Grain motions in the solar nebula

Isotopic analyses of meteorites suggest the possibility that some interaction between supernova ejecta and grains occurred in the solar nebula. In particular, the dynamics of grain motions in the solar nebula can explain the observed mixing of nucleosynthetic components. The effect of a shock wave on the motions of grains are examined. A steady-state, plane shock propagating into a uniform region of gas and dust grains is followed by a zone of gas/grain slip, in which the grains are accelerated by drag forces from the pre-shock to the post-shock gas velocity, i.e. reducing the relative velocity between the gas and grains to zero. On the basis of these calculations, it is estimated that if grains carried the isotopic anomalies investigated by Lee, Papanastassoiu, and Wasserburg (1978), then those grains could be no bigger than 2×10^–4 cm in size. A scenario is suggested in which the sluggishness of grains provides a natural way to concentrate and mix the nucleosynthetic components carried by grains in the ejecta and in the solar nebula.Paper presented at the Conference on Protostars and Planets, held at the Planetary Science Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, between January 3 and 7, 1978.     

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.     

A determination of Jovian ammonia abundance based on a 2 μm spectrum

A spectrum of Jupiter in the two micron region has been analyzed to determine the Jovian ammonia abundance. The result is a ?4 cm - amagat, assuming an airmass factor η = 2.5 and a single effective reflecting layer for this wavelength. This is compared with the abundances observed at other wavelengths.     

Einstein Gravity Explorer–a medium-class fundamental physics mission

The Einstein Gravity Explorer mission (EGE) is devoted to a precise measurement of the properties of space-time using atomic clocks. It tests one of the most fundamental predictions of Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, the gravitational redshift, and thereby searches for hints of quantum effects in gravity, exploring one of the most important and challenging frontiers in fundamental physics. The primary mission goal is the measurement of the gravitational redshift with an accuracy up to a factor 10⁴ higher than the best current result. The mission is based on a satellite carrying cold atom-based clocks. The payload includes a cesium microwave clock (PHARAO), an optical clock, a femtosecond frequency comb, as well as precise microwave time transfer systems between space and ground. The tick rates of the clocks are continuously compared with each other, and nearly continuously with clocks on earth, during the course of the 3-year mission. The highly elliptic orbit of the satellite is optimized for the scientific goals, providing a large variation in the gravitational potential between perigee and apogee. Besides the fundamental physics results, as secondary goals EGE will establish a global reference frame for the Earth’s gravitational potential and will allow a new approach to mapping Earth’s gravity field with very high spatial resolution. The mission was proposed as a class-M mission to ESA’s Cosmic Vision Program 2015–2025.

Astrodynamical Space Test of Relativity Using Optical Devices I (ASTROD I)—A class-M fundamental physics mission proposal for Cosmic Vision 2015–2025

ASTROD I is a planned interplanetary space mission with multiple goals. The primary aims are: to test general relativity with an improvement in sensitivity of over three orders of magnitude, improving our understanding of gravity and aiding the development of a new quantum gravity theory; to measure key solar system parameters with increased accuracy, advancing solar physics and our knowledge of the solar system; and to measure the time rate of change of the gravitational constant with an order of magnitude improvement and the anomalous Pioneer acceleration, thereby probing dark matter and dark energy gravitationally. It is an international project, with major contributions from Europe and China and is envisaged as the first in a series of ASTROD missions. ASTROD I will consist of one spacecraft carrying a telescope, four lasers, two event timers and a clock. Two-way, two-wavelength laser pulse ranging will be used between the spacecraft in a solar orbit and deep space laser stations on Earth, to achieve the ASTROD I goals. A second mission, ASTROD (ASTROD II) is envisaged as a three-spacecraft mission which would test General Relativity to 1 ppb, enable detection of solar g-modes, measure the solar Lense–Thirring effect to 10 ppm, and probe gravitational waves at frequencies below the LISA bandwidth. In the third phase (ASTROD III or Super-ASTROD), larger orbits could be implemented to map the outer solar system and to probe primordial gravitational-waves at frequencies below the ASTROD II bandwidth.

Prevalence of Trichinella sp. in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from northeastern Greenland

The occurrence of infections with Trichinella sp. in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from northeastern Greenland has been studied by examination of muscle samples, mainly diaphragm, from 38 animals shot during the period 1983-1987. Trichinella larvae were demonstrated in 12 bears (32%) with an average of 9.2 larvae/g muscle tissue. No bears younger than three years old were infected. The prevalence of Trichinella among bears of the age group 3-4 years was 25% and 53% among older animals.     

Observations of NH3 in the atmosphere of Jupiter during 1973, 1974

The 6450 Å ammonia absorption band in the atmosphere of Jupiter was observed during the summers of 1973 and 1974. High-dispersion spectra of this band were obtained and analyzed on a line-by-line basis to derive ammonia abundances in the Jovian atmosphere. The abundances determined this way show strikingly large fluctuations.     

Geodetic methods to determine the relativistic redshift at the level of 10$$^{}$$ in the context of international timescales: a review and practical results

The frequency stability and uncertainty of the latest generation of optical atomic clocks is now approaching the one part in \(10^{18}\) level. Comparisons between earthbound clocks at rest must account for the relativistic redshift of the clock frequencies, which is proportional to the corresponding gravity (gravitational plus centrifugal) potential difference. For contributions to international timescales, the relativistic redshift correction must be computed with respect to a conventional zero potential value in order to be consistent with the definition of Terrestrial Time. To benefit fully from the uncertainty of the optical clocks, the gravity potential must be determined with an accuracy of about \(0.1\,\hbox {m}^{2}\,\hbox {s}^{-2}\), equivalent to about 0.01 m in height. This contribution focuses on the static part of the gravity field, assuming that temporal variations are accounted for separately by appropriate reductions. Two geodetic approaches are investigated for the derivation of gravity potential values: geometric levelling and the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)/geoid approach. Geometric levelling gives potential differences with millimetre uncertainty over shorter distances (several kilometres), but is susceptible to systematic errors at the decimetre level over large distances. The GNSS/geoid approach gives absolute gravity potential values, but with an uncertainty corresponding to about 2 cm in height. For large distances, the GNSS/geoid approach should therefore be better than geometric levelling. This is demonstrated by the results from practical investigations related to three clock sites in Germany and one in France. The estimated uncertainty for the relativistic redshift correction at each site is about \(2 \times 10^{-18}\).     

n-Paraffins in the sediments and in situ fossils of the Lake Turkana Basin,Kenya

Residual hydrocarbons were extracted from a number of vertebrate fossils and their surrounding sediments collected at six sites in the Plio-Pleistocene sediments of paleo-Lake Turkana in northern Kenya. Gas chromatographic separation of these alkane fractions showed three recognizable suites of hydrocarbons, a C-15 to C-19 group derived from algae, a C-20 to C-30 group with no odd/ even preference derived from microbial action on soil organics, and a C-21 to C-35 group with high odd/even preference derived from plant waxes. No alkanes identifiable as being derived from the original animal fats were observed. The plant wax alkanes and microbial hydrocarbons were nearly ubiquitous, in sands, silts, clays and the fossils. The algal hydrocarbons, on the other hand, were found only in the sands and silts. There were no consistent differences between the hydrocarbon content of the fossils and the surrounding sediments. There were great local variations in alkane distribution, but no patterns were discernible. The total hydrocarbon content of these arid region sediments is almost vanishingly small compared to sediments in more temperate climates.     

On the level of h2 quadrupole absorption in the Jovian atmosphere

The hydrogen quadrupole absorption lines are uniquely characterized by the property of being collision narrowed. For the 3-0 and 4-0 bands the lines continue to narrow to below the pressure levels in the Jovian atmosphere where they appear to be formed. Since the collision narrowing is the reverse of the case for ordinary molecular absorptions the use of the Curtis-Godson approximation must be reconsidered. We have done this using the line shape for this process derived by Galatry and find that the Curtis-Godson approximation represents the absorption very well through the inhomogeneous Jovian atmosphere. The hydrogen quadrupole absorptions, 3-0 S (l) and 4-0 S (l), have been analysed by a procedure which has been shown to give self-consistent results for the methane 3v3 manifolds. The 3-0 S(1) line is strongly saturated and even the weak 4-0 S(l) line (equiv width ～ 8mÅ) exhibits a 10% saturation. We derive a mixing ratio (by volume) of approx 7 x 10^?4 for methane to hydrogen in agreement with earlier results.