnetic topology in the noon-midnight meridian plane of this model is fully determined and it is compared with the topology of other models. In this study it is found that, for a specific value of the parameterk, which is associated to any form of the model, the noon's side neutral points obey a bifurcation scheme.     

What should be observed on the sun

Three problems are emphasized in particular: the preflare magnetic field configuration, velocity fields, and the nature of acceleration processes in flares. It is concluded that what we need most urgently are high-resolution hard X-ray, soft X-ray, and EUV-pictures, coronal spectra, and magnetograms with high resolution both in space and time. A space-shuttle equipped with instrumentation of this kind would contribute significantly to our knowledge of the flare process.     

Contribution to diffuse gamma-rays in the Galactic Centre region from unresolved millisecond pulsars

Diffuse gamma-rays in the Galactic Centre region have been studied. We propose that there exists a population of millisecond pulsars in the Galactic Centre, which emit GeV gamma-rays through synchrotron-curvature radiation as predicted by outer gap models. These GeV gamma-rays from unresolved millisecond pulsars probably contribute to the diffuse gamma-ray spectrum detected by EGRET which displays a break at a few GeV. We have used a Monte Carlo method to obtain simulated samples of millisecond pulsars in the Galactic Centre region covered by EGRET  (∼ 15)  according to the different period and magnetic field distributions from observed millisecond pulsars in the Galactic field and globular clusters, and superposed their synchrotron-curvature spectra to derive the total GeV flux. Our simulated results suggest that there probably exist about 6000 unresolved millisecond pulsars in the region of angular resolution of EGRET, the emissions of which could contribute significantly to the observed diffuse gamma-rays in the Galactic Centre.     

On transfer equation in a semi-infinite atmosphere with albedo ω>1

In this note we derive an exact solution of transfer equation in a plane-parallel semiinfinite atmosphere with albedo >1, by the method of Laplace transform and Wiener-Hopf technique. The emergent intensityI(0, ) is obtained in terms of theH ⁰-functionH ⁰() (Das Gupta, 1978) for which some good approximations are given. Intensity at any depth is also obtained.I(0, )/I(0, 0) is plotted in graphs against [0,1], and shows a maximum which drops and shifts towards the origin as increases.     

Observations and interpretation of the close binary system CG Cyg

Photometric observations of the short-period (RS CVn-type) eclipsing binary system CG Cyg have been presented. Two sets of results, obtained from an analysis of theB, V andR light curves, represent ‘occultation’ and ‘transit’ solutions. The occultation solution is preferred as it gives a better fit to the colour curve. This hypothesis may also offer a more promising explanation of the observed peculiarities such as period changes and the light variation outside eclipses.     

The secondary history of Sutter's Mill CM carbonaceous chondrite based on water abundance and the structure of its organic matter from two clasts

Sutter's Mill is a regolith breccia composed of both heavily altered clasts and more reduced xenoliths. Here, we present a detailed investigation of fragments of SM18 and SM51. We have characterized the water content and the mineralogy by infrared (IR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and the structure of the organic compounds by Raman spectroscopy, to characterize the secondary history of the clasts, including aqueous alteration and thermal metamorphism. The three methods used in this study suggest that SM18 was significantly heated. The amount of water contained in phyllosilicates derived by TGA is estimated to be approximately 3.2 wt%. This value is quite low compared with other CM chondrites that typically range from 6 to 12 wt%. The infrared transmission spectra of SM18 show that the mineralogy of the sample is dominated by a mixture of phyllosilicate and olivine. SM18 shows an intense peak at 11.2 μm indicative of olivine (Fig. 1). If we compare SM18 with other CM and metamorphosed CM chondrites, it shows one of the most intense olivine signatures, and therefore a lower proportion of phyllosilicate minerals. The Raman results tend to support a short‐duration heating hypothesis. In the I_D/I_G versus FWHM‐D diagram, SM18 appears to be unusual compared to most CM samples, and close to the metamorphosed CM chondrites Pecora Escarpment (PCA) 91008 and PCA 02012. In the case of SM51, infrared spectroscopy reveals that olivine is less abundant than in SM18 and the 10 μm silicate feature is more similar to that of moderately altered CM chondrites (like Murchison or Queen Alexandra Range [QUE] 97990). Raman spectroscopy does not clearly point to a heating event for SM51 in the I_D/I_G versus FWHM‐D diagram. However, TGA analysis suggests that SM51 was slightly dehydrated as the amount of water contained in phyllosilicates is approximately 3.7 wt%, which is higher than SM18, but still lower than phyllosilicate water contents in weakly altered CM chondrites. Altogether, these results confirm that fragments with different secondary histories are present within the Sutter's Mill fall. The dehydration that is clearly observed for SM18 is attributed to a short‐duration heating based on the similarity of its Raman spectra to that of PCA 91008. Because of the brecciated nature of Sutter's Mill and the presence of adjacent clasts with different thermal histories, impacts that can efficiently fragment and heat porous materials are the preferred heat source.     

Results from several persistent train spectra intercompared

Some results following from two contemporary photographical programs (Slovakia and Japan) for persistent meteor train spectra are compared. It shows that even though both programs are not too different according to their lenses and films used, the spectral interval detected is very different. In this respect prism as a dispersion element is more favourable than the grating with blaze wavelength near 610 nm. However, some results previously assumed as typicai for presented persistent trains-e.g. the forbidden Herzberg O₂ emission, the NO₂ continuum and OH red emissions-seem to be substanciated especially due to higher and linear dispersion of those grating spectra.     

Kleť minor planet discovery frequency by months (comparison)

Abstrakt The Kle search programme for minor planets using 0,63m Maksutov camera of Kle Observatory was begun in 1977 as a long-term project continuing up to the present day. The discovery frequency according to seasons in the year shows multiple differences between particular months.The comparison with the number of observing nights and obtained search plates; weather conditions and other influences will be discussed. The Kle minor planet discovery frequency also will be compared with the data base of all numbered minor planets.     

The effect of an optically thin region on stability of an accretion disk around a supermassive black hole

We analyse conditions of the innermost portion of an accretion disk and establish a set of equations for this region. A stable innermost region may exist, which can probably explain the observed UV and X-ray spectra, avoiding the unstable emission. We then discuss the detailed radial structure of a disk around a black hole for typical AGN parameters and obtain different kinds of- relationships for different regions of a disk. On the basis of this, we discuss the stability. A new type of cycle is present, which we call a double S shaped cycle. In this cycle, the extent of accretion rate variability is much larger than that in dwarf nova cycles. This probably solves the problem of violent variability of AGN. In the meantime, the very high accretion rate at the hottest state in limit cycles in the unstable region may provide continuous injection of matter to the jet and power the relativistic motion of the jet.     

Radio and X-ray properties of relativistic beaming models for ultraluminous X-ray sources

We calculate the broad-band radio–X-ray spectra predicted by microblazar and microquasar models for ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs), exploring the possibility that their dominant power-law component is produced by a relativistic jet, even at near-Eddington mass accretion rates. We do this by first constructing a generalized disc–jet theoretical framework in which some fraction of the total accretion power, P _a, is efficiently removed from the accretion disc by a magnetic torque responsible for jet formation. Thus, for different black hole masses, mass accretion rates and magnetic coupling strength, we self-consistently calculate the relative importance of the modified disc spectrum, as well as the overall jet emission due to synchrotron and Compton processes. In general, transferring accretion power to a jet makes the disc fainter and cooler than a standard disc at the same mass accretion rate; this may explain why the soft spectral component appears less prominent than the dominant power-law component in most bright ULXs. We show that the apparent X-ray luminosity and spectrum predicted by the microquasar model are consistent with the observed properties of most ULXs. We predict that the radio synchrotron jet emission is too faint to be detected at the typical threshold of radio surveys to date. This is consistent with the high rate of non-detections over detections in radio counterpart searches. Conversely, we conclude that the observed radio emission found associated with a few ULXs cannot be due to beamed synchrotron emission from a relativistic jet.