232 research outputs found
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Regulation of the interplanetary magnetic flux
In this study we use a recently developed technique for measuring the 2-D magnetic flux in the ecliptic plane to examine (1) the long term variation of the magnetic flux in interplanetary space and (2) the apparent rate at which coronal mass ejections (CMEs) may be opening new flux from the Sun. Since there is a substantial variation ({approximately}50%) of the flux in the ecliptic plane over the solar cycle, we conclude that there must be some means whereby new flux can be opened from the Sun and previously open magnetic flux can be closed off. We briefly describe recently discovered coronal disconnections events which could serve to close off previously open magnetic flux. CMEs appear to retain at least partial magnetic connection to the Sun and hence open new flux, while disconnections appear to be likely signatures of the process that returns closed flux to the Sun; the combination of these processes could regulate the amount of open magnetic flux in interplanetary space. 6 refs., 3 figs
Accretion by Isolated Neutron Stars
Accretion of interstellar material by an isolated neutron star is discussed.
The point I address here is the interaction between the accretion flow and the
stellar magnetosphere. I show that the interchange instabilities of the
magnetospheric boundary under the conditions of interest are basically
suppressed. The entry of the material into the magnetosphere is governed by
diffusion. Due to this reason the persistent accretion luminosity of isolated
neutron stars is limited to < 4E+26 erg/s. These objects can also appear as
X-ray bursters with the burst durations of about 30 minutes and repetition time
of about 1E+5 yr. This indicates that the number of the accreting isolated
neutron stars which could be observed with recent and modern X-ray missions is
a few orders of magnitude smaller than that previously estimated.Comment: 3 pages, to appear in Astrophysics and Space Science, in the
proceedings of "Isolated Neutron Stars: from the Interior to the Surface",
edited by D. Page, R. Turolla and S. Zan
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Ion acceleration at the earth's bow shock: a review of observations in the upstream region
Positive ions are accelerated at or near the earth's bow shock and propagate into the upstream region. Two distinctly different populations of these ions, distinguished by their greatly different spectral and angular widths, can be identified there. The type of ion population observed in the upstream region is strongly correlated with the presence or absence of long-period compressive waves in the solar wind. Very few ions are accelerated in the vicinity of the shock to energies much above about 100 keV. It is not yet clear whether the most energetic ions (i.e., those near 100 keV) are accelerated at the shock or in broad disturbed region upstream from the shock. In either case stochastic acceleration by turbulent electrostatic fields seems to be the most viable candidate for the acceleration of the most energetic particles
Protective Efficacy of Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Infants (IPTi) Using Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine and Parasite Resistance
Protective Efficacy of Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Infants (IPTi) Using Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine and Parasite Resistance
Galaxy rotation curves: the effect of j x B force
Using the Galaxy as an example, we study the effect of j x B force on the
rotational curves of gas and plasma in galaxies. Acceptable model for the
galactic magnetic field and plausible physical parameters are used to fit the
flat rotational curve for gas and plasma based on the observed baryonic
(visible) matter distribution and j x B force term in the static MHD equation
of motion. We also study the effects of varied strength of the magnetic field,
its pitch angle and length scale on the rotational curves. We show that j x B
force does not play an important role on the plasma dynamics in the
intermediate range of distances 6-12 kpc from the centre, whilst the effect is
sizable for larger r (r > 15 kpc), where it is the most crucial.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysics & Space Science (final
printed version, typos in proofs corrected
An Asymmetric Cone Model for Halo Coronal Mass Ejections
Due to projection effects, coronagraphic observations cannot uniquely
determine parameters relevant to the geoeffectiveness of CMEs, such as the true
propagation speed, width, or source location. The Cone Model for Coronal Mass
Ejections (CMEs) has been studied in this respect and it could be used to
obtain these parameters. There are evidences that some CMEs initiate from a
flux-rope topology. It seems that these CMEs should be elongated along the
flux-rope axis and the cross section of the cone base should be rather
elliptical than circular. In the present paper we applied an asymmetric cone
model to get the real space parameters of frontsided halo CMEs (HCMEs) recorded
by SOHO/LASCO coronagraphs in 2002. The cone model parameters are generated
through a fitting procedure to the projected speeds measured at different
position angles on the plane of the sky. We consider models with the apex of
the cone located at the center and surface of the Sun. The results are compared
to the standard symmetric cone model
Geomagnetic storm dependence on the solar flare class
Content. Solar flares are often used as precursors of geomagnetic storms. In
particular, Howard and Tappin (2005) recently published in A&A a dependence
between X-ray class of solar flares and Ap and Dst indexes of geomagnetic
storms which contradicts to early published results.
Aims. We compare published results on flare-storm dependences and discuss
possible sources of the discrepancy.
Methods. We analyze following sources of difference: (1) different intervals
of observations, (2) different statistics and (3) different methods of event
identification and comparison.
Results. Our analysis shows that magnitude of geomagnetic storms is likely to
be independent on X-ray class of solar flares.Comment: 3 pages, 1 tabl
Solar Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections: A Statistically Determined Flare Flux-CME Mass Correlation
In an effort to examine the relationship between flare flux and corresponding
CME mass, we temporally and spatially correlate all X-ray flares and CMEs in
the LASCO and GOES archives from 1996 to 2006. We cross-reference 6,733 CMEs
having well-measured masses against 12,050 X-ray flares having position
information as determined from their optical counterparts. For a given flare,
we search in time for CMEs which occur 10-80 minutes afterward, and we further
require the flare and CME to occur within +/-45 degrees in position angle on
the solar disk. There are 826 CME/flare pairs which fit these criteria.
Comparing the flare fluxes with CME masses of these paired events, we find CME
mass increases with flare flux, following an approximately log-linear, broken
relationship: in the limit of lower flare fluxes, log(CME mass)~0.68*log(flare
flux), and in the limit of higher flare fluxes, log(CME mass)~0.33*log(flare
flux). We show that this broken power-law, and in particular the flatter slope
at higher flare fluxes, may be due to an observational bias against CMEs
associated with the most energetic flares: halo CMEs. Correcting for this bias
yields a single power-law relationship of the form log(CME mass)~0.70*log(flare
flux). This function describes the relationship between CME mass and flare flux
over at least 3 dex in flare flux, from ~10^-7 to 10^-4 W m^-2.Comment: 28 pages, 16 figures, accepted to Solar Physic
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