4,935 research outputs found
On the magnetic field required for driving the observed angular-velocity variations in the solar convection zone
A putative temporally varying circulation-free magnetic-field configuration
is inferred in an equatorial segment of the solar convection zone from the
helioseismologically inferred angular-velocity variation, assuming that the
predominant dynamics is angular acceleration produced by the azimuthal Maxwell
stress exerted by a field whose surface values are consistent with photospheric
line-of-sight measurements.Comment: to appear in MNRA
A study of possible temporal and latitudinal variations in the properties of the solar tachocline
Temporal variations of the structure and the rotation rate of the solar
tachocline region are studied using helioseismic data from the Global
Oscillation Network Group (GONG) and the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI)
obtained during the period 1995--2000. We do not find any significant temporal
variation in the depth of the convection zone, the position of the tachocline
or the extent of overshoot below the convection zone. No systematic variation
in any other properties of the tachocline, like width, etc., is found either.
Possibility of periodic variations in these properties is also investigated.
Time-averaged results show that the tachocline is prolate with a variation by
about 0.02R_sun in its position. The depth of the convection zone or the extent
of overshoot does not show any significant variation with latitude.Comment: To appear in MNRA
Solar-cycle variation of the sound-speed asphericity from GONG and MDI data 1995-2000
We study the variation of the frequency splitting coefficients describing the
solar asphericity in both GONG and MDI data, and use these data to investigate
temporal sound-speed variations as a function of both depth and latitude during
the period from 1995-2000 and a little beyond. The temporal variations in even
splitting coefficients are found to be correlated to the corresponding
component of magnetic flux at the solar surface. We confirm that the
sound-speed variations associated with the surface magnetic field are
superficial. Temporally averaged results show a significant excess in sound
speed around 0.92 solar radii and latitude of 60 degrees.Comment: To be published in MNRAS, accepted July 200
Determining solar abundances using helioseismology
The recent downward revision of solar photospheric abundances of Oxygen and
other heavy elements has resulted in serious discrepancies between solar models
and solar structure as determined through helioseismology. In this work we
investigate the possibility of determining the solar heavy-element abundance
without reference to spectroscopy by using helioseismic data. Using the
dimensionless sound-speed derivative in the solar convection zone, we find that
the heavy element abundance, Z, of 0.0172 +/- 0.002, which is closer to the
older, higher value of the abundances.Comment: To appear in Ap
Asteroseismic Theory of Rapidly Oscillating Ap Stars
This paper reviews some of the important advances made over the last decade
concerning theory of roAp stars.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure
Stellar Envelope Convection calibrated by Radiation Hydrodynamics Simulations: Influence on Globular Clusters Isochrones
One of the largest sources of uncertainty in the computation of globular
cluster isochrones and hence in the age determination of globular clusters is
the lack of a rigorous description of convection. Therefore, we calibrated the
superadiabatic temperature gradient in the envelope of metal-poor low-mass
stars according to the results from a new grid of 2D hydrodynamical models,
which cover the Main Sequence and the lower Red Giant Branch of globular
cluster stars. In practice, we still use for computing the evolutionary stellar
models the traditional mixing length formalism, but we fix the mixing length
parameter in order to reproduce the run of the entropy of the deeper adiabatic
region of the stellar envelopes with effective temperature and gravity as
obtained from the hydro-models. The detailed behaviour of the calibrated mixing
length depends in a non-trivial way on the effective temperature, gravity and
metallicity of the star. Nevertheless, the resulting isochrones for the
relevant age range of galactic globular clusters have only small differences
with respect to isochrones computed adopting a constant solar calibrated value
of the mixing length. Accordingly, the age of globular clusters is reduced by
0.2 Gyr at most.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Probing Solar Convection
In the solar convection zone acoustic waves are scattered by turbulent sound
speed fluctuations. In this paper the scattering of waves by convective cells
is treated using Rytov's technique. Particular care is taken to include
diffraction effects which are important especially for high-degree modes that
are confined to the surface layers of the Sun. The scattering leads to damping
of the waves and causes a phase shift. Damping manifests itself in the width of
the spectral peak of p-mode eigenfrequencies. The contribution of scattering to
the line widths is estimated and the sensitivity of the results on the assumed
spectrum of the turbulence is studied. Finally the theoretical predictions are
compared with recently measured line widths of high-degree modes.Comment: 26 pages, 7 figures, accepted by MNRA
Temporal Variations in the Sun's Rotational Kinetic Energy
AIM: To study the variation of the angular momentum and the rotational
kinetic energy of the Sun, and associated variations in the gravitational
multipole moments, on a timescale of the solar cycle. METHOD: Inverting
helioseismic rotational splitting data obtained by the Global Oscillation
Network Group and by the Michelson Doppler Imager on the Solar and Heliospheric
Observatory. RESULTS: The temporal variation in angular momentum and kinetic
energy at high latitudes (>\pi/4) through the convection zone is positively
correlated with solar activity, whereas at low latitudes it is anticorrelated,
except for the top 10% by radius where both are correlated positively.
CONCLUSION: The helioseismic data imply significant temporal variation in the
angular momentum and the rotational kinetic energy, and in the gravitational
multipole moments. The properties of that variation will help constrain
dynamical theories of the solar cycle.Comment: To appear in Astronomy & Astrophysic
Technique of fuzzy tuned stochastic scanpaths for robot vision
The real-time processing of frame sequences obtained from cameras mounted on autonomous mobile robots and vehicles is a computationally intensive task. This paper is a review of the work carried out so far in the development of a procedure using fuzzy-tuned stochastic 'scanpaths' for efficiently scanning images in a frame sequence. A concise explanation of using fuzzy-tuned stochastic scanpaths is given here followed by a summary of the experimental work that has been undertaken to date and results achieved. The results show how the technique can reliably locate objects in scene whilst examining only a fraction of the image surface, e.g. 5%. The paper concludes with a discussion on research insofar accomplished and proposes ideas for future work
Economic benefits of Mt. Cook National Park
Market and non-market valued decisions are associated with New Zealand's system of national parks. The use benefits of Mount Cook National Park are not priced by the market mechanism, whereas many of the inputs necessary to operate and maintain the Park are priced. Estimates of the economic benefits are relevant information when deciding upon the allocation of resources to, and within, a system of national parks.
In 1984, the consumers' surplus for adult New Zealand visitors was about 58. These expenditures give rise to secondary economic benefits and create opportunities for regional development. Visitor expenditures in the Mackenzie Basin area are associated with 6.8 million of additional regional income, and 196 jobs. These effects derive their significance from regional objectives; they are not indicators of the national benefits associated with Mount Cook National Park
- …