Current assessment of the Red Rectangle band problem

In this paper we discuss our insights into several key problems in the identification of the Red Rectangle Bands (RRBs). We have combined three independent sets of observations in order to try to define the constraints guiding the bands. We provide a summary of the general behavior of the bands and review the evidence for a molecular origin of the bands. The extent, composition, and possible absorption effects of the bands are discussed. Comparison spectra of the strongest band obtained at three different spectral resolutions suggests that an intrinsic line width of individual rotational lines can be deduced. Spectroscopic models of several relatively simple molecules were examined in order to investigate where the current data are weak. Suggestions are made for future studies to enhance our understanding of these enigmatic bands.     

The effect of the equatorially symmetric zonal winds of Saturn on its gravitational field

The penetration depth of Saturn’s cloud-level winds into its interior is unknown.A possible way of estimating the depth is through measurement of the effect of the winds on the planet’s gravitational field.We use a self-consistent perturbation approach to study how the equatorially symmetric zonal winds of Saturn contribute to its gravitational field.An important advantage of this approach is that the variation of its gravitational field solely caused by the winds can be isolated and identified because the leading-order problem accounts exactly for rotational distortion,thereby determining the irregular shape and internal structure of the hydrostatic Saturn.We assume that(i)the zonal winds are maintained by thermal convection in the form of non-axisymmetric columnar rolls and(ii)the internal structure of the winds,because of the Taylor-Proundman theorem,can be uniquely determined by the observed cloud-level winds.We calculate both the variation △J_n,n=2,4,6...of the axisymmetric gravitational coefficients J_n caused by the zonal winds and the non-axisymmetric gravitational coefficients △J_(nm) produced by the columnar rolls,where m is the azimuthal wavenumber of the rolls.We consider three different cases characterized by the penetration depth 0.36 R_S,0.2 R_S and 0.1 R_S,where R_S is the equatorial radius of Saturn at the 1-bar pressure level.We find that the high-degree gravitational coefficient ( J_(12)+△J_(12)) is dominated,in all the three cases,by the effect of the zonal flow with |△J_(12)/J_(12)|100%and that the size of the non-axisymmetric coefficientsdirectly reflects the depth and scale of the flow taking place in the Saturnian interior.     

Standard candles from the Gaia perspective

The ESA Gaia mission will bring a new era to the domain of standard candles. Progresses in this domain will be achieved thanks to unprecedented astrometric precision, whole-sky coverage and the combination of photometric, spectrophotometric and spectroscopic measurements. The fundamental outcome of the mission will be the Gaia catalogue produced by the Gaia Data Analysis and Processing Consortium (DPAC), which will contain a variable source classification and specific properties for stars of specific variability types. We review what will be produced for Cepheids, RR Lyrae, Long Period Variable stars and eclipsing binaries.     

A 15 000‐year record of climate change in northern New Mexico,USA, inferred from isotopic and elemental contents of bog sediments

Elemental (C, N, Pb) and isotopic (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) measurements of cored sediment from a small bog in northern New Mexico reveal changes in climate during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Abrupt increases in Pb concentration and δ¹³C values ca. 14 420 cal. YBP indicate significant runoff to the shallow lake that existed at that time. Weathering and transport of local volcanic rocks resulted in the delivery of Pb‐bearing minerals to the basin, while a ¹³C‐enriched terrestrial vegetation source increased the δ¹³C values of the sedimentary material. Wet conditions developed over a 300 a period and lasted for a few hundred years. The Younger Dryas period (ca. 12 700–11 500 cal. YBP) caused a reduction in terrestrial productivity reflected in decreasing C/N values, δ¹⁵N values consistently greater than 0‰ and low organic content. By contrast, aquatic productivity increased during the second half of this period, evidenced by increasing δ¹³C values at the time of highest abundance of algae. Dry conditions ca. 8 000–6 000 cal. YBP were characterised by low organic carbon content and high Pb concentrations, the latter suggesting enhanced erosion and aeolian transport of volcanic rock. The range in δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N and C/N values in the sedimentary record fall within the range of modern plants, except during the periods of runoff and drought. The sedimentary record provides evidence of natural climate variability in northern New Mexico, including short‐ (multi‐centennial) and long‐(millennial) term episodes during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Gas Production Rate and Coma Structure of Comet C/1995 O1 (Hale–Bopp)

The University of Wisconsin–Madison and NASA–Goddard conducted acomprehensive multi-wavelength observing campaign of coma emissionsfrom comet Hale–Bopp, including OH 3080 Å, [O I] 6300 Å H₂O⁺ 6158 Å, H Balmer-α 6563 Å, NH₂ 6330 Å, [C I] 9850 ÅCN 3879 Å, C₂ 5141 Å, C₃ 4062 Å,C I 1657 Å, and the UV and optical continua. In thiswork, we concentrate on the results of the H₂O daughter studies.Our wide-field OH 3080 Å measured flux agrees with other, similarobservations and the expected value calculated from published waterproduction rates using standard H₂O and OH photochemistry.However, the total [O I] 6300 Å flux determined spectroscopically overa similar field-of-view was a factor of 3-4 higher than expected.Narrow-band [O I] images show this excess came from beyond theH₂O scale length, suggesting either a previously unknown source of[O I] or an error in the standard OH + ν→ O(¹ D) + H branching ratio. The Hale–Bopp OH and[O I] distributions, both of which were imaged tocometocentric distances >1 × 10⁶ km, were more spatiallyextended than those of comet Halley (after correcting for brightnessdifferences), suggesting a higher bulk outflow velocity. Evidence ofthe driving mechanism for this outflow is found in the Hα lineprofile, which was narrower than in comet Halley (though likelybecause of opacity effects, not as narrow as predicted by Monte-Carlomodels). This is consistent with greater collisional coupling betweenthe suprathermal H photodissociation products and Hale–Bopp's densecoma. Presumably because of mass loading of the solar wind by ionsand ions by the neutrals, the measured acceleration of H₂O⁺ downthe ion tail was much smaller than in comet Halley. Tailwardextensions in the azimuthal distributions of OH 3080 Å,[O I], and [C I] , as well as a Doppler asymmetry in the[O I] line profile, suggest ion-neutral coupling. While thetailward extension in the OH can be explained by increased neutralacceleration, the [O I] 6300 Å and [C I] 9850 Å emissions show 13%and >200% excesses in this direction (respectively), suggesting anon-negligible contribution from dissociative recombination of CO⁺and/or electron collisional excitation. Thus, models including theeffects of photo- and collisional chemistry are necessary for the fullinterpretation of these data.     

Multidimensional radiative transfer: Applications to planetary coronae

A numerical solution to the integral equation for radiative transfer by resonance reradiation in an isothermal spherical atmosphere is described. The method presented is 100 times more efficient than earlier spherical radiative transfer models. The new model can accommodate density variations in the full three dimensional space and includes effects due to the presence of pure absorbers. Complete frequency redistribution is assumed for photon scattering. Applications of this model to the problem of solar photons scattered by atomic hydrogen in the atmospheres of Venus, Earth and Mars are described, and limb and disk profiles, as well as equivalent mean disk intensities for Venus, Earth and Mars, are presented.     

The moon as a high temperature condensate

The accretion during condensation mechanism, if it occurs during the early over-luminous stage of the Sun, can explain the differences in composition of the terrestrial planets and the Moon. An important factor is the variation of pressure and temperature with distance from the Sun, and in the case of the Moon and captured satellites of other planets, with distance from the median plane. Current estimates of the temperature and pressure in the solar nebula suggest that condensation will not be complete in the vicinity of the terrestrial planets, and that depending on location, iron, magnesium silicates and the volatiles will be at least partially held in the gaseous phase and subject to separation from the dust by solar wind and magnetic effects associated with the transfer of angular momentum just before the Sun joins the Main Sequence.Many of the properties of the Moon, including the enrichment in Ca, Al, Ti, U, Th, Ba, Sr and the REE and the depletion in Fe, Rb, K, Na and other volatiles can be understood if the Moon represents a high temperature condensate from the solar nebula. Thermodynamic calculations show that Ca, Al and Ti rich compounds condense first in a cooling nebula. The high temperature mineralogy is gehlenite, spinel, perovskite, Ca-Al-rich pyroxenes and anorthite. The model is consistent with extensive early melting, shallow melting at 3 AE and with presently high deep internal temperatures. It is predicted that the outer 250 km is rich in plagioclase and FeO. The low iron content of the interior in this model raises the interior temperatures estimated from electrical conductivity by some 800°C. The lunar crust is 80% gabbroic anorthosite, 20% basalt and is about 250-270 km thick. The lunar mantle is probably composed of spinel, merwinite and diopside with a density of 3.4 g cm^–3.Paper dedicated to Prof. Harold C. Urey on the occasion of his 80th birthday on 29 April 1973.Contribution No. 2260, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. 91109, U.S.A. Presented at theIAU Symp. Cosmochem., Cambridge, Mass. August 14-16, 1972.     

Pore water pressure and stability conditions on a motorway embankment

Prior to the occurrence of a shallow surface slip on a clay embankment a tensiometer system was installed to continuously monitor pore water conditions. It is shown that high pore water pressures can develop in clay embankments after periods of continuous low intensity precipitation. Using stability analyses it is demonstrated that for this first time slide, the clay fill material had a shear strength above residual values and a small but finite cohesion.     

Electrons > 40 ke V and protons > 500 ke V of solar origin

Following many solar flares, electrons with kinetic energy > 40 keV appear in interplanetary space. There are two classes of such electrons: prompt electrons which arrive within an hour of the flare and delayed electrons which arrive about a day following the flare. The promptly arriving electrons are found to be of two types: Simple (S) events are associated with solar flares which occur in the absence of large area Type I radio noise storm and the complex (C) events resulting from flares beneath these large radio noise regions. The propagation of energetic solar flare electrons to the earth is best described in terms of cones of propagation. In the S-events the cones have about 30° opening angle whereas in the C-type events the cones open to about 90° full angle. Outside the boundaries of these cones the electron flux is much reduced. Within the cones there is a net streaming of the electrons away from the sun. Solar flare electron fluxes do not show filamentary structure even at times when protons from the same flare do. This suggests that the electrons are injected into the interplanetary field from regions distinct from the proton injection region. The delayed solar electron events are accompanied by large fluxes of protons > 500 keV. These events are sometimes closely related to a sudden commencement.