On a time-symmetric Hermite integrator for planetary N-body simulation

We describe a P(EC) ⁿ Hermite scheme for planetary N -body simulation. The fourth-order implicit Hermite scheme is a time-symmetric integrator that has no secular energy error for the integration of periodic orbits with time-symmetric time-steps. In general N -body problems, however, this advantage is of little practical significance, since it is difficult to achieve time-symmetry with individual variable time-steps. However, we can easily enjoy the benefit of the time-symmetric Hermite integrator in planetary N -body systems, where all bodies spend most of the time on nearly circular orbits. These orbits are integrated with almost constant time-steps even if we adopt the individual time-step scheme. The P(EC) ⁿ Hermite scheme and almost constant time-steps reduce the integration error greatly. For example, the energy error of the P(EC)² Hermite scheme is two orders of magnitude smaller than that of the standard PEC Hermite scheme in the case of an N  = 100,  m  = 10²⁵ g planetesimal system with the rms eccentricity 〈 e ²〉^1/2 ≲0.03.     

A numerical algorithm for dissipative Keplerian particle discs

We present a numerical algorithm designed to study the evolution of a distribution of solid particles orbiting around the Sun that could be applied to similar systems in which f _c ≤ Ω/2π, where f _c is the frequency of collisions, and Ω is the orbital angular speed. A number of sample particles are used to represent the whole system. Binary collisions are treated in a novel way using a Monte Carlo method that works as follows. Orbits are locally sampled to compute the velocity dispersion. Then the velocity vectors of the sample particles are modified according to random collisions with virtual particles which have velocities taken from a normal distribution computed using the previously found local velocity dispersion. The energy and momentum taken up by the virtual particles are redistributed among the neighbours of the sample particle undergoing the collision, so that conservation laws are satisfied. Simulations using this model give an estimation of the final distribution of inclinations and the associated evolutionary time-scale.     

Relationship of atmospheric ozone profiles to solar magnetic activity

The observed relationship between atmospheric vorticity variations and solar magnetic sector boundary passages is examined for a possible connection via ionization changes affecting ozone distributions. A superposed epoch analysis was performed on Umkehr distributions for 18 years from Arosa, Switzerland, with use of more than 500 solar sector boundary passages as keyday zero. No significant responses are observed in any Umkehr level or in total observed ozone amounts. Further analyses on shorter records for Belsk, Poland, and Hohenpeissenberg, West Germany, corroborate these results. Another analysis for Arosa with about 100 type IV solar flares as keyday zero also shows no definitive trend. It is concluded that ozone distribution changes cannot be the primary causative mechanism for vorticity variations.Journal Paper No. J-8838 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project No. 1852.     

The importance of energetic particle precipitation on the chemical composition of the middle atmosphere

An assessment is made of the relative contribution of certain classes of energetic particle precipitation to the chemical composition of the middle atmosphere with emphasis placed on the production of odd nitrogen and odd hydrogen species and their subsequent role in the catalytic removal of ozone. Galactic cosmic radiation is an important source of odd nitrogen in the lower stratosphere but since the peak energy deposition occurs below the region where catalytic removal of O₃ is most effective, it is questionable whether this mechanism is important in the overall terrestrial ozone budget. The precipitation of energetic solar protons can periodically produce dramatic enhancement in upper stratospheric NO. The long residence time of NO in this region of the atmosphere, where catalytic interaction with O₃ is also most effective, mandates that this mechanism be included in future modelling of the global distribution of O₃. Throughout the mesosphere the precipitation of energetic electrons from the outer radiation belt (60°70°) can sporadically act as a major local source of odd hydrogen and odd nitrogen leading to observable O₃ depletion. Future satellite studies should be directed at simultaneously measuring the precipitation flux and the concomitant atmosphere modification, and these results should be employed to develop more sophisticated models of this important coupling.     

Time-Variations of D-Region Electron Densities, and Comparisons With Model Computations

An extensive series of incoherent scatter studies of the ionospheric D-region was carried out at the Arecibo radar facility during 1978 and 1979. They included several full-day sequences of electron density measurements over a range of altitudes, and also included a sequence during the serendipitous occurrence of a large solar flare. For the solar flare event simultaneous data on solar X-ray fluxes in several wavelength bands were available from the GOES-2 and ISEE-3 satellites. In the course of development of a large ionospheric computer model at Los Alamos we have used the solar flare data as a reality check. The solar X-ray flux data were used as inputs for computing ionization rates. The model computer includes 999 chemical reactions, and also includes diffusion and transport processes. In the course of the flare studies we used the data comparisons to adjust the values of three chemical rate coefficients that were poorly known. With those adjustments the model computations fitted the data quite well. Subsequent to the flare analysis we have been using the same model with some minor updates to compute the expected diurnal variations of the ambient D-region under conditions chosen to match those existing at the times of the incoherent scatter measurements. Comparisons of the computations and the data will be shown, and the relative importance of the several separate ionization processes will be discussed. We also compare model results with experimental data on concentrations of NO.     

Planetary,solar and astrophysical relativistic electrons: Common energization mechanisms?

Direct observations or deduced analysis indicate clearly that formation of intense fluxes of relativistic electrons is an important ingredient in the evolution of numerous active magnetized plasma systems. Examples of relativistic electron energization include the recovery phase of a planetary magnetic storm, post solar flare coronal activity and the afterglow of gamma ray bursts. It is suggested that there exists a universal mechanism, which may explain electron energization at the vastly different magnetized plasma environments. The favorite configuration consists of an inhomogeneous magnetic field anchored at a given magnetic structure and excitation of whistler waves due to external injection of low-energy non-isotropic electrons. The energization proceeds as a bootstrap process due to interaction with the propagating whistler waves along the inhomogeneous magnetic field.     

Quantitative estimation of helium-3 spatial distribution in the lunar regolith layer

³He (helium-3) in the lunar regolith implanted by the solar wind is one of the most valuable resources because of its potential as a fusion fuel. The abundance of ³He in the lunar regolith is related to solar wind flux, lunar surface maturity and TiO₂ content, etc. A model of solar wind flux, which takes account of variations due to shielding of the nearside when the Moon is in the Earth's magnetotail, is used to present a global distribution of relative solar wind flux over the lunar surface. Using Clementine UV/VIS multispectral data, the global distribution of lunar surface optical maturity (OMAT) and the TiO₂ content in the lunar regolith are calculated. Based on Apollo regolith samples, a linear relation between ³He abundance and normalized solar wind flux, optical maturity, and TiO₂ content is presented. To simulate the brightness temperature of the lunar surface, which is the mission of the Chinese Chang-E project's multichannel radiometers, a global distribution of regolith layer thickness is first empirically constructed from lunar digital elevation mapping (DEM). Then an inversion approach is presented to retrieve the global regolith layer thickness. It finally yields the total amount of ³He per unit area in the lunar regolith layer, which is related to the regolith layer thickness, solar wind flux, optical maturity and TiO₂ content, etc. The global inventory of ³He is estimated as 6.50×¹⁰⁸ kg, where 3.72×¹⁰⁸ kg is for the lunar nearside and 2.78×¹⁰⁸ kg is for the lunar farside.     

Minor ions in the solar wind

Ions heavier than ⁴He are treated as “minors” in the solar wind. This is justified for many applications since minor ions have no significant influence on the dynamics of the interplanetary plasma. However, minor ions carry information on many aspects of the formation, on the acceleration and on the transfer of solar plasma from the corona into the interplanetary space. This review concentrates on various aspects of minor ions as diagnostic tracers. The elemental abundance patterns of the solar wind are shaped in the chromosphere and in the lower transition region by processes, which are not fully understood at this moment. Despite this lack of detailed understanding, observed abundance patterns have been classified and are now commonly used to characterize the sources, and to trace back solar-wind flows to their origins in the solar atmosphere. Furthermore, the solar wind is the most important source of information for solar isotopic abundances and for solar abundances of volatile elements. In order to fully exploit this information, a comprehensive understanding of elemental and isotopic fractionation processes is required. We provide observational clues to distinguish different processes at work.     

基于USB协议的望远镜多波带控制系统设计

怀柔观测基地的多通道太阳望远镜是通过数十个电机调节晶体偏转角度实现多波带同时观测的自动控制。原有的计算机是通过一个串行接口控制若干个调波带的电机,响应时间长,速度慢且技术比较落后。本文利用当今流行的USB2.0芯片CYPRESS EZ-USB改造原有的串口通信控制系统,大大提高了响应的速度,同时,为解决一个USB应用程序控制多个电机转动的问题,提出了一种"编号"的方法。这样每个USB设备不论其插入顺序,PC主机都能通过识别其固定编号而加以区分,PC主机可以通过4个USB接口(16个电机)控制多通道太阳望远镜滤光嚣的调制角度,实现自动控制。这为大规模改造其他计算机接口提供了研制基础。     

Solar Cycle Predictions based on Solar Activity at Different Solar Latitudes

Many methods of predictions of sunspot maximum number use data before or at the preceding sunspot minimum to correlate with the following sunspot maximum of the same cycle, which occurs a few years later. Kane and Trivedi (Solar Phys. 68, 135, 1980) found that correlations of R _z(max) (the maximum in the 12-month running means of sunspot number R _z) with R _z(min) (the minimum in the 12-month running means of sunspot number R _z) in the solar latitude belt 20° – 40°, particularly in the southern hemisphere, exceeded 0.6 and was still higher (0.86) for the narrower belt > 30° S. Recently, Javaraiah (Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc. 377, L34, 2007) studied the relationship of sunspot areas at different solar latitudes and reported correlations 0.95 – 0.97 between minima and maxima of sunspot areas at low latitudes and sunspot maxima of the next cycle, and predictions could be made with an antecedence of more than 11 years. For the present study, we selected another parameter, namely, SGN, the sunspot group number (irrespective of their areas) and found that SGN(min) during a sunspot minimum year at latitudes > 30° S had a correlation +0.78±0.11 with the sunspot number R _z(max) of the same cycle. Also, the SGN during a sunspot minimum year in the latitude belt (10° – 30° N) had a correlation +0.87±0.07 with the sunspot number R _z(max) of the next cycle. We obtain an appropriate regression equation, from which our prediction for the coming cycle 24 is R _z(max )=129.7±16.3.