Fast solar electrons, interplanetary plasma and km-wave type-III radio bursts observed from the IMP-6 spacecraft
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Solar wind electron density power spectra in the solar equatorial region are inferred from observations of phase scintillations and spectral broadening made with the Viking, Helios, and Pioneer spacecraft. The heliocentric distance range covered is 2-215 solar radii and for some observations close to the sun the spectra extend to fluctuation frequencies as high as 100 Hz. For heliocentric distances of about 20 solar radii the equivalent spacecraft-measured one-dimensional density spectrum is well modeled by a single power law in the frequency range 0.0001-0.05 Hz. The flattening of the density spectrum within 20 solar radii is presumably associated with energy deposition in the near-sun region and acceleration of the solar wind.
New (C-12)H4 transitions were detected at 21,303 and 94,089 MHz in emission from Orion A, and temporal variations of intensity were observed among several velocity components at 76,700 MHz. An HC5N transition at 21,301 MHz was also detected in emission from IRC +10216.
(Previously announced in STAR as N81-15927)
The Bubble Nebula, NGC 7635, has been partially mapped at 1 arcmin resolution in the far-infrared and completely mapped at 2.2 arcmin resolution in 115-GHz emission from CO. The infrared results are consistent with the presence of only a small amount of dust within the optical part of the nebula, in agreement with previous work at visual wavelengths. The dust may be fairly uniformly spread through the H II region, although some variation in density is necessary to explain the observed temperature distribution of the dust. The CO emission is weak and the CO column density is very low, consistent with the low obscuration observed in the region. Nevertheless it is surprising that any molecules can exist in the neighbourhood of the luminous exciting star of NGC 7635 and a special geometrical configuration may be necessary.
The spectra of strong bursts observed at low frequencies by OGO-5 during 1968-1970 are presented. They usually exhibit an intense main peak between 100 kHz and 1 MHz, and sometimes a less intense secondary peak between 1 and 3.5 MHz. Main peaks of 10 to the -12th W per sq m per Hz or more were obtained in very strong events, but because of antenna calibration problems those could be one or two orders of magnitude too high. Recently published work supports the finding that type III bursts at low frequencies can be at least four orders of magnitude more intense than at ground-based frequencies of observation. It is found that the energy received at the earth increases with decreasing frequency approximately as f to the -n, where n is between 3 and 4.
The design and current status of the ORION mobile VLBI station is described. The station consists of a five-meter antenna, a receiving and recording system installed in a mobile antenna transporter, and an electronics transporter. The station is designed for field operation by a two-person crew at the rate of two sites per week. The various subsystems are described in detail, including the antenna, housing facilities for electronics and crew, microwave equipment, receiver, data acquisition subsystem, frequency and timing subsystem, phase calibration, monitoring and control, water vapor radiometer, and communications.
New J = 1-0 CO and far-infrared maps of the Orion star-forming region are presented and discussed. The total infrared luminosity of the Orion star-forming ridge is 250,000 solar luminosities. The material that is emitting strongly at 60 microns is traced and found to be highly centrally concentrated. However, the majority of the extended emission from this region comes from dust that is ultimately heated by the visible Trapezium cluster stars. The luminosity of IRc 2, the most luminous member of the infrared cluster, is estimated to be 40,000-50,000 solar luminosities. A schematic drawing of the Ori MC 1 region is presented.
Using the Hard X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (HXIS) from the Solar Maximum Mission Satellite, the morphological aspects and temporal evolution of three major flares which occurred on June 29, 1980 are studied. One of these events, observed at 10:40 UT, is analyzed in particular detail, including Hard X-ray Burst Spectrometer (HXRBS) data and metric wavelength data from the Nancay radioheliograph. The flares occurred during the interaction of two distinct magnetic structures. There is an early onset phase during which there is a weak level of particle acceleration, perhaps accompanied by strong heating within the magnetic interaction region. The impulsive phase of high power energy release is associated with a major interaction between the two structures and accompanied by strong acceleration and heating.
IRAS measurements at 25, 60, and 100 microns have been used to analyze the far-infrared properties of radio galaxies. Fifty-eight of the 131 objects surveyed were detected at the level of better than 300 mJy at 60 microns. The most powerful radio galaxies are strong emitters in the far infrared. Large infrared emission is shown to be correlated with the presence of strong emission lines in the optical spectra. The infrared colors of the strong radio galaxies are similar to those of Markarian Seyferts. The results are shown to be consistent with recent results implying that the host galaxies of radio sources are not normal giant ellipticals and that galaxy-galaxy interactions may power luminous radio sources. Finally, some similarities between powerful radio galaxies and powerful infrared galaxies are noted and briefly discussed.
Optical, IR, and radio observations of the powerful radio source 3C 294, which is surrounded by a large cloud of ionized gas, are presented. The galaxy is faint in the rest-frame UV, yet has a near-IR luminosity that is typical of radio galaxies at redshifts of order two. In contrast to the large extent of the ionized gas, the K-band image is quite compact. The emission-line cloud is closely aligned with the radio source axis and has an ionization state indicative of ionization by a nonstellar source. The velocity field of the gas has both large ordered motions and large turbulent components. The total mass required to keep the gas bound to the system is comparable to present-day massive galaxies and their halos. The velocity fields of the high-ionization lines are systematically different from Ly-alpha in a manner that is not easily understood.
We have studied the protostellar system in S140 at 2.2, 3.1 and 3.45 microns using a 128x128 InSb array at the Lick Observatory 3m telescope. Besides the protostellar sources, the data reveal a bright infrared reflection nebula. We have developed a simple model of this region and derived the physical conditions. IRSI is surrounded by a dense dusty disk viewed almost edge-on. Photons leaking out through the poles illuminate almost directly north and south the inner edge of a surrounding shell of molecular gas, Analysis of the observed colors and intensities of the NIR light, using Mie scattering theory, reveal that the dust grains in the molecular cloud are somewhat larger than in the general diffuse interstellar medium. Moreover, the incident light has a "cool" color temperature, approximately equals 800K, and likely originates from a dust photosphere close to the protostar. Finally, we find little H2O ice associated with the dusty disk around IRSI. Most of the 3.1 micron ice extinction arises instead from cool intervening molecular cloud material. We have compared our infrared dust observations with millimeter and radio observations of molecular gas associated with this region. The large scale structure observable in the molecular gas is indicative of the interaction between the protostellar wind and the surrounding molecular cloud rather than the geometry of the protostellar disk. We conclude that S140 is a young blister formed by this outflow on the side of a molecular cloud and viewed edge-on.
We have conducted a study of quasiperiodic emission observed by the plasma wave instrument on board the Galileo spacecraft. These emissions appear as broadband bursts with dominant periods ranging from 10 min to over 40 min. For these emissions we have explicitly analyzed the high-resolution (waveform) data to determine the presence of impulsive, solitary signatures. Our investigations have indicated that the broadband bursts, as well as the background more narrowband continuum emission, are composed of a highly turbulent spectrum. Within the broadband burst, however, there are higher-frequency components present, but no impulsive electrostatic signatures. Also significantly, the broadband bursts show no low-frequency dispersion. We conclude that the bursts are consistent with a distant, electromagnetic source, probably in the near-Jupiter vicinity.
The primary research goal of this project is to perform follow-up observations of a recurrent ultraluminous supersoft X-ray source (SSS) in Ml0l. The source was first discovered by ROSAT and was confirmed as a SSS with a blackbody temperature of about l00eV by Chandra. During 2000 March, Chandra detected it at Lx=4e39 erg per second, and then in 2000 October, its luminosity dropped to around le39 erg per second. During 2004, Chandra is conducting a monitoring program for Ml0l. The SSS was near the detection limit during January, March, and May; the X-ray spectra were harder with a power-law shape, and the X-ray luminosity was about 3e37 erg/second, a factor of greater than 200 fainter than that in the previous high state. The source was found to be in outburst again during the July 5 observation, with an X-ray luminosity of about 7e39 erg/second. Data taken on July 6,7, and 8 show that the source was in a strong outburst with a peak bolometric luminosity of about 7e39 erg/second. In general, the X-ray spectra are best described with an absorbed blackbody model with temperatures of approximately 50-100eV. In addition, we found absorption edges at 0.33, 0.57, 0.66, and 0.88 keV in two of the high state spectra. These features may signal the presence of highly ionized gas in the vicinity of the accretor (e.g., warm absorber). In order to study an ultraluminous SSS in outburst in detail, we proposed a TOO XMM observation to observe the source. The observation was taken on July 23 and the source was fainter with a luminosity of 6e38 ergs, and a harder X-ray spectrum with a power-law tail seen up to 7 keV. This clearly indicates that the source was in the decline stage with spectral change. In addition to the XMM observation, we also arranged radio observation and a simultaneous CFHT observation. The X-ray results were published in ATel and ApJL. There were several more Chandra observations taken after 2004 July. The source was in a low luminosity state but it underwent another X-ray outburst in 2004 December. We are arranging more follow-up observations for this intriguing source.
Our knowledge of the composition and physical properties of planetary atmospheres is important for the understanding of the origin and evolution of the planets themselves, as well as for providing a comparative basis for understanding the Earth's atmosphere.
Locating low frequency radio observatories on the lunar surface has a number of advantages. Here, we describe the Radio Observatory for Lunar Sortie Science (ROLSS), a concept for a low frequency, radio imaging interferometric array designed to study particle acceleration in the corona and inner heliosphere. ROLSS would be deployed during an early lunar sortie or by a robotic rover as part of an unmanned landing. The prime science mission is to image type II and type III solar radio bursts with the aim of determining the sites at and mechanisms by which the radiating particles are accelerated. Secondary science goals include constraining the density of the lunar ionosphere by searching for a low radio frequency cutoff of the solar radio emissions and constraining the low energy electron population in astrophysical sources. Furthermore, ROLSS serves a pathfinder function for larger lunar radio arrays. Key design requirements on ROLES include the operational frequency and angular resolution. The electron densities in the solar corona and inner heliosphere are such that the relevant emission occurs below 10 MHz, essentially unobservable from Earth's surface due to the terrestrial ionospheric cutoff. Resolving the potential sites of particle acceleration requires an instrument with an angular resolution of at least 2 deg, equivalent to a linear array size of approximately 500 meters. Operations would consist of data acquisition during the lunar day, with regular data downlinks. The major components of the ROLSS array are 3 antenna arms arranged in a Y shape, with a central electronics package (CEP). Each antenna arm is a linear strip of polyimide film (e.g., Kapton (TM)) on which 16 single polarization dipole antennas are located by depositing a conductor (e.g., silver). The arms also contain transmission lines for carrying the radio signals from the science antennas to the CEP.
Locating low frequency radio observatories on the lunar surface has a number of advantages, including fixes locations for the antennas and no terrestrial interference on the far side of the moon. Here, we describe the Radio Observatory for Lunar Sortie Science (ROLSS), a concept for a low frequency, radio imaging interferometric array designed to study particle acceleration in the corona and inner heliosphere. ROLSS would be deployed during an early lunar sortie or by a robotic rover as part of an unmanned landing. The prime science mission is to image type II and type III solar radio bursts with the aim of determining the sites at and mechanisms by which the radiating particles are accelerated. Secondary science goals include constraining the density of the lunar ionosphere by searching for a low radio frequency cutoff of the solar radio emissions and constraining the low energy electron population in astrophysical sources. Furthermore, ROLSS serves a pathfinder function for larger lunar radio arrays designed for faint sources.