Electron Plasma Oscillations Associated with Type III Radio Bursts

Plasma wave electric field measurements with the solar orbiting Helios spacecraft have shown that intense (approximately 10 millivolts per meter) electron plasma oscillations occur in association with type III solar radio bursts. These observations confirm the basic mechanism, proposed in 1958, that type III radio emissions are produced by intense electron plasma oscillations excited in the solor corona by electrons ejected from a solar flare.     

Solar cycle variability, ozone, and climate

Results from a global climate model including an interactive parameterization of stratospheric chemistry show how upper stratospheric ozone changes may amplify observed, 11-year solar cycle irradiance changes to affect climate. In the model, circulation changes initially induced in the stratosphere subsequently penetrate into the troposphere, demonstrating the importance of the dynamical coupling between the stratosphere and troposphere. The model reproduces many observed 11-year oscillations, including the relatively long record of geopotential height variations; hence, it implies that these oscillations are likely driven, at least in part, by solar variability.     

Mars: change in axial tilt due to climate?

The average tilt of Mars' equator with respect to its orbital plane may have increased significantly over the age of the solar system. Obliquity oscillations might have induced changes in the climate, which altered the mass distribution and hence the solar torque on the planet. Viscous deformation attributable to loading by the large polar caps expected at low obliquity may have induced secular changes in the axial tilt. Earth-like effective viscosities can account for virtually the entire present obliquity of 24.4 degrees. Thus the present average tilt of Mars may not be primordial.     

Helioseismic measurement of solar torsional oscillations

Bands of slower and faster rotation, the so-called torsional oscillations, are observed at the Sun's surface to migrate in latitude over the 11-year solar cycle. Here, we report on the temporal variations of the Sun's internal rotation from solar p-mode frequencies obtained over nearly 6 years by the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) instrument on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite. The entire solar convective envelope appears to be involved in the torsional oscillations, with phase propagating poleward and equatorward from midlatitudes at all depths throughout the convective envelope.     

Electron plasma oscillations upstream of the solar wind termination shock

Electron plasma oscillations have been detected upstream of the solar wind termination shock by the plasma wave instrument on the Voyager 1 spacecraft. These waves were first observed on 11 February 2004, at a heliocentric radial distance of 91.0 astronomical units, and continued sporadically with a gradually increasing occurrence rate for nearly a year. The last event occurred on 15 December 2004, at 94.1 astronomical units, just before the spacecraft crossed the termination shock. Since then, no further electron plasma oscillations have been observed, consistent with the spacecraft having crossed the termination shock into the heliosheath.     

Solar neutrino production of long-lived isotopes and secular variations in the sun

Long-lived isotopes produced in the earth's crust by solar neutrinos may provide a method of probing secular variations in the rate of energy production in the sun's core. Only one isotope, calcium-41, appears to be suitable from the dual stand-points of reliable nuclear physics and manageable backgrounds. The proposed measurement also may be interesting in view of recent evidence for neutrino oscillations.     

Seismology of the sun

Oscillations of the sun make it possible to probe the inside of a star. The frequencies of the oscillations have already provided measures of the sound speed and the rate of rotation throughout much of the solar interior. These quantities are important for understanding the dynamics of the magnetic cycle and have a bearing on testing general relativity by planetary precession. The oscillation frequencies yield a helium abundance that is consistent with cosmology, but they reinforce the severity of the neutrino problem. They should soon provide an important standard by which to calibrate the theory of stellar evolution.     

Eleven-year variation in polar ozone and stratospheric-ion chemistry

A mechanism for producing an 11-year oscillation in ozone over the polar caps is the modulation of galactic cosmic rays by the solar wind. This mechanism has been shown to give the observed phase in ozone oscillations and the correct qualitative dependence on latitude. However, the production of nitrogen atoms from cosmic-ray collisions seems inadequate to account for the ozone amplitude. Negative ions are also produced as a result of cosmic-ray ionization, and negative-ion chemistry may be of importance in the stratosphere. Specifically, NO(x)(-) may go through a catalytic cycle in much the same fashion as NO(x), but with the important distinction that it does not depend on oxygen atoms to complete the cycle. Estimates of the relevant rates of reaction suggest that negative ions may be especially important over the winter polar cap.     

Alfven waves in the solar corona

Alfvén waves, transverse incompressible magnetic oscillations, have been proposed as a possible mechanism to heat the Sun's corona to millions of degrees by transporting convective energy from the photosphere into the diffuse corona. We report the detection of Alfvén waves in intensity, line-of-sight velocity, and linear polarization images of the solar corona taken using the FeXIII 1074.7-nanometer coronal emission line with the Coronal Multi-Channel Polarimeter (CoMP) instrument at the National Solar Observatory, New Mexico. Ubiquitous upward propagating waves were seen, with phase speeds of 1 to 4 megameters per second and trajectories consistent with the direction of the magnetic field inferred from the linear polarization measurements. An estimate of the energy carried by the waves that we spatially resolved indicates that they are too weak to heat the solar corona; however, unresolved Alfvén waves may carry sufficient energy.     

Plasma waves near venus: initial observations

The Pioneer Venus electric field detector observes significant effects of the interaction of the solar wind with the ionosphere of Venus all along the orbiter trajectory. Information is obtained on plasma oscillations emitted by suprathermal electrons beyond the bows shock, on sharp and diffuse shock structures, and on waveparticle interaction phenomena that are important near the boundary of the dayside ionosphere.     

Lunar magnetic anomalies and surface optical properties

For typical solar wind conditions, lunar magnetic anomalies with dipole moments m > 5 x 10(13) gauss-cubic centimeters will strongly deflect the solar wind, producing local plasma voids at the lunar surface. The correlation of the largest observed anomalies (m approximately 10(16) gauss-cubic centimeters) with unusual, relatively high albedo surface features may therefore imply that solar wind ion bombardment is an important determinant of the optical properties of the lunar surface.     

Composition of the Earth

New estimates of solar composition, compared to earlier measurements, are enriched in Fe and Ca relative to Mg, Al, and Si. The Fe/Si and Ca/Al atomic ratios are 30 to 40 percent higher than chondritic values. These changes necessitate a revision in the cosmic abundances and in the composition of the nebula from which the planets accreted (which have been based on chondritic values). These new values imply that the mantle could contain about 15 weight percent FeO and more CaMgSi(2)O(6) than has been supposed. Geophysical data are consistent with a dense, FeO-rich lower mantle and a CaMgSi(2)O(6) (diopside)-rich transition region. FeO contents of 13 to 18 weight percent appear to be typical of the mantles of bodies in the inner solar system. The oldest komatiites (high-temperature MgO-rich magmas) have a similar chemistry to the derived mantle. These results favor a chemically zoned mantle.     

Long-range electronic perturbations caused by defects using scanning tunneling microscopy

Real-space observations of long-range electronic perturbations caused by defects have been made with scanning tunneling microscopy. The defects are isolated adsorbed molecules on the surface of graphite. These defects perturb the charge density, giving periodic oscillations similar to Friedel oscillations. The oscillations have a wavelength radical3 times that of the graphite lattice, and the symmetry of the oscillations reflects the nature of the defect.     

Layer of Abnormally Cold Bottom Water over Southern Aves Ridge

A thermograd record obtained over the Ayes Ridge indicated existence, at the time of observation, of a cold layer of water in the lowest 13 meters, undergoing high-frequency internal oscillations. The great discontinuity in temperature across the sedimnent-water interface and the lack of agreement with the normal temperature structure indicate that the layer was a transient feature. This abnormal condition may be related to the passage of a hurricane 3 days earlier.     

Core rotational dynamics and geological events

A study of Earth's fluid core oscillations induced by lunar-solar tidal forces, together with tidal secular deceleration of Earth's axial rotation, shows that the rotational eigenfrequency of the fluid core and some solar tidal waves were in resonance around 3.0 x 10(9), 1.8 x 10(9), and 3 x 10(8) years ago. The associated viscomagnetic frictional power at the core boundaries may be converted into heat and would destabilize the D" thermal layer, leading to the generation of deep-mantle plumes, and would also increase the temperature at the fluid core boundaries, perturbing the core dynamo process. Such phenomena could account for large-scale episodes of continental crust formation, the generation of flood basalts, and abrupt changes in geomagnetic reversal frequency.     

Continuous plasma outflows from the edge of a solar active region as a possible source of solar wind

The Sun continuously expels a huge amount of ionized material into interplanetary space as the solar wind. Despite its influence on the heliospheric environment, the origin of the solar wind has yet to be well identified. In this paper, we report Hinode X-ray Telescope observations of a solar active region. At the edge of the active region, located adjacent to a coronal hole, a pattern of continuous outflow of soft-x-ray-emitting plasmas was identified emanating along apparently open magnetic field lines and into the upper corona. Estimates of temperature and density for the outflowing plasmas suggest a mass loss rate that amounts to approximately 1/4 of the total mass loss rate of the solar wind. These outflows may be indicative of one of the solar wind sources at the Sun.     

Oscillations of cytosolic sodium during calcium oscillations in exocrine acinar cells

In acinar cells from rat salivary glands, cholinergic agonists cause oscillations in cytoplasmic free calcium concentration, which then drive oscillations of cell volume that reflect oscillating cell solute content and fluid secretion. By quantitative fluorescence ratio microscopy of an intracellular indicator dye for sodium, it has now been shown that large amplitude oscillations of sodium concentration were associated with the calcium and cell volume oscillations. Both calcium and sodium oscillations were dependent on the continued presence of calcium in the extracellular medium and were abolished by the specific sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase inhibitor ouabain. Thus, calcium oscillations in salivary acinar cells, by modulating the activities of ion transport pathways in the plasma membrane, can cause significant oscillations of monovalent ions that may in turn feed back to regulate calcium oscillations and fluid secretion.     

Observed ozone response to variations in solar ultraviolet radiation

During the winter of 1979, the solar ultraviolet irradiance varied with a period of 13.5 days and an amplitude of 1 percent. The zonal mean ozone values in the tropics varied with the solar irradiance, with an amplitude of 0.25 to 0.60 percent. This observation agrees with earlier calculations, although the response may be overestimated. These results imply changes in ozone at an altitude of 48 kilometers of up to 12 percent over an 11-year solar cycle. Interpretation of ozone changes in the upper stratosphere will require measurements of solar ultraviolet radiation at wavelengths near 200 nanometers.     

Ancient multiring basins on the moon revealed by clementine laser altimetry

Analysis of laser altimetry data from Clementine has confirmed and extended our knowledge of nearly obliterated multiring basins on the moon. These basins were formed during the early bombardment phase of lunar history, have been filled to varying degrees by mare lavas and regional ejecta blankets, and have been degraded by the superposition of large impact craters. The Mendel-Rydberg Basin, a degraded three-ring feature over 600 kilometers in diameter on the lunar western limb, is about 6 kilometers deep from rim to floor, only slightly less deep than the nearby younger and much better preserved Orientale Basin (8 kilometers deep). The South Pole-Aitken Basin, the oldest discernible impact feature on the moon, is revealed as a basin 2500 kilometers in diameter with an average depth of more than 13 kilometers, rim crest to floor. This feature is the largest, deepest impact crater yet discovered in the solar system. Several additional depressions seen in the data may represent previously unmapped ancient impact basins.     

Chromospheric anemone jets as evidence of ubiquitous reconnection

The heating of the solar chromosphere and corona is a long-standing puzzle in solar physics. Hinode observations show the ubiquitous presence of chromospheric anemone jets outside sunspots in active regions. They are typically 3 to 7 arc seconds = 2000 to 5000 kilometers long and 0.2 to 0.4 arc second = 150 to 300 kilometers wide, and their velocity is 10 to 20 kilometers per second. These small jets have an inverted Y-shape, similar to the shape of x-ray anemone jets in the corona. These features imply that magnetic reconnection similar to that in the corona is occurring at a much smaller spatial scale throughout the chromosphere and suggest that the heating of the solar chromosphere and corona may be related to small-scale ubiquitous reconnection.