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At least 307 records · Page 17

Convective storm downdraft outflows detected by NASA/MSFC's Airborne 10.6 micron pulsed Doppler Lidar System

The capability of a unique Airborne Doppler Lidar System to measure the horizontal winds in the vicinity of severe storm activity is demonstrated. The Airborne Doppler Lidar System (ADLS), developed at NASA/MSFC, was flown on a CV990 research aircraft during the CCOPE (Cooperative Convective Precipitation Experiments, Montana, Summer 1981). Flown between 400 and 600 m AGL, the lidar probed the subcloud regions of several deep convection storms. ADLS data collected near storms on 21 and 23 July 1981 are presented along with satellite imagery, radar echo maps and surface station measurements. These case studies are evidence of the successful performance of an airborne remote wind sensing system and the advantages of two dimension flow visualization of storm outflow structures and interactions.

Emmitt, G. D.↗

The nature of AFGL 2591 and its associated molecular outflow Infrared and millimeter-wave observations

The results of infrared photometry from 2 to 160 microns of AFGL and CO(12) observations of its associated molecular cloud and high velocity molecular outflow are presented and discussed. The observed solar luminosity is 6.7 x 10(4) at a distance of 2 kpc. The spectrum of AFGL 2591 is interpreted in the context of a model in which a single embedded object is the dominant source of the infrared luminosity. This object is determined to be surrounded by a compact, optically thick dust shell with a temperature in excess of several hundred degrees kelvin. The extinction to this source is estimated to be between 26 and 50 visual magnitudes. The absolute position of the infrared sources at 10 microns was determined to an accuracy of + or - 1 in. This indicates for the first time that the IR source and H2O source are not coincident. The CO(12) observations show the high-velocity molecular flow near AFGL 2591 to be extended, bipolar and roughly centered on the infrared emission. The observations suggest that the red-shifted flow component extends beyond the boundary of the ambient cloud within which AFGL 2591 is embedded. The CO(12) observations also show that AFGL 2591 is embedded in a molecular cloud with an LSR velocity of -5 km/s.

Lada, C. J.↗

Global view of the upper level outflow patterns associated with tropical cyclone intensity changes during FGGE

The characteristics of the upper tropospheric outflow patterns which occur with tropical cyclone intensification and weakening over all of the global tropical cyclone basins during the year long period of the First GARP Global Experiment (FGGE) are discussed. By intensification is meant the change in the tropical cyclone's maximum wind or central pressure, not the change of the cyclone's outer 1 to 3 deg radius mean wind which we classify as cyclone strength. All the 80 tropical cyclones which existed during the FGGE year are studied. Two-hundred mb wind fields are derived from the analysis of the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) which makes extensive use of upper tropospheric satellite and aircraft winds. Corresponding satellite cloud pictures from the polar orbiting U.S. Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) and other supplementary polar and geostationary satellite data are also used.

Chen, L.↗

A search for outflows from X-ray bright points in coronal holes

Properties of X-ray bright points using two of the instruments on Solar Maximum Mission were investigated. The mass outflows from magnetic regions were modeled using a two dimensional MHD code. It was concluded that mass can be detected from X-ray bright points provided that the magnetic topology is favorable.

Mullan, D. J.↗

Cometary rays - Magnetically channeled outflow

The present model of the structure and evolution of cometary rays views this radiation as the channeled outflow of cometary ions from the ionosphere. While ions in the central tail ray flow down the channel formed by the tailward closing of the draped interplanetary field, ions in the side rays flow through magnetic flux ropes that become embedded in the cometary ionosphere through Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of the cometary ionopause. The flux ropes tunnel through the ionosphere, penetrate the ionopause at two points, and extend out into the solar wind on both sides of the comet. Differences in observed cometary ray structure are attributed to differences in the radial distance and ecliptic latitude of different comets at the time of observation.

Wolff, R. S.↗

Supersonic ion outflows in the polar magnetosphere via the geomagnetic spectrometer

Observations of 'supersonic' O(+) outflows by DE-1 in the polar magnetosphere are interpreted as a velocity-filter effect resulting from the transport of these low energy ions from a horizontally narrow source associated with the polar cleft topside ionosphere into the polar cap magnetosphere. Under certain simplifying circumstances, it is shown that the 'Mach number' for the flow is essentially a geometrically determined quantity, approximately the ratio of the horizontal distance of the observation location to the source over the horizontal width of the source. A recently developed two-dimensional kinetic model of ion transport in the polar magnetosphere is used to calculate distribution functions and the associated bulk flow parameters, and these calculated quantities are compared with measured flow parameters from DE-1.

Horwitz, J. L.↗

The Mg II line profile in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151: A new outflowing component

The Mg II 2795, 2802A doublet in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 was examined to search for velocity systems in absorption and emission. Evidence for a narrow, outflowing absorption system in Mg II having a velocity of +825 km/sec relative to the Sun, -165 km/sec relative to the systemic velocity of NGC 4151 is presented. This feature is not present in Ly alpha or C IV and possible explanations for this are considered. For the Mg II and C IV lines a model decomposition of the line profile is shown.

Leech, Kieron J.↗

Extended far-infrared emission associated with mass outflows from young stars: L1551 IRS 5

Coadded IRAS survey data have been examined in the L1551 region. Extended low-surface-brightness 60 and 1200-micron emission is aligned with the molecular outflow from L1551 IRS 5. The morphology and the uniform surface brightness and color temperature of the IR emission suggest that the wind from IRS 5 is the source of this emission. It is suggested that radiative heating of grains by photons generated at the stellar wind/cloud interface is a major contributor to the extended infrared emission.

Edwards, S.↗

An MHD simulation of the interaction of the solar wind with the outflowing plasma from a comet

The interaction between the solar wind and the outflowing plasmas from a comet has been studied by using a two-dimensional time-dependent magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation. The model reproduced several features of the comet-solar wind interaction predicted by earlier theories and observed on the recent cometary probes. These include the formation of the contact surface and the cometary magnetotail. For a constant interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) the cometary plasma captures field lines which drape over the comet to form an antiparallel magnetic field configuration in the tail and a thin plasma sheet. Eventually, tail magnetic reconnection begins to occur at several points. When the IMF orientation is reversed dayside magnetic reconnection occurs at the subsolar point and a large disturbance propagation down the tail.

Ogino, T.↗

A two-dimensional radial outflow model of plasma at Jupiter

An analytic solution illustrating the behavior of incompressible irrotational plasma outflow in two dimensions is given for application to the Jovian magnetosphere. Plasma is assumed to emanate from the Alfven surface and is channeled downtail by the confining magnetopause surface. Conformal transformation methods are used to map this complex magnetotail geometry into a rectangular box for which the solution to Laplace's equation is expressed in simple form. The model suggests that a dipole layer is formed on the dawn side in the vicinity of the Alfven surface where the flow bifurcates into clockwise and counterclockwise motion. An electric field discontinuity of this type fixed in local time may be able to account for several anomalous spin-periodic phenomena, namely, the modulation of Io-independent radio emissions and the injection of energetic electrons into interplanetary space.

Barbosa, D. D.↗

Observations of SiO toward OMC-1 - A new outflow source 1.5 arcmin south of Orion-KL?

Observations of the J = 2-1 transition of thermal SiO have been carried out toward OMC-1. Approximately 1.5 arcmin south of the KL nebula and IRc2, a new moderately strong source of SiO emission with T(a)-asterisk of about 1 K has been detected. The emission appears to be confined to a region 30 arcsec or less in size and shows evidence of high-velocity wings extending + or - 12-15 km/s from line center, which may indicate the presence of an embedded star in its early stages. The SiO J - 2-1 line was sought at other positions in OMC-1 but was not detected except at (3N, 1E), where a weak narrow line was observed. Derived column densities and abundances at the 1.5-arcmin S, (3N, 1E), and KL positions suggest that SiO formation is favored in regions where outflows and high temperatures are present.

Ziurys, L. M.↗

Time-dependent numerical simulation of hot ion outflow from the polar ionosphere

The time-dependent hydrodynamic model of Gombosi et al. (1985) was used to investigate the effects of bulk plasma heating on ion flows in the polar ionosphere. In the analysis, coupled time-dependent continuity, momentum, and energy equations of a two-ion (H/+/ and O/+/) quasi-neutral plasma were solved between 200 and 8000 km for polar wind conditions. In spite of its several limitations, the model can serve to indicate the gross behavior of polar region plasma flows. Two specific cases, ion heating and electron heating, were considered. The calculated temperature and flow profiles suggest that ion heating, rather than electron heating, generates the upwelling ion events, for which large transient O(+) outflows accompanied by elevated ion temperatures were observed.

Gombosi, T. I.↗

Outflows in the star-formation region near R CrA

Photographs, spectra, and velocities are presented for the Herbig-Haro objects and visible stars associated with the star-formation region near R CrA. The new data are used to discuss the gas outflows in the area. At least two flows are present; one is linked with the bright variable star R CrA, and the second with the IR source near HH 100. Special attention is given to HH 101. The velocity and spatial structures HH 101 are complex, but are consistent with condensations inside an expanding shell of material ejected from HH 100IR.

Hartigan, Patrick↗

The Mg II line profile in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 - A new outflowing component

This paper examines the Mg II 2795-2802 A doublet in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 at a higher resolution than has previously been used, searching for velocity systems in absorption and emission. Evidence is presented for a new, narrow, outflowing absorption system in Mg II having a velocity of 825 km/s relative to the sun, and -165 km/s relative to the systemic velocity of NGC 4151. This feature is not present in Ly-alpha or C IV and possible explanations for this are considered. For the Mg II and C IV lines, a model decomposition of the line profile is presented.

Leech, Kieron J.↗

The bipolar outflow from the rotating carbon star, V Hydrae

A high-resolution optical spectrum of the mass-losing red giant carbon star, V Hya, has been obtained, and the (C-12)O (J = 1-0) millimeter emission in the circumstellar envelope around this star has been mapped. It is found that the CO emission is extended, clearly anisotropic and can be interpreted as the superposition of an isotropic emission with that of a bipolar flow. The optical spectrum of the photosphere suggests that this star is rotating with v sin i between 10 and 20 km/s. These data are interpreted, together, to suggest that the bipolar nature of the outflow results from the flattening of the star induced by its rapid rotation.

Kahane, C.↗

The circumstellar water fountains of IRAS 16342-3814 - A very high velocity bipolar outflow

Maser emission from OH and H2O is observed to be present over an exceptionally wide range of velocities in the cold, stellar infrared source IRAS 16342-3814. OH emission at 1612, 1665, and 1667 MHz spans 130 km/s, a range far larger than in any other known OH/IR star. The H2O emission features appear as two widely separated doublets with a full velocity spread of 259 km/s. Several lines of evidence point to the conclusion that IRAS 16342-3814 is an evolved star with a bipolar outflow, related to objects such as OH 231.8 + 4.2 and M1 - 92. The H2O masers are interpreted as streams or clumps of molecular gas forced out the polar axes by, or as part of, a wind from an accretion disk, while the OH masers appear to arise from lower velocity material at intermediate latitudes.

Likkel, Lauren↗

Molecular outflows and mass loss in the pre-main-sequence stars

Molecular outflows are used here to probe mass loss in premain sequence (PMS) stars. Mass-loss rates are determined for 26 objects ranging in luminosity from four to about 100,000 solar, in mass from 0.5 to 30 solar, and in age from about 10,000 to about a million years. The derived mass-loss rates range from 9 x 10 to the -9th to 9 x 10 to the -4th solar mass/yr, with a typical value of 3 x 10 to the -7th solar mass/yr. PMS objects showing mass loss fall in a clearly demarcated region of the H-R diagram. The mass loss is proportional to bolometric luminosity to the 0.6 power and to stellar mass to the 1.8 power. The implications of these findings for the nature of the PMS mass-loss mechanism, for self-regulated low-mass star formation, and for planetary formation are discussed.

Levreault, Russell M.↗

The detection of a discrete outflow from the young stellar object GL 490

A high-resolution (0.059/cm) M-band spectrum has been obtained of the embedded young stellar object GL490. The spectrum shows interstellar absorption in the fundamental vibrational band, v = 1-0, of (C-12)O. Two strong and narrow (10 km/s) velocity components are present. One, at the velocity of GL490 (vLSR = -16 km/s), is likely gas in the molecular cloud within which GL490 is embedded. The other component is blueshifted by 13 km/s relative to GL490. An observation of emission from the J = 3-2 transition of HCO(+) using a 20-arcsec beam supports the view that the blueshifted gas is near the central object. The -29-km/s feature is interpreted as a recently ejected shell. It is conjectured that the extended outflows of cold molecular gas seen by millimeter CO emission observations are driven by sporadic outbursts rather than by continuous flows from the central object.

Mitchell, G. F.↗