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At least 127 records · Page 7

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NASA NTRS1985

The smallest observable elements of magnetic flux

Time sequences have been used to search for and measure the smallest possible solar flux elements during the process of their disappearance. Measurements are reported of the magnetic flux of 15 of the last remaining visible segments of eight continuously shrinking magnetic features which appeared continuously to cancel with other features of opposite polarity during periods of two to eight hours. The minimum observable fluxes were in the range of 1.0 x 10 to the 16th to 1.4 x 10 to the 17th Mx, and the apparent size of these elements was between 1 and 9 arcsec. The process of disappearance appeared to be a smooth one. The smallest detectable elements of network field and ephemeral regions appeared to be the same as the small intranetwork field elements.

Wang, J.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Volcano/ground ice interactions in Elysium Planitia, Mars

The occurrence within Elysium Planitia of meltwater deposits, possible pseudocraters, collapse features within troughs, and outflow channels indicates that a layer of subsurface volatiles existed at the time of volcanic activity within this area. The pseudocraters are interpreted to be indicators of near-surface volatiles, while meltwater deposits and the degree of preservation of trough walls and floors are thought to signify greater volatile depths. A latitudinal variation in the distribution of these features indicates either that the depth to the volatile layer increased from less than about 50 m at 35 deg N to greater than 600 m at 24 deg N, or that an ice wedge that existed at 35 deg N thinned to nonexistence at 24 deg N. Braided distributary channel systems within the chaotic terrain north of Elysium Planitia show that ephemeral lakes were repeatedly created and drained at this locality. The existence of volatiles contemporaneous with volcanic activity permits a search to be made for explosively generated landforms predicted to exist by previous theoretical models. Morphological evidence for strombolian, vulcanian and plinian eruptions is lacking within western Elysium Planitia; there are no identifiable cinder cones, pyroclastic flow deposits, or mantled areas indicative of large airfall deposits at an image resolution of 50-150 m/pixel. However, the pseudocraters indicate that small-scale phreatomagmatic activity may have taken place.

Mouginis-Mark, P. J.↗

NASA NTRS1985

On the maintenance of sunspots - An ion hurricane mechanism

Inward and downflow motions below the photosphere are considered to be a means of cooling and powering sunspot dynamics. Parker's superadiabatic effect is examined with attention focused on the energetics involved in ionization advection. The current analysis enhances Parker's mechanism by allowing for a 2 m/s downflow velocity at 2000 km depth to significantly reduce the photospheric irradiance to near umbral intensities. Similarities between sunspots and terrestrial hurricanes are noted, and it was found that ionization energy plays the same role in sunspots as latent energy plays in terrestrial weather systems. Based on the hypothesis that magnetic fields are important in organizing the motions on the sun, some understanding is provided of: (1) the instability which drives the cooling mechanism for sunspots, (2) the low latitude appearance of sunspots, (3) active region development with faculae following sunspot growth, (4) the role of the fluid in maintaining the magnetic field and the role of the field as a focal point for the fluid downflow, (5) the heating mechanism and structure of faculae, (6) energy balance in active regions, and (7) the behavior difference of pores and ephemeral active regions in relation to ordinary sunspots and active regions.

Schatten, K. H.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Magnetogram and soft X-ray comparisons of XBP and ER

The potential importance of the smallest emerging flux regions on the sun was discussed in numerous publications. The association between the objects seen in ground-based data, such as high resolution magnetrons or H alpha and soft X-ray data has produced results which are often contradictory. In the hope of resolving the present impasse, as much simultaneous soft X-ray and magnetogram data as possible were assembled in order to clarify the situation. It was found that separation of magnetic features into chance encounters and emerging flux makes some difference in overlapp with X-ray bright points (XBPs), although the effect is not overwhelming. The difference in solar cycle dependence between XBP and ephemeral regions is not explainable in terms of the results.

Golub, Leon↗

NASA NTRS1986

Structure and evolution of Saturn's rings

It is noted that many Voyager observations on the structure and evolution of Saturn's rings remain largely unexplained. The variation of ring thickness and particle size with composition may be partly explained by the input of density waves in the 'heating' of such rings as the outer A ring; in addition, the particles appear to resemble Weidenschilling et al.'s (1984) 'ephemeral bodies' rather than chunks of ice. It is suggested that many current difficulties may be resolved by positing that at least ring A is young, having been created by the destruction of one of the ring moons.

Esposito, L. W.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Weak solar fields and their connection to the solar cycle

Videomagnetograph observations of the weak solar magnetic fields are discussed. Intranetwork (IN) elements are found to emerge in bipolar form, but to flow in a random pattern rather than toward the network elements. Merging of IN fields is found to be more important than the ephemeral regions as a source of new network elements. Arguments for and against the hypothesis that all solar fields are intrinsically strong are considered. It is noted that reconnection and merging of magnetic fields take place continually under the conditions presently examined.

Zirin, Harold↗

NASA NTRS1988

The diffusion of stars through phase space

An orbit-averaged Fokker-Planck equation has been derived to study the secular evolution of stellar systems with regular orbits and the heating of stellar disks. It is shown that a population of stars with an initially Maxwellian peculiar-velocity distribution will remain Maxwellian as it diffuses through orbit space only if: (1) a second-order diffusion tensor is proportional to epicycle energy; and (2) the population's velocity dispersion grows as the square root of time. Scattering by ephemeral spiral waves is able to account for the observed kinematics of the solar neighborhood only if the waves have wavelengths in excess of 9 kpc and constantly drifting pattern speeds.

Binney, James↗

NASA NTRS1988

Mass killings and detection of impacts

Highly energetic bolide impacts occur and their flux is known. For larger bodies the energy release is greater than for any other short-term global phenomenon. Such impacts produce or release a large variety of shock induced changes including major atmospheric, sedimentologic, seismic and volcanic events. These events must necessarily leave a variety of records in the stratigraphic column, including mass killings resulting in major changes in population density and reduction or extinction of many taxonomic groups, followed by characteristic patterns of faunal and flora replacement. Of these effects, mass killings, marked by large-scale loss of biomass, are the most easily detected evidence in the field but must be manifest on a near-global scale. Such mass killings that appear to be approximately synchronous and involve disappearance of biomass at a bedding plane in many sedimentologically independent sections globally suggest a common cause and probable synchroneity. Mass killings identify an horizon which may be examined for evidence of cause. Geochemical markers may be ephemeral and absence may not be significant. There appears to be no reason why ongoing phenomena such as climate and sea-level changes are primary causes of anomolous episodic events.

Mclaren, Digby J.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Microbial mats in playa lakes and other saline habitats: Early Mars analog?

Microbial mats are cohesive benthic microbial communities which inhabit various Terra (Earth-based) environments including the marine littoral and both permanent and ephemeral (playa) saline lakes. Certain geomorphological features of Mars, such as the Margaritifer Sinus, were interpreted as ancient, dried playa lakes, presumably formed before or during the transition to the present Mars climate. Studies of modern Terran examples suggest that microbial mats on early Mars would have had the capacity to survive and propagate under environmental constraints that would have included irregularly fluctuating regimes of water activity and high ultraviolet flux. Assuming that such microbial communities did indeed inhabit early Mars, their detection during the Mars Rover Sample Return (MRSR) mission depends upon the presence of features diagnostic of the prior existence of these communities or their component microbes or, as an aid to choosing suitable landing, local exploration or sampling sites, geomorphological, sedimentological or chemical features characteristic of their playa lake habitats. Examination of modern Terran playas (e.g., the Lake Eyre basin) shows that these features span several orders of magnitude in size. While stromatolites are commonly centimeter-meter scale features, bioherms or fields of individuals may extend to larger scales. Preservation of organic matter (mats and microbes) would be favored in topographic lows such as channels or ponds of high salinity, particularly those receiving silica-rich groundwaters. These areas are likely to be located near former zones of groundwater emergence and/or where flood channels entered the paleo-playa. Fossil playa systems which may aid in assessing the applicability of this particular Mars analog include the Cambrian Observatory Hill Beds of the Officer Basin and the Eocene Wilkins Peak Member of the Green River Formation.

Bauld, John↗

NASA NTRS1988

Structure of magnetic fields on the quiet sun

To obtain quantitative temporal and spatial information on the network magnetic fields, auto- and cross-correlation techniques are applied to the Big Bear videomagnetogram data. The average size of the network magnetic elements derived from the auto-correlation curve is about 5700 km. The distance between the primary and secondary peak in the auto-correlation curve is about 17,000 km, which is half of the size of the supergranule as determined from the velocity map. The canceling features and the emergence of ephemeral regions are the major sources for the loss and replenishment of magnetic flux on the quiet sun.

Wang, Haimin↗

NASA NTRS1989

Analysis of seasonal characteristics of Sambhar Salt Lake, India, from digitized Space Shuttle photography

Sambhar Salt Lake is the largest salt lake (230 sq km) in India, situated in the northwest near Jaipur. Analysis of Space Shuttle photographs of this ephemeral lake reveals that water levels and lake basin land-use information can be extracted by both the digital and manual analysis techniques. Seasonal characteristics captured by the two Shuttle photos used in this study show that additional land use/cover categories can be mapped from the dry season photos. This additional information is essential for precise cartographic updates, and provides seasonal hydrologic profiles and inputs for potential mesoscale climate modeling. This paper extends the digitization and mensuration techniques originally developed for space photography and applied to other regions (e.g., Lake Chad, Africa, and Great Salt Lake, USA).

Lulla, Kamlesh P.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The surface of Io - A new model

The role of elemental sulfur on Io is evaluated in light of duplications of its spectral properties by combinations of basalt and condensates of SO2 and its S2O and polysulfur oxide (PSO) dissociation products. Elemental sulfur is not seen to be present in spectrally significant amounts. It is instead suggested that Io's exposed surface consists of mafic silicates which have been partially covered by thin deposits of SO2, PSO, and S2O. A model in which most of the spectrally active frost occurs in the form of thin and ephemeral partial coatings on the topmost regolith particles is seen as most consistent with observations. Attention is drawn to similarities with the surface of Europa.

Hapke, Bruce↗

NASA NTRS1989

Seventy-five hours of coordinated videomagnetograph observations

Videomagnetograph observations obtained between September 24 and 29, 1987 are presented which illustrate the evolution of magnetic flux surrounding a stable sunspot. It is found that the dominant sunspot mainly ejects magnetic fields of opposite sign, and that the surrounding plage fields steadily contract and retreat inward toward the umbra, resulting in shrinking and weakening of the spot and plage. The extent of the moat is shown to be reduced by 50 percent in a 75-hour period, with the principal loss of flux probably due to concellation at the main neutral line. Five subflares were noted, three occurring prior to cancellation of the magnetic elements at the inversion line and two occurring during the development and disappearance of an ephemeral bipolar region.

Wang, Haimin↗

NASA NTRS1989

The association of flares to cancelling magnetic features on the sun

Previous work relating flares to evolutionary changes of photospheric solar magnetic fields are reviewed and reinterpreted in the light of recent observations of canceling magnetic fields. The results show that cancelation happens with fields spanning a wide range of magnetic field strengths. Flares of all magnitudes begin adjacent to cancelation sites, whether the associated active region as a whole is developing or decaying. Both small and big flares are initiated near canceling sites, from the microflares associated with ephemeral regions to the kernels of the great flares. Canceling magnetic flux is observed or deduced to be the common denominator among all observed associations of flares to changing magnetic fields. It is proposed that canceling magnetic fields are a necessary evolutionary condition for the initiation of solar flares.

Livi, Silvia H. B.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Coronal bright points at 6cm wavelength

Results are presented from observations of bright points at a wavelength of 6-cm using the VLA with a spatial resolution of 1.2 arcsec. During two hours of observations, 44 sources were detected with brightness temperatures between 2000 and 30,000 K. Of these sources, 27 are associated with weak dark He 10830 A features at distances less than 40 arcsecs. Consideration is given to variations in the source parameters and the relationship between ephemeral regions and bright points.

Fu, Qijun↗

NASA NTRS1991

Dynamical evolution and molecular abundances of interstellar clouds

Dynamical models are presented that start with interstellar gas in an initial diffuse state and consider their gravitational collapse and the formation of dense cores. Frozen-in tangled magnetic fields are included to mimic forces that might oppose gravitational contraction and whose effectiveness may increase with increasing core densities. Results suggest the possibility that dense cloud cores may be dynamically evolving ephemeral objects, such that their lifespan at a given core density decreases as that density increases.

Prasad, Sheo S.↗

NASA NTRS1990

A new twist to the solar cycle

Recent numerical simulations of magnetic buoyancy instabilities suggest a new mechanism for the variation with the solar cycle in the scale and structure of surface magnetic flux. The nonlinear evolution of a predominantly toroidal field is found to depend crucially on the distribution of the weaker poloidal ingredient. For certain field configurations large, helical magnetic fragments are produced; for others the escaping field is small-scale and untwisted. We propose that the observed structural variations in flux may be accounted for by small changes in the twist of a deep-seated field. The large fragments will appear at the surface as active regions, which dominate at solar maximum, while the small-scale field will emerge as ephemeral regions which constitute practically all of the flux at solar minimum.

Cattaneo, Fausto↗

NASA NTRS1993

Derivation of the midinfrared (5.0-25.0 micron) optical constants of hydrous carbonate and sulfate

There is ample theoretical and observational evidence suggesting liquid water was once stable at the surface of Mars. Because water is essential to the evolution of life, it is important to understand the types of environments in which the liquid water was present. For example, if water were present early in Mars' history, then this raises the possibility that biological activity may have evolved only to eventually become extinct as liquid water became scarce. Alternatively, if liquid water were stable only later in Mars' history, then it becomes problematic to envision mechanisms by which biological activity evolved and remained viable without water until more favorable conditions existed. Even without biological activity, atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolved in water can assist the chemical weathering of primary igneous minerals producing common secondary phases such as hydartes, carbonates, and sulfates. While the identification of hydrates, carbonates, and sulfates on Mars cannot provide direct evidence of biological activity, it can provide significant information regarding the presence and duration of an environment that would support the presence of liquid water at the surface. The specific mineralogy of these secondary phases can provide insight into the environments of their formation. For example, the slow precipitation that occurs in large standing bodies of water, e.g. oceans or lakes, commonly results in the formation of calcite, magnesite, dolomite, siderite, and rhodochrosite. Rapid precipitation that occurs in ephemeral bodies of water, e.g. hypersaline lakes or playas, can result in the formation of all of the above phases as well as aragonite, vaterite, hydrated carbonates, alkali carbonates, bicarbonates, and other poorly ordered phases. Absorption features identified in recent near-infrared spectra of Mars have been interpreted as being due to bicarbonate and bisulfate located in the mineral scaplite. Spectral data returned by the Mariner 6 and 7 spacecraft have been inerpreted as remaining consistent with the presence of hydrated carbonates. Additional, airborne thermal infrared spectra of Mars have been interpreted as implying the presence of carbonates, sulfates, and hydrates. Modeling of the thermal infrared data relied upon the optical constants of calcite anhydrite and a mixture of water in basalt because of their availability. The derived abundances of carbonate and sulfate were 1-3 percent and 10-15 percent by volume. However, the observed complexity and positions of the bands suggested other carbonate-, and sulfate-bearing species. We have already derived optical constants for hydrous and anhydrous silicates, and we are now applying these techniques to the derivation of the optical constants of hydrous carbonate and sulfate.

Roush, Ted L.↗