The hydrogen emission spectrum of a shock wave in a stellar atmosphere

Based on a self-consistent solution of the equations of gas dynamics, kinetics of hydrogen atomic level populations, and radiative transfer, we analyze the structure of a shock wave that propagates in a partially ionized hydrogen gas. We consider the radiative transfer at the frequencies of spectral lines by taking into account the effects of a moving medium in the observer's frame of reference. The flux in Balmer lines is shown to be formed behind the shock discontinuity at the initial hydrogen recombination stage. The Doppler shift of the emission-line profile is approximately one and a half times smaller than the gas flow velocity in the Balmer emission region, because the radiation field of the shock wave is anisotropic. At Mach numbers M₁?10 and unperturbed gas densities σ₁=10^?10 g cm^?3, the Doppler shift is approximately one third of the shock velocity U₁. The FWHM of the emission-line profile δ _? is related to the shock velocity by δ _? ≈ k _? U₁, where k _? = 1, 0.6, and 0.65 for the Hα, Hβ, and Hγ lines, respectively.     

Partial redistribution effects on line polarization in the presence of velocity fields

Velocity fields in line formation regions strongly affect the line polarization. The conventionally used observer's frame method of solving the polarized transfer equation becomes expensive and inaccurate for partial redistribution problems, when large amplitude velocity fields have to be considered in the observer's frame. An alternative method of solution is the comoving frame method. Partial redistribution problems are solved using comoving frame formalism for line polarization caused by resonance scattering.     

Impact of the seasonal variations of composition on the temperature field of Titan’s stratosphere

We investigate the role of seasonal variations of Titan’s stratospheric composition on the temperature. We use a general circulation model coupled with idealized chemical tracers that reproduce variations of ethane (C₂H₆), acetylene (C₂H₂), and hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Enhancement of the mole fractions of these compounds, at high latitudes in the winter hemisphere relative to their equatorial values, induces a relative decrease in temperature above approximately 0.2 mbar, with a peak amplitude around −20 K, and a relative increase in temperature below, around 1 mbar, with a peak amplitude around +7 K. These thermal effects are mainly due to the variations of the cooling to space induced by the varying distributions. The ethane, acetylene, and hydrogen cyanide variations affect the cooling rates in a similar way, with the dominant effect being due to ethane, though its latitudinal variations are small.     

Effects of high velocities on photoionization lines

We have treated formation of spectral lines in a commoving frame where photoionization is predominant over collisional processes. We have assumed that the radiation field for causing photoionization is a function of Planck function. We have also considered the situation in which the continuum contributes to the radiation in the line. In all the models the quantityB/A (ratio of outer to inner radii) is kept equal to 10 and the total optical depth is taken to be 10³. The velocity is assumed to be varying according to the lawdV/dτ ∼ < 1/τ whereτ is the optical depth (τ > 0) in the given shell. The velocities at the innermost radius (r =A) are set equal to 0 and at the outermost radius (r =B), the maximum velocities are taken to be 0, 1, 3 and 10 Doppler units. The calculated line profiles are those seen by an observer at infinity.P Cygni-type profiles are observed in the case of a medium with no continuum absorption. For a medium with continuum absorption double peaked asymmetric profiles are noticed when the velocities are small; the two emission peaks merge into a single asymmetric peak for larger velocities.     

The jovian anticyclone BA: III. Aerosol properties and color change

A study of the vertical cloud structure of oval BA and its red color change is presented in this third part of our complete analysis. A large interest in Jupiter’s anticyclone BA was created by its reddening that occurred between 2005 and 2006. In this work we quantify the color change in oval BA by using images taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) onboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in six filters from the near ultraviolet (F250W) to the deep methane band in the near infrared (F892N). Reflectivity changes are noteworthy in nadir viewing geometry at the ultraviolet and blue wavelengths (F250W, F330W and F435W filters) but almost undetectable or inside error bars in the rest of filters (F550M, F658N and F892N). The observed reflectivity variations are discussed in terms of a commonly accepted vertical cloud structure model for jovian anticyclones in order to explore some causes for the color alteration. Our models of the observed reflectivity variation show that the vortex clouds did not change its vertical extension (top pressure) or its optical depth. We find that a change occurred in the absorbing properties of the particles populating the upper aerosols (single scattering albedo and imaginary refractive index). A discussion on the thermo-physical and dynamical properties of the vortex that could be in the origin of the color change is also presented.     

Study of dispersion of mass distribution of ultra-high energy cosmic rays using a surface array of muon and electromagnetic detectors

We consider a hypothetical observatory of ultra-high energy cosmic rays consisting of two surface detector arrays that measure independently electromagnetic and muon signals induced by air showers. Using the constant intensity cut method, sets of events ordered according to each of both signal sizes are compared giving the number of matched events. Based on its dependence on the zenith angle, a parameter sensitive to the dispersion of the distribution of the logarithmic mass of cosmic rays is introduced. The results obtained using two post-LHC models of hadronic interactions are very similar and indicate a weak dependence on details of these interactions.     

Stream formation in W Serpentis-type binaries

By the method proposed by Nazarenko (1993) and using observational data obtained by different authors, the physical conditions in the stream in the neighbourhood of the inner Lagrangian point L₁ were calculated for three interacting binary systems of W Ser-type: β Lyr, V367 Cyg, RY Sct. It is shown, that as a result of the evolutional expansion of the mass losing component the deep layers of its atmosphere reach the neighbourhood of the first Lagrangian point L₁ and a stream of axial symmetric shape is formed. Its radius is comparable to the dimension of the mass losing component. The rate of the mass transfer increases up to 10⁻⁵ M_⊙/yr. The calculated parameters of the stream in the neighbourhood of the point L₁ explain the main observational properties of the investigated systems (existence of extended circumstellar matter with a developed structure, high mass transfer rate).