650 research outputs found
High-spectral resolution solar microwave observations
The application of high-spectral resolution microwave observations to the study of solar activity is discussed with particular emphasis on the frequency dependence of microwave emission from solar active regions. A shell model of gyroresonance emission from active regions is described which suggest that high-spectral resolution, spatially-resolved observations can provide quantitative information about the magnetic field distribution at the base of the corona. Corresponding observations of a single sunspot with the Owens Valley frequency-agile interferometer at 56 frequencies between 1.2 and 14 Ghs are presented. The overall form of the observed size and brightness temperature spectra was consistent with expectations based on the shell model, although there were differences of potential physical significance. The merits and weaknesses of microwave spectroscopy as a technique for measuring magnetic fields in the solar corona are briefly discussed
Investigating the potential for call combinations in a lifelong vocal learner
The ability for humans to create seemingly infinite meaning from a finite set of sounds has likely been a critical component in our success as a species, allowing the unbounded communication of information. Syntax, the combining of meaningful sounds into phrases, is one of the primary features of language that enables this extensive expressivity. The evolutionary history of syntax, however, remains largely debated, and it is only very recently that comparative data for syntax in animals have been revealed. Here, we provide further evidence for a structural basis of potential syntactic‐like call combinations in the vocal communication system of a group‐living songbird. Acoustic analyses indicate that Western Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen dorsalis) structurally combine generic alarm calls with acoustically distinct alert calls to produce an alarm alert sequence. These results are distinct from previous examples of call combinations as, to our knowledge, evidence for this capacity is yet to be demonstrated in the natural communication of a non‐human species that is capable of vocal learning throughout life. These findings offer prospects for experimental investigation into the presence and function of magpie call combinations, extending our understanding of animal vocal complexity
Relevance of Tidal Heating on Large TNOs
We examine the relevance of tidal heating for large Trans-Neptunian Objects,
with a focus on its potential to melt and maintain layers of subsurface liquid
water. Depending on their past orbital evolution, tidal heating may be an
important part of the heat budget for a number of discovered and hypothetical
TNO systems and may enable formation of, and increased access to, subsurface
liquid water. Tidal heating induced by the process of despinning is found to be
particularly able to compete with heating due to radionuclide decay in a number
of different scenarios. In cases where radiogenic heating alone may establish
subsurface conditions for liquid water, we focus on the extent by which tidal
activity lifts the depth of such conditions closer to the surface. While it is
common for strong tidal heating and long lived tides to be mutually exclusive,
we find this is not always the case, and highlight when these two traits occur
together.Comment: Submitted to Icaru
Hard X-ray imaging facility for space shuttle: A scientific and conceptual engineering study
A shuttle-accommodated instrument for imaging hard X-rays in the study of nonthermal particles and high temperature particles in various solar and cosmic phenomena was defined and its feasibility demonstrated. The imaging system configuration is described as well as the electronics, aspect systems, mechanical and thermal properties and the ground support equipment
Solar flare hard X-ray spikes observed by RHESSI: a case study
In this paper, we analyze hard X-ray spikes observed by RHESSI to understand
their temporal, spectral, and spatial properties. A recently developed
demodulation code was applied to hard X-ray light curves in several energy
bands observed by RHESSI. Hard X-ray spikes were selected from the demodulated
flare light curves. We measured the spike duration, the energy-dependent time
delay, and count spectral index of these spikes. We also located the hard X-ray
source emitting these spikes from RHESSI mapping that was coordinated with
imaging observations in visible and UV wavelengths. We identify quickly varying
structures of <1 s during the rise of hard X-rays in five flares. These hard
X-ray spikes can be observed at photon energies over 100 keV. They exhibit
sharp rise and decay with a duration (FWHM) of less than 1 s. Energy-dependent
time lags are present in some spikes. It is seen that the spikes exhibit harder
spectra than underlying components, typically by 0.5 in the spectral index when
they are fitted to power-law distributions. RHESSI clean maps at 25-100 keV
with an integration of 2 s centered on the peak of the spikes suggest that hard
X-ray spikes are primarily emitted by double foot-point sources in magnetic
fields of opposite polarities. With the RHESSI mapping resolution of ~ 4 arsec,
the hard X-ray spike maps do not exhibit detectable difference in the spatial
structure from sources emitting underlying components. Coordinated
high-resolution imaging UV and infrared observations confirm that hard X-ray
spikes are produced in magnetic structures embedded in the same magnetic
environment of the underlying components. The coordinated high-cadence TRACE UV
observations of one event possibly reveal new structures on spatial scales <1-2
arsec at the time of the spike superposed on the underlying component. They are
probably sources of hard X-ray spikes.Comment: 20 pages, 11 figure
Tidal Heating in Multilayered Terrestrial Exoplanets
The internal pattern and overall magnitude of tidal heating for spin-synchronous terrestrial exoplanets from 1 to 2.5 R(sub E) is investigated using a propagator matrix method for a variety of layer structures. Particular attention is paid to ice-silicate hybrid super-Earths, where a significant ice mantle is modeled to rest atop an iron-silicate core, and may or may not contain a liquid water ocean. We find multilayer modeling often increases tidal dissipation relative to a homogeneous model, across multiple orbital periods, due to the ability to include smaller volume low viscosity regions, and the added flexure allowed by liquid layers. Gradations in parameters with depth are explored, such as allowed by the Preliminary Earth Reference Model. For ice-silicate hybrid worlds, dramatically greater dissipation is possible beyond the case of a silicate mantle only, allowing non-negligible tidal activity to extend to greater orbital periods than previously predicted. Surface patterns of tidal heating are found to potentially be useful for distinguishing internal structure. The influence of ice mantle depth and water ocean size and position are shown for a range of forcing frequencies. Rates of orbital circularization are found to be 10-100 times faster than standard predictions for Earth-analog planets when interiors are moderately warmer than the modern Earth, as well as for a diverse range of ice-silicate hybrid super-Earths. Circularization rates are shown to be significantly longer for planets with layers equivalent to an ocean-free modern Earth, as well as for planets with high fractions of either ice or silicate melting
A new method of observing weak extended x-ray sources with RHESSI
We present a new method, fan-beam modulation, for observing weak extended
x-ray sources with the Reuven Ramaty High-Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager
(RHESSI). This space-based solar x-ray and gamma-ray telescope has much greater
sensitivity than previous experiments in the 3-25 keV range, but is normally
not well suited to detecting extended sources since their signal is not
modulated by RHESSI's rotating grids. When the spacecraft is offpointed from
the target source, however, the fan-beam modulation time-modulates the
transmission by shadowing resulting from exploiting the finite thickness of the
grids. In this paper we detail how the technique is implemented and verify its
consistency with sources with clear known signals that have occurred during
RHESSI offpointing: microflares and the Crab Nebula. In both cases the results
are consistent with previous and complementary measurements. Preliminary work
indicates that this new technique allows RHESSI to observe the integrated hard
x-ray spectrum of weak extended sources on the quiet Sun.Comment: Publishe
A frequency-agile interferometer for solar microwave spectroscopy
A high-resolution microwave spectrometer has been developed by converting the Owens Valley solar interferometer to frequency-agile operation. The system uses 27 m antennas equipped with phase-locked receivers which can change their observing frequency in 25 or 50 ms. Microwave spectra between 1 and 18 GHz are obtained in a few seconds by successive observations at up to 86 discrete frequencies. At each frequency the data are equivalent to the total power from each antenna and the interferometric amplitude and phase. All data are fully calibrated with respect to cosmic sources.
The instrument was motivated by the need for better microwave spectral resolution for the study of plasma parameters, non-thermal electrons and coronal magnetic field strengths in solar flares and active regions. Early observations with the system are illustrated by a sequence of flare spectra featuring cases with exceptionally narrow continuum bandwidths
Observations of Hydrogen and Helium Isotopes in Solar Cosmic Rays
Hydrogen and helium isotopes in solar cosmic rays between 1.2
and 15.0 MeV/nuc have been observed with the Ca1tech Electron/Isotope Spectrometer on IMP-7. During 1973 three "^3He rich
events", containing more ^3He than ^2H or ^3H, were observed on
14 February, 29 June, and 5 September. The latter event was
particularly interesting in that (^3He/^4He) ~ 6 and (^3He/^1H)
~ 1. Excluding these three events, flare-averaged ratios
for ^2H/^1H and ^3H/^1H have been obtained for energies below
8.6 MeV/nuc. When compared with the ratios at higher energies,
the observed energy dependence is consistent with the thin
target model of Ramaty and Kozlovsky with a relativistic pathlength
of ~ 1 g/cm^2. Flare-averaged ^3He results reported here
might suggest a somewhat longer pathlength
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