Speckle imaging of Titan at 2 microns: surface albedo, haze optical depth, and tropospheric clouds 1996-1998     

S.G. Gibbard  B. Macintosh  C.E. Max  I. de Pater  A.M. Ghez  C.P. McKay 《Icarus》2004,169(2):429-439

We present results from 14 nights of observations of Titan in 1996-1998 using near-infrared (centered at 2.1 microns) speckle imaging at the 10-meter W.M. Keck Telescope. The observations have a spatial resolution of 0.06 arcseconds. We detect bright clouds on three days in October 1998, with a brightness about 0.5% of the brightness of Titan. Using a 16-stream radiative transfer model (DISORT) to model the central equatorial longitude of each image, we construct a suite of surface albedo models parameterized by the optical depth of Titan's hydrocarbon haze layer. From this we conclude that Titan's equatorial surface albedo has plausible values in the range of 0-0.20. Titan's minimum haze optical depth cannot be constrained from this modeling, but an upper limit of 0.3 at this wavelength range is found. More accurate determination of Titan's surface albedo and haze optical depth, especially at higher latitudes, will require a model that fully considers the 3-dimensional nature of Titan's atmosphere.  相似文献   

A scheme to deal accurately and efficiently with complex angular masks in galaxy surveys     

A. J. S. Hamilton  Max Tegmark 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2004,349(1):115-128

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Assessment of the interstellar processes leading to deuterium enrichment in meteoritic organics     

Scott A. SANDFORD  Max P. BERNSTEIN  Jason P. DWORKIN 《Meteoritics & planetary science》2001,36(8):1117-1133

Abstract— The presence of isotopic anomalies is the most unequivocal demonstration that meteoritic material contains circumstellar or interstellar components. In the case of organic compounds in meteorites and interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), the most useful isotopic tracer has been deuterium (D). We discuss four processes that are expected to lead to D enrichment in interstellar materials and describe how their unique characteristics can be used to assess their relative importance for the organics in meteorites. These enrichment processes are low‐temperature gas phase ion‐molecule reactions, low‐temperature gas‐grain reactions, gas phase unimolecular photodissociation, and ultraviolet photolysis in D‐enriched ice mantles. Each of these processes is expected to be associated with distinct regiochemical signatures (D placement on the product molecules, correlation with specific chemical functionalities, etc.), especially in the molecular population of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). We describe these differences and discuss how they may be used to delineate the various interstellar processes that may have contributed to meteoritic D enrichments. We also briefly discuss how these processes may affect the isotopic distributions in C, O, and N in the same compounds.  相似文献   

Near-infrared laboratory spectra of solid H₂O/CO₂ and CH₃OH/CO₂ ice mixtures     

Max P. Bernstein  Dale P. Cruikshank  Scott A. Sandford 《Icarus》2005,179(2):527-534

We present near-IR spectra of solid CO₂ in H₂O and CH₃OH, and find they are significantly different from that of pure solid CO₂. Peaks not present in either pure H₂O or pure CO₂ spectra become evident when the two are mixed. First, the putative theoretically forbidden CO₂ (2ν₃) overtone near 2.134 μm (4685 cm⁻¹), that is absent from our spectrum of pure solid CO₂, is prominent in the spectra of H₂O/CO₂=5 and 25 mixtures. Second, a 2.74-μm (3650 cm⁻¹) dangling OH feature of H₂O (and a potentially related peak at 1.89 μm) appear in the spectra of CO₂-H₂O ice mixtures, but are probably not diagnostic of the presence of CO₂. Other CO₂ peaks display shifts in position and increased width because of intermolecular interactions with H₂O. Warming causes some peak positions and profiles in the spectrum of a H₂O/CO₂=5 mixture to take on the appearance of pure CO₂. Absolute strengths for absorptions of CO₂ in solid H₂O are estimated. Similar results are observed for CO₂ in solid CH₃OH. Since the CO₂ (2ν₃) overtone near 2.134 μm (4685 cm⁻¹) is not present in pure CO₂ but prominent in mixtures, it may be a good observational (spectral) indicator of whether solid CO₂ is a pure material or intimately mixed with other molecules. These observations may be applicable to Mars polar caps as well as outer Solar System bodies.  相似文献   

Editorial     

Max Coleman  Claude Jaupart  Alfred Kröner  Adolphe Nicolas 《地学学报》2002,14(5):301-301

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Physics of solar prominences     

Anton Bruzek  Max Kuperus 《Solar physics》1972,24(1):3-17

Summary Conclusion This colloquium on solar prominences - the first ever held - has shown that a major part of activity in prominence research in recent years concentrated on both observation and computation of the magnetic conditions which were found to play a crucial role for the development and the maintainance of prominences. Remarkable progress was made in fine-scale measurements of photospheric magnetic fields around filaments and in internal field measurements in prominences. In addition, important information on the structure of the magnetic fields in the chromosphere adjacent to the filaments may be derived from high resolution photographs of the H fine structure around filaments which have become available recently; unfortunately, an unambiguous determination of the vector field in the chromosphere is not yet possible.It is quite clear, now, that stable filaments extend along neutral lines which divide regions of opposite longitudinal magnetic fields. Different types of neutral lines are possible, depending on the history and relationship of the opposite field regions. There is convincing evidence that the magnetic field in the neighbouring chromosphere may run nearly parallel to the filament axis and that there are two field components in stable prominences: an axial field dominant in the lower parts and a transverse field dominant in the higher parts.Methods for the computation of possible prominence field configurations from measured longitudinal photospheric fields were developed in recent years. In a number of cases (e.g. for loop prominences) the observed configuration could be perfectly represented by a force-free or even a potential field; poor agreement was found between computed and measured field strengths in quiescent prominences. In order to reconcile both of them it is necessary to assume electric currents. Unambiguous solutions will not be found until measurements of the vector field in the photosphere and in the prominences are available.The two-dimensional Kippenhahn-Schlüter model is still considered a useful tool for the study of prominence support and stability. However, a more refined model taking into account both field components and considering also thermal stability conditions is available now. It was proposed that quiescent prominences may form in magnetically neutral sheets in the corona where fields of opposite directions meet.As for the problem of the origin of the dense prominence material there are still two opposite processes under discussion. The injection of material from below, which was mainly applied to loop prominences, has recently been considered also a possible mechanism for the formation of quiescent prominences. On the other hand, the main objections against the condensation mechanism could be removed: it was shown that (1) sufficient material is available in the surrounding corona, and that (2) coronal matter can be condensed to prominence densities and cooled to prominence temperatures in a sufficiently short time.The energy balance in prominences is largely dependent on their fine structure. It seems that a much better radiative loss function for optically thin matter is now available. The problem of the heat conduction can only be treated properly if the field configuration is known. Very little is known on the heating of the corona and the prominence in a complicated field configuration. For the optically thick prominences the energy balance becomes a complicated radiative transfer problem.Still little is known on the first days of prominence development and on the mechanism of first formation which, both, are crucial for the unterstanding of the prominence phenomenon. As a first important step, it was shown in high resolution H photographs that the chromospheric fine structure becomes aligned along the direction of the neutral line already before first filament appearance. More H studies and magnetic field measurements are badly needed.Recent studies have shown that even in stable prominences strong small-scale internal rotational or helical motions exist; they are not yet understood. On the other hand, no generally agreed interpretation of large-scale motions of prominences seems to exist. A first attempt to explain the ascendance of prominences, the Disparitions Brusques, as the result of a kink instability was made recently.New opportunities in prominence research are offered by the study of invisible radiations: X-rays and meterwaves provide important information, not available otherwise, on physical conditions in the coronal surroundings of prominences; EUV observations will provide data on the thin transition layer between the cool prominence and the hot coronal plasma.Mitt. aus dem Fraunhofer Institut No. 111.  相似文献   

Collisional heating of interplanetary gas: Fokker-Planck treatment     

Max K. Wallis 《Planetary and Space Science》1975,23(3):419-430

Interstellar gas streaming through the solar system undergoes both elastic collisions with solar wind ions and destructive, ionizing processes. The Boltzmann equation is set up, with linear Fokker-Planck terms describing the glancing elastic collisions. Solutions combining the dynamical effects of the central force field and the diffusion in velocity space are derived, appropriate to cool gas.For the He component of the streaming gas, if initially at 100 K, the collisional heating dominates inside 2 a.u. upstream and 5 a.u. downstream. A modified formula is given for the density in the downstream wake, as enhanced by gravitational focussing. Calculations of the helium resonant radiation backscatter require substantial modification.  相似文献   

Optimization of mooring observations in Northern Bering Sea   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Gleb Panteleev  Max Yaremchuk  Dmitri Nechaev 《Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans》2009,48(1-3):143

The problem of the optimal sampling strategy for moored current velocity observations in the Northern Bering Sea is addressed. We analyze dynamically induced correlations in the North Bering Sea currents and conduct their sensitivity analysis to optimize positions of a limited number of moorings. Optimization of the sampling strategy is performed with respect to robustness of the reconstruction of the North Bering Sea circulation with a particular emphasis on the accurate monitoring of the mean Bering Strait transport. Computations reveal four major regions in the North Bering Sea basin that are highly correlated with the Bering Strait transport. Apart from the regions within the Bering Strait itself, they include the Anadyr Strait and a region 100 km south of the Cape of Prince of Wales. Results of the sensitivity analysis are tested in the framework of twin data experiments with the quasi-stationary and oscillatory background circulations.  相似文献   

Indian media representations of climate change in a threatened journalistic ecosystem     

Max Boykoff 《Climatic change》2010,99(1-2):17-25

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Latest Pleistocene and Holocene glacier variations in the European Alps   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Susan Ivy-Ochs  Hanns Kerschner  Max Maisch  Marcus Christl  Peter W. Kubik  Christian Schlüchter 《Quaternary Science Reviews》2009,28(21-22):2137-2149

In the Alps, climatic conditions reflected in glacier and rock glacier activity in the earliest Holocene show a strong affinity to conditions in the latest Pleistocene (Younger Dryas). Glacier advances in the Alps related to Younger Dryas cooling led to the deposition of Egesen stadial moraines. Egesen stadial moraines can be divided into three or in some cases even more phases (sub-stadials). Moraines of the earliest and most extended advance, the Egesen maximum, stabilized at 12.2 ± 1.0 ka based on ¹⁰Be exposure dating at the Schönferwall (Tyrol, Austria) and the Julier Pass-outer moraine (Switzerland). Final stabilization of moraines at the end of the Egesen stadial was at 11.3 ± 0.9 ka as shown by ¹⁰Be data from four sites across the Alps. From west to east the sites are Piano del Praiet (northwestern Italy), Grosser Aletschgletscher (central Switzerland), Julier Pass-inner moraine (eastern Switzerland), and Val Viola (northeastern Italy). There is excellent agreement of the ¹⁰Be ages from the four sites. In the earliest Holocene, glaciers in the northernmost mountain ranges advanced at around 10.8 ± 1.1 ka as shown by ¹⁰Be data from the Kartell site (northern Tyrol, Austria). In more sheltered, drier regions rock glacier activity dominated as shown, for example, at Julier Pass and Larstig valley (Tyrol, Austria). New ¹⁰Be dates presented here for two rock glaciers in Larstig valley indicate final stabilization no later than 10.5 ± 0.8 ka. Based on this data, we conclude the earliest Holocene (between 11.6 and about 10.5 ka) was still strongly affected by the cold climatic conditions of the Younger Dryas and the Preboreal oscillation, with the intervening warming phase having had the effect of rapid downwasting of Egesen glaciers. At or slightly before 10.5 ka rapid shrinkage of glaciers to a size smaller than their late 20th century size reflects markedly warmer and possibly also drier climate. Between about 10.5 ka and 3.3 ka conditions in the Alps were not conducive to significant glacier expansion except possibly during rare brief intervals. Past tree-line data from Kaunertal (Tyrol, Austria) in concert with radiocarbon and dendrochronologically dated wood fragments found recently in the glacier forefields in both the Swiss and Austrian Alps points to long periods during the Holocene when glaciers were smaller than they were during the late 20th century. Equilibrium line altitudes (ELA) were about 200 m higher than they are today and about 300 m higher in comparison to Little Ice Age (LIA) ELAs. The Larstig rock glacier site we dated with ¹⁰Be is the type area for a postulated mid-Holocene cold period called the Larstig oscillation (presumed age about 7.0 ka). Our data point to final stabilization of those rock glaciers in the earliest Holocene and not in the middle Holocene. The combined data indicate there was no time window in the middle Holocene long enough for rock glaciers of the size and at the elevation of the Larstig site to have formed. During the short infrequent cold oscillations between 10.5 and 3.3 ka small glaciers (less than several km²) may have advanced to close to their LIA dimensions. Overall, the cold periods were just too short for large glaciers to advance. After 3.3 ka, climate conditions became generally colder and warm periods were brief and less frequent. Large glaciers (for example Grosser Aletschgletscher) advanced markedly at 3.0–2.6 ka, around 600 AD and during the LIA. Glaciers in the Alps attained their LIA maximum extents in the 14th, 17th, and 19th centuries, with most reaching their greatest LIA extent in the final 1850/1860 AD advance.  相似文献