On the enhancement of the IMF magnitude during 1978-1979

The magnitude of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) exhibits an enhancement during 1978 to 1979 relative to all years back to 1963. It is shown that IMF magnitude variations over the 1966 to 1979 period represent the combined effect of variations in both the radial flux density of the IMF and the degree of spiraling of the IMG, consistent with the theoretical model of Parker. The 1978 to 1979 IMF magnitude enhancement is due to an enhancement of radial flux which was in turn related to an increase of magnetic flux leaving solar active regions. It is also shown that during the corotating stream dominated years 1973 to 1976, the IMF was less wound up than during other years, and that 1973 to 1974 were years of enhanced radial flux

Solar wind simulator

Design of proton source solar wind simulato

Method of making impurity-type semiconductor electrical contacts Patent

Fabrication of sintered impurity semiconductor brushes for electrical energy transfe

Improved molybdenum disulfide-silver motor brushes have extended life

Motor brushes of proper quantities of molybdenum disulfide and copper or silver are manufactured by sintering techniques. Graphite molds are used. These brushes operate satisfactorily for long periods in normal atmosphere or in a high-vacuum environment

Intense magnetic fields at 1 AU: Solar cycle 20

Of the intense magnetic fields (greater than 13 gamma) observed at 1 AU during solar cycle 20 (1973-1975), 92% were associated with shocks, stream interfaces, or cold magnetic enhancements (CMEs). Most (52%) of the magnetic field intensity enhancements occurred at stream interfaces; 27% occurred behind shocks without interfaces; and 11% occurred in CMEs. The most intense fields (25 gamma to 37 gamma) followed shocks. Magnetic field intensities at interfaces did not exceed 25 gamma, suggesting a mechanism such as a magnetoacoustic wave limits the intensity ahead of streams. Intense magnetic fields persist longest behind shocks

Energetic solar proton versus terrestrially trapped proton fluxes for the active years 1977 - 1983

Ratios of solar to trapped proton fluences were computed for circular-orbit, geocentric space missions to be flown during the active phase of the next solar cycle (1977-1983). The ratios are presented as functions of orbit altitude and inclination, mission duration, proton energy threshold, and the chance the mission planner is willing to take that the actually encountered solar proton fluence will exceed the design fluence provided by the statistical solar proton model. It is shown that the ratio is most sensitively dependent on orbit altitude and inclination, with trapped protons dominant for low inclination, low and mid altitude orbits and for high inclination, mid altitude orbits. Conversely, solar protons are dominant for high inclination, low altitude orbits, and for low and high inclination, high altitude orbits

Minutes of the CD-ROM Workshop

The workshop described in this document had two goals: (1) to establish guidelines for the CD-ROM as a tool to distribute datasets; and (2) to evaluate current scientific CD-ROM projects as an archive. Workshop attendees were urged to coordinate with European groups to develop CD-ROM, which is already available at low cost in the U.S., as a distribution medium for astronomical datasets. It was noted that NASA has made the CD Publisher at the National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) available to the scientific community when the Publisher is not needed for NASA work. NSSDC's goal is to provide the Publisher's user with the hardware and software tools needed to design a user's dataset for distribution. This includes producing a master CD and copies. The prerequisite premastering process is described, as well as guidelines for CD-ROM construction. The production of discs was evaluated. CD-ROM projects, guidelines, and problems of the technology were discussed

Solar radio burst and in situ determination of interplanetary electron density

A few interplanetary electron density scales which were derived from the analysis of interplanetary solar radio burst are discussed and compared to a model derived from 1974 to 1980 Helios 1 and 2 in situ density observations made in the 0.3 to 1.0 AU range. The Helios densities were normalized to 1976 with the aid of IMP and ISEE data at 1 AU, and were then sorted into 0.1 AU bins and logarithmically averaged within each bin. The best fit to these 1976-normalized, bin averages is N(R(AU)) = 6.1 R(-2.10)/cu cm. This model is in rather good agreement with the solar burst determination if the radiation is assumed to be on the second harmonic of the plasma frequency. This analysis also suggests that the radio emissions tend to be produced in regions denser than the average where the density gradient decreases faster with distance than the observed R(-2.10)

An interplanetary magnetic field ensemble at 1 AU

A method for calculation ensemble averages from magnetic field data is described. A data set comprising approximately 16 months of nearly continuous ISEE-3 magnetic field data is used in this study. Individual subintervals of this data, ranging from 15 hours to 15.6 days comprise the ensemble. The sole condition for including each subinterval in the averages is the degree to which it represents a weakly time-stationary process. Averages obtained by this method are appropriate for a turbulence description of the interplanetary medium. The ensemble average correlation length obtained from all subintervals is found to be 4.9 x 10 to the 11th cm. The average value of the variances of the magnetic field components are in the approximate ratio 8:9:10, where the third component is the local mean field direction. The correlation lengths and variances are found to have a systematic variation with subinterval duration, reflecting the important role of low-frequency fluctuations in the interplanetary medium

Mathematical modelling plant signalling networks

During the last two decades, molecular genetic studies and the completion of the sequencing of the Arabidopsis thaliana genome have increased knowledge of hormonal regulation in plants. These signal transduction pathways act in concert through gene regulatory and signalling networks whose main components have begun to be elucidated. Our understanding of the resulting cellular processes is hindered by the complex, and sometimes counter-intuitive, dynamics of the networks, which may be interconnected through feedback controls and cross-regulation. Mathematical modelling provides a valuable tool to investigate such dynamics and to perform in silico experiments that may not be easily carried out in a laboratory. In this article, we firstly review general methods for modelling gene and signalling networks and their application in plants. We then describe specific models of hormonal perception and cross-talk in plants. This sub-cellular analysis paves the way for more comprehensive mathematical studies of hormonal transport and signalling in a multi-scale setting