Linear polarizations of 4.43 MeV12C* and 6.13 MeV16O* gamma-rays as indicators of directions of particles in solar flares

The linear polarizations of the 4.43 MeV ¹²C^* and the 6.13 MeV ¹⁶O^* gamma-ray lines, that are assumed to be produced in (p, p) processes in solar flares, are projected as functions of , the angle between the line-of-sight and the direction of the particle beam. The projected polarization amplitudes are quite large, and it is suggested that their measurement would facilitate to uniquely determine the particle direction without recourse to Doppler shift measurements.     

The Hard X-ray Telescope (HXT) for the SOLAR-A mission

The Hard X-ray Telescope (HXT) is a Fourier-synthesis imager; a set of spatially-modulated photon count data are taken from 64 independent subcollimators and are Fourier-transformed into an image by using procedures such as the maximum entropy method (MEM) or CLEAN. The HXT takes images of solar flares simultaneously in four energy bands, nominally 15 (or 19)–24, 24–35, 35–57, and 57–100 keV, with an ultimate angular resolution as fine as 5 arc sec and a time resolution 0.5 s. Each subcollimator has a field of view wider than the solar disk. The total effective area of the collimator/detector system reaches 70 cm², about one order of magnitude larger than that of the HINOTORI hard X-ray imager. Thanks to these improvements, HXT will for the first time enable us to take images of flares at photon energies above 30 keV. These higher-energy images will be compared with lower-energy ones, giving clues to the understanding of nonthermal processes in solar flares, i.e., the acceleration and confinement of energetic electrons. It is of particular importance to specify the acceleration site with regard to the magnetic field figuration in a flaring region, which will be achieved by collaborative observations between HXT and the Soft X-ray Telescope on board the same mission.After the launch the name of SOLAR-A has been changed to YOHKOH.     

Magmatic fluids of Tatun volcanic group,Taiwan

Two distinctive magmatic fluids were recognized in the Tatun volcanic group (TVG), Taiwan. One is a relatively reduced fluid represented by the fumarolic gases at Hsiao-you-ken (HYK) geothermal field. Another is an oxidized fluid containing high concentrations of HCl represented by the fumarolic gases at Da-you-ken (DYK). An intermediate gas was recognized at Gung-tze-ping (GTP) and She-hung-ping (SHP). The fumarolic gases at HYK and GTP possess the features of so-called primary steam generated on mixing of magmatic gas and meteoric groundwater. The fumarolic gases at DYK are a simple mixture between magmatic gas and water vapor of meteoric origin. The CO₂/H₂O molar ratio of the magmatic component in the fumarolic gases at DYK was estimated to be 0.018, meanwhile it was estimated to be 0.027 for the fumarolic gases at HYK and GTP, suggesting the magma beneath DYK is depleted in volatiles relative to the magma beneath HYK and GTP. The estimated CO₂/H₂O ratio for the magmatic component is comparable to that of some active volcanoes in Japan, suggesting the enrichment of volatiles in the magmas beneath TVG.     

Coseismic changes in the chemical composition of volcanic gases from the Owakudani geothermal area on Hakone volcano,Japan

The chemical and isotopic compositions of volcanic gases at a borehole and a natural fumarole in the Owakudani geothermal area, Hakone volcano, Japan, have been repeatedly measured since 2001, when a seismic swarm occurred in the area. The CO₂/H₂O and CO₂/H₂S ratios were high in 2001. It increased in 2006 and again in 2008 when seismic swarms occurred beneath the geothermal area. The observed increases suggest the injection of CO₂- and SO₂-rich magmatic gas into the underlying hydrothermal reservoir, implying that the magmatic gas was episodically supplied to the hydrothermal system in 2006 and 2008. The earthquake swarms probably resulted from the injection of gas through the shallow crust accompanying the break of the sealing zone.     

Crustal strain observation for nine years with a laser strainmeter in Kobe, Japan

We carried out precise crustal strain observation using a laser strainmeter system at the Rokko-Takao station in Kobe, Japan from 1989 to 1997. The long-term strain record is characterized by remarkable annual changes of the order of 2–3×10⁻⁶ and linear strain accumulation of −4.4×10⁻⁷/year (in contraction). The annual strain changes are inversely proportional to temperature changes that precede the strain changes by about 1 month. The apparent annual strain changes were mainly caused by refractive-index changes in the light path due to the ambient temperature changes. After eliminating the annual temperature effect, linear strain accumulation is corrected to be −6.3−6.7×10⁻⁷/year. Residual strains show the oscillating behavior, in which the oscillating cycle seems to become shorter and shorter as time goes by. During the period, a destructive earthquake of M=7.2 occurred near the Kobe City on 17 January 1995. We investigated the oscillating behavior in secular variations of ground-strains by introducing the deterministic approach of earthquake prediction to search for the “critical point” of the occurrence of an earthquake in the extended power law equation. However, we could not obtain a unique solution to determine eight unknown parameters including the “critical point”. This may be mainly due to lack of data for 4 months from August to November in 1994 by the failure of the laser source before the occurrence of earthquake on 17 January 1995. After removing environmental effects and tidal components, we carefully re-examined strain changes in 7 days and 1 day before the occurrence of the earthquake, but we could not detect anomalous strain changes exceeding 1×10⁻⁸ before the earthquake.     

Generation and maintenance of bisymmetric spiral magnetic fields and interaction with spiral density waves

Abstract

The paper consists of two parts. The first introduces the dynamo equation into a rotating gaseous disk of finite thickness and then searches for its solution for the generation and maintenance of large-scale bisymmetric spiral (BSS) magnetic fields. We determine numerically the dynamo strength and vertical thickness of the gaseous disk which are necessary for the BSS magnetic fields to rotate as a wave over large area of the disk.

Next we present linearized equations of motion for the self-gravitating disk gas under the Lorentz force due to the BSS magnetic fields. Since the angular velocity of the BSS field is very close to that of the spiral density wave, a nearly-resonant interaction is caused between these two waves to produce large-amplitude condensation of gas in a double-spiral way. The BSS magnetic field is considered as a promising agency to trigger and maintain the spiral density wave.     

On the spiral structure in the galactic distribution of co clouds

The CO distribution in the Galaxy is investigated through an analysis of longitude-velocity diagrams of CO emission lines for the two longitude ranges 20°<l<80° and 105°<l<140°. For the kinematics of the Galaxy we adopt the three typical models; the circular rotation, the linear density waves, and the galactic shock waves. It is shown that the distributions and kinematics of CO clouds are consistent with the predictions of the density wave model and the galactic shock model, and that the observed data of CO emissions do not contradict with the claim that the CO clouds form spiral arms.     

YOHKOH/WBS Recalibration and a Comprehensive Catalogue of Solar Flares Observed by YOHKOH SXT, HXT and WBS Instruments

The flare catalogue of the Yohkoh mission is compiled and linked to this article as an electronic supplement. For showing flare characteristics over wide energy range concisely, we provide the images of Hard X-ray Telescope (HXT) and the Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT), and the spectra of Hard X-ray Spectrometer (HXS) and Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS) with the Wide Band Spectrometer (WBS) time profiles. The energy versus pulse height (PH) data channels in HXS and GRS are re-calibrated by using the data of the whole mission period. Secular gain changes are recognized in HXS, and the characteristics of power-law flare spectra simultaneously observed by HXT and HXS confirms the trend. The GRS gains are different for the flare observations during the previous maximum and for the current maximum. The total of 33 γ -ray events are observed, and for 12 of them γ-ray flare spectra are obtained. Electronic supplementary material to this article is available at and is accessible for authorized users.