Possibility of continuous monitoring of celestial X-ray sources through their ionization effects in the nocturnal D-region ionosphere

The electron production rates in the night-time D-region arising from the transit of strong celestial X-ray sources Sco X-1, Tau X-1 and Galactic Center are estimated and compared with the ambient electron production rates resulting from other known stable agencies. Using the experimentally measured values of the night-time electron densities, the number of additional electrons/cc expected from the passage of these sources is computed. For the 164 kHz transmission from Tashkent, received at Ahmedabad, the associated enhancement in the attenuation is calculated using the full wave admittance technique of Barron and Budden. Reasonable agreement is shown to exist between the calculated values of the attenuation and those of direct observations.     

A search for neutrons of solar origin using balloon borne detectors 1967–69

A series of telescopes having approximately a 30° half opening angle and responding to neutrons in the energy range 50 MeV to 350 MeV has been flown to the top of the atmosphere on balloons released from an equatorial launching site at Kampala, Uganda, between 1967 and 1969. The aim of the experiment was to attempt to detect solar neutrons during periods of enhanced solar activity. No neutrons of solar origin were detected, but an upper limit of the order of 30 neutrons m^–2 s^–1 at the Earth has been placed on the continuous solar neutron flux in the above energy range, and a limit of four photons m^–2 s^–1 has also been placed on the corresponding -ray flux above 80 MeV. Limits have likewise been placed on the total emission from various flares. For a 1B flare the values were 23 × 10⁴ neutrons m^–2 and 6 × 10⁴ photons m^–2.     

Observations of photospheric pole-equator temperature differences

Using photoelectric methods we have repeated Plaskett's (1970) measurements of poleequator temperature differences. We average many limb-darkening scans to reduce statistical errors. We then analyze the differences between the average polar and equatorial scans. Plaskett's large poleequator temperature differences are not confirmed. Our data yield a pole-equator temperature difference of 1.5K±0.6K, although we cannot rule out systematic errors of 3–4 K.     

Satellite measurements of the moon's magnetic field: A preliminary report

A preliminary analysis of the data from the UCLA magnetometer on board the Apollo 15 subsatellite indicates that remnant magnetization is a characteristic property of the Moon, that its distribution is such as to produce a rather complex pattern or fine structure, and that a detailed mapping of its distribution is feasible with the present experiment. The analysis also shows that lunar induction fields produced by transients in the interplanetary magnetic field are detectable at the satellite orbit so that in principle the magnetometer data can be used to determine the latitudinal and longitudinal as well as radial dependences of the distribution of electrical conductivity within the Moon. Finally, the analysis indicates that the plasma void or diamagnetic cavity which forms behind the Moon when the Moon is in the solar wind, is detectable at the satellite's orbit and that the flow of the solar wind near the limbs is usually rather strongly disturbed.Publication No. 981. Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics.     

Coronal survey in X-rays of O vii and Ne ix

We report some results of a rocket experiment flown on 29 April, 1971. A survey of the solar corona was carried out with a pair of collimated Bragg spectrometers to study the resonance, intersystem and forbidden line emission from the helium-like ions O vii (22 Å) and Ne ix (13 Å). In the direction of dispersion the collimator provided a field of view of 1.7. Also, the continuum radiation near 3 Å was monitored by a collimated proportional counter within a view angle of 4.2. The observed X-ray emission came from the general corona, seven plage regions, and one dynamic feature- the late stage of a small flare. From the intensity of the O vii and Ne ix resonance lines the electron temperature and emission measure of the individual emitting regions are derived on the basis of two models, one (a) in which the region is assumed to be isothermal and another (b) in which the emission measure decreases exponentially with increasing temperature. The latter model, which is the most adequate of the two, yields for the electron temperature of the time-varying feature 2–3 × 10⁶ K, for the other active regions 1.5–2.5 × 10⁶ K, and for the general corona 1.3–1.7 × 10⁶ K. The Ne ix emitting regions are about 1.5 times as hot as the O vii regions. The emission measure ranges from 0.4–2.3 × 10⁴⁸ cm^–3 for all active regions and is about 2 × 10⁴⁹ cm^–3 for one hemisphere of the general corona above 10⁶ K. From an analysis of the ratio, R, of the forbidden and intersystem lines of O vii we conclude that none of the regions producing these lines at the time of the rocket flight had electron densities exceeding about 3 × 10⁹ cm^–3. Our data demonstrate a dependence of R upon temperature in agreement with the theory of Blumenthal et al. (1971). The wavelengths for the intersystem, the 1s ²2s ² S ^e–1s2p2s ² P ⁰ satellite, and the forbidden transition show in the case of Ne ix improved agreement with predictions. The observed strength of the satellite lines for both O vii and Ne ix agrees with the predictions of Gabriel's (1972) theory, which attributes their formation to dielectronic recombination.We are saddened to report the death of A. J. Meyerott on 13 November, 1971.     

The South America VLF NETwork (SAVNET)

In this paper we present the South America VLF NETwork (SAVNET), a new observing facility at very low frequencies. It has been recently installed at different locations spread over Latin America, in Brazil, Peru and Argentina. It consists of a network of seven Very Low Frequency (VLF) receivers with the main scientific objective of monitoring the solar activity on short (minutes to hours) and long (years) time scales. Other objectives include a better understanding of the spatial structure of the South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly, the study of atmospheric phenomena and the search for genuine seismic-electromagnetic effects. After discussing the scientific goals, the details of the installation are presented as well as the first results recently obtained.     

A Multi-Wavelength Simultaneous Study of the Composition of the Halley Family Comet 8P/Tuttle

We report on simultaneous optical and infrared observations of the Halley Family comet 8P/Tuttle performed with the ESO Very Large Telescope. Such multi-wavelength and coordinated observations are a good example of what can be done to support space missions. From high resolution optical spectroscopy of the CN (0,0) 388 nm and NH₂ (0,9,0) 610 nm bands using UVES at UT2 we determined ¹²C/¹³C = 90 ± 10 and ¹⁴N/¹⁵N = 150 ± 20 in CN and we derived a nuclear spin temperature of NH₃ of 29 ± 1 K. These values are similar to those found in Oort-Cloud and Jupiter Family comets. From low resolution long slit spectroscopy with FORS1 at UT2 we determined the CN, C₃ and C₂ production rates and the parent and daughter scale lengths up to 5.2 10⁵ km tailward. From high resolution IR spectroscopy with CRIRES at UT1 we measured simultaneously the production rates and mixing ratios of H₂O, HCN, C₂H₂, CH₄, C₂H₆, and CH₃OH.     

Stereoscopic Analysis of the 19 May 2007 Erupting Filament

A filament eruption, accompanied by a B9.5 flare, coronal dimming, and an EUV wave, was observed by the Solar TERrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) on 19 May 2007, beginning at about 13:00 UT. Here, we use observations from the SECCHI/EUVI telescopes and other solar observations to analyze the behavior and geometry of the filament before and during the eruption. At this time, STEREO A and B were separated by about 8.5°, sufficient to determine the three-dimensional structure of the filament using stereoscopy. The filament could be followed in SECCHI/EUVI 304 Å stereoscopic data from about 12 hours before to about 2 hours after the eruption, allowing us to determine the 3D trajectory of the erupting filament. From the 3D reconstructions of the filament and the chromospheric ribbons in the early stage of the eruption, simultaneous heating of both the rising filamentary material and the chromosphere directly below is observed, consistent with an eruption resulting from magnetic reconnection below the filament. Comparisons of the filament during eruption in 304 Å and Hα? show that when it becomes emissive in He II, it tends to disappear in Hα?, indicating that the disappearance probably results from heating or motion, not loss, of filamentary material.