Mass loss, long-period variables, and the formation of circumnebular shells

We have found that the rate of mass loss M· increases with an increase in the period of pulsation for Mira-type variables. This result suggests that the rate of mass loss is accelerated with time until a maximum value is reached before the ejection of the outer envelope. The matter from the continuous mass loss during the evolution of the star produces supersonic shock waves that sweep up the interstellar gas upon encountering the interstellar medium, so that a shell is formed. This phenomenon may account for the observations of extended regions of emission that surround planetary nebulae

Power spectra of velocity fluctuations in plages

Spatial power spectral densities of velocities in plages were compared with velocity power spectra of the quiet photosphere. The comparison suggests that photospheric oscillations are not gravity waves.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43735/1/11207_2004_Article_BF00154971.pd

Study of the post-flare loops on 29 July 1973

We present revised values of temperature and density for the flare loops of 29 July 1973 and compare the revised parameters with those obtained aboard the SMM for the two-ribbon flare of 21 May 1980. The 21 May flare occurred in a developed sunspot group; the 29 July event was a spotless two-ribbon flare. We find that the loops in the spotless flare extended higher (by a factor of 1.4–2.2), were less dense (by a factor of 5 or more in the first hour of development), were generally hotter, and the whole loop system decayed much slower than in the spotted flare (i.e. staying at higher temperature for a longer time). We also align the hot X-ray loops of the 29 July flare with the bright Hα ribbons and show that the Hα emission is brightest at the places where the spatial density of the hot elementary loops is enhanced.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43753/1/11207_2004_Article_BF00151609.pd