Enthalpy flux cooling of the solar corona

Models of the solar corona which include the effects of hot downflowing material are considered. Temperature-height profiles of the quiet and flaring corona are derived, under the assumptions of hydrostatic equilibrium and that the dominant cause of transition region heating is due to the enthalpy of the downflowing matter. In addition, scaling laws for the lengths of coronal loops are derived. It is found that inclusion of the downward enthalpy flux leads to a loop scaling law for quiet Sun loops which does not differ appreciably from that of Rosner et al. (1978). However, inclusion of the effects of enthalpy flux lead to a scaling law for compact flare loops of L = (3.6 × 10⁹)T _infc ^sup0.55 cm, which predicts much smaller loop sizes than expected from the quiet Sun loop law; these predicted lengths, however, are in agreement with the observed small sizes of compact flare loops.     

MAJOR ELEMENT COMPOSITIONAL VARIATION WITHIN AND BETWEEN DIFFERENT LATE EOCENE MICROTEKTITE STREWNFIELDS

Major element compositional overlap exists between microspherules of different microtektite layers or strewnfields. For this reason, microspherules of similar composition cannot, a priori, be assumed to belong to the same microtektite event and those of different compositions cannot, a priori, be assumed to result from different events. Nevertheless, despite major element compositional overlap between microspherules of different strewnfields, multivariate factor analysis shows microtektites and related microspherules of three stratigraphically different late Eocene layers to follow recognizably different compositional trends. The microtektite population of the North American strewnfield (Globorotalia cerroazulensis Zone) follows compositionally well defined trends and is characterized by high concentrations of SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and TiO₂. The microspherule population of the slightly older crystal-bearing Globorotalia cerroazulensis Zone microspherule layer is more heterogeneous and characterized by microspherules which are relatively enriched in FeO and MgO and relatively impoverished in SiO₂ and TiO₂. The microspherule population of the oldest microspherule layer in the uppermost Globigerapsis semiinvoluta Zone is highly heterogeneous and characterized by microspherules which are relatively enriched in CaO and impoverished in Al₂O₃ and Na₂O. Individual microspherules of this oldest late Eocene horizon often exhibit major element compositions similar to those of the lower Gl. cerroazulensis Zone layer and occasionally exhibit major element compositions similar to North American layer microtektites. Nevertheless, late Eocene microspherule occurrences can be assigned to appropriate late Eocene microtektite horizons on the basis of major element compositional trends.     

On minimum spanning trees and the intergradation of clusters

Cluster analysis groups samples, but does not generally show gradations between clusters. To illustrate these relationships, principal-coordinate analysis and multidimensional scaling can be employed, but these methods may not be appropriate due to structural distortion. A minimum spanning tree (MST) computes a point-to-point path through the original matrix, and clusters are mapped on the MST diagram. The MST linkages, therefore, provide a natural continuum between the clusters, without distortion. Forty-six Silurian Tonoloway Limestone samples were analyzed for 16 sedimentary features indicative of subaerial exposure. Cluster analysis identified nine clusters which were reduced to five final, ordered groups by MST.     

Short duration solar microwave bursts and associated soft X-ray emission

During the time period of November 1968 to March 1970, 259 15.4 GHz impulsive microwave bursts have been identified of which 147 had associated 2–12 Å soft X-ray bursts. Average durations, rise times, and decay times for the microwave bursts are 2.9 ± 2.4 min, 0.9 ± 0.8 min, and 2.2 ± 2.1 min, respectively.Total durations and decay times for the X-ray events display a wide range of values from a few minutes to several hours. Rise times for 50 % of the events fell in the range of 2 to 7 min. A significant fraction (32 %) of the X-ray events may exhibit a flux enhancement prior to the main outburst.For 85 % of the flare cases, the X-ray event begins simultaneously with or before the microwave event. In 91 % of the cases the X-ray event peaks later than the microwave event. The average delay is 3.0 ± 1.9 min with 50 % of cases in the range of 0 to 4 min.The X-ray flux increases are significantly correlated with the microwave flux, increases, having a correlation coefficient of 0.43 (> 99.9 % confident).This work was supported in part by the Office of Naval Research under contract NOOO14-68-A-0196-0009 and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration through grant NGL-16-001-002.     

Grain carriers of isotopic anomalies

The dynamics of grain motion through gas are examined in terms of the injection of isotopically anomalous (compared to solar abundances) material into the early solar nebula. Calculations indicate that the injected grains cannot penetrate to the center of any of a range of reasonable configurations, suggesting the formation of an edge region enriched in injected material. Furthermore, the dynamical behavior of grains in turbulent flows indicates that pockets of grains can have some resistance to turbulent diffusion. The constraints developed here are used to delineate a set of consistent, injected-grain models for the origin of the isotopic anomalies in meteorite inclusions.Invited contribution to the Proceedings of a Workshop onThermodynamics and Kinetics of Dust Formation in the Space Medium held at the Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, 6–8 September, 1978.     

Future Sulfur Dioxide Emissions

The importance of sulfur dioxide emissions for climate change is now established, although substantial uncertainties remain. This paper presents projections for future sulfur dioxide emissions using the MiniCAM integrated assessment model. A new income-based parameterization for future sulfur dioxide emissions controls is developed based on purchasing power parity (PPP) income estimates and historical trends related to the implementation of sulfur emissions limitations. This parameterization is then used to produce sulfur dioxide emissions trajectories for the set of scenarios developed for the Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES). We use the SRES methodology to produce harmonized SRES scenarios using the latest version of the MiniCAM model. The implications, and requirements, for integrated assessment modeling of sulfur dioxide emissions are discussed. We find that sulfur emissions eventually decline over the next century under a wide set of assumptions. These emission reductions result from a combination of emission controls, the adoption of advanced electric technologies, and a shift away from the direct end use of coal with increasing income levels. Only under a scenario where incomes in developing regions increase slowly do global emission levels remain at close to present levels over the next century. Under a climate policy that limits emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide emissions fall in a relatively narrow range. In most cases, the relative climatic effect of sulfur dioxide emissions decreases dramatically to a point where sulfur dioxide is only a minor component of climate forcing by the end of the century. Ecological effects of sulfur dioxide, however, could be significant in some developing regions for many decades to come.     

A mechanism for the exploding granule phenomenon

I suggest that the exploding granule phenomenon is a consequence of the observed internal granular motions and the conservation of angular momentum. When a granule rising from the convection zone penetrates into the overlying stable region it is stretched out horizontally. Conservation of angular momentum in the internal motions changes its form into a vortex ring. A time sequence of photographs showing an exploding solar granule is described. The proposed mechanism is illustrated by a laboratory simulation and a numerical calculation.     

The topography of Ganymede's grooved terrain

Using the technique of photoclinometry, topographic profiles across areas of grooved terrain and several other features on Ganymede have been constructed. The grooved terrain examined consists of subparallel grooves spaced 3–10 km apart. Topographic amplitudes are typically 300–400 m, with a maximum of about 700 m. Slopes are very gentle and tend to be primarily concave upward. Very few major positive relief features exist on Ganymede. The most important of these is a broad, gently sloping dome-shaped feature 260 km in diameter and over 2 km high.     

Radar and photoelectric observations of asteroid 2100 Ra-Shalom

Results of 13-cm-wavelength radar observations and V-filter photoelectric observations of Ra- Shalom during its 1981 Aug–Sep apparition are reported. The radar data yid detections of echoes in the same sense of circular polarization as transmitted (i.e., the SC sense) as well as in the opposite (OC) sense. The estimate of the ratio of SC to OC echo power, μ_c = 0.14 ± 0.02, indicates that most, but certainly not all, of the backscattering is due to single reflections from surface elements that are fairly smooth at decimeter scales. The value obtained for the OC radar cross section on Aug 26 (1.2 ± 0.3 km²) is about three times larger than those obtained on Aug 23, 24, and 25. The echo bandwidth appears to be within about 1.5 Hz of 5.0 Hz on each date. The photoelectric data suggest a value, P_syn = 19.79 hr, for the synodic rotation period, and yield a composite lightcurve with two pairs of extrema. Combining this value for P_syn with a firm lower bound (4 Hz) on the maximum echo bandwidth yields a lower bound of 1.4 km on the maximum distance between Ra-Shalom's spin axis and any point on its surface.     

Cometary impact and the magnetization of the Moon

Collisions of comets with planetary bodies are capable of impressing patterns of magnetization onto them that match those observed for the Moon and possibly for Mercury. The ambient solar wind magnetic field is briefly but strongly enhanced as the large partially ionized cometary atmosphere is compressed against the planetary surface. Just at the time of peak field enhancement, the solid part of the comet collides with the surface and the compressed fields are permanently imprinted by shock magnetization.