Prediction of the coronal structure for the solar eclipse of March 7, 1970
Coronal structure prediction for 7 March 1970 solar eclipse, using model for 22 September 1968 eclipse
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Coronal structure prediction for 7 March 1970 solar eclipse, using model for 22 September 1968 eclipse
Theoretical research on eclipsing binaries is presented. The specific areas of investigation are the following: (1) the relevance of envelopes to the study of the light curves of eclipsing binaries, (2) the disk envelope, and (3) the spherical envelope.
A series of photometric observations was made of the eclipsing variable CW Cephei on the OAO 2. Approximate elements were derived from the eclipse depths and shape of the secondary. Persistent asymmetries and anomalous light variations, larger than the expected experimental error, were also found, subsequent ground-based observations show H alpha entirely in emission, indicating the presence of an extended gaseous system surrounding one or both components. A detailed comparison was made of the flux distribution of the binary relative to that for the nominally unreddened stars delta Pic, BlIII, and eta Aur, B3V, to investigate the effects of interstellar extinction. The resultant extinction curves, normalized at a wavelength of 3330 A, show a relatively smooth increase with decreasing wavelength.
An extended series of photometric observations were made of the eclipsing variable CW Cephei using the Wisconsin instrument on OAO-2. Approximate elements which were derived based solely on the eclipse depths and shape of the secondary are in satisfactory agreement with those found using ground based observations. However, persistent asymmetries and anomalous light variations, all larger than the expected experimental error, were also found; subsequent ground-based observations show H sub alpha entirely in emission indicating the presence of an extended gaseous system surrounding one or both of the components. Consistent solutions utilizing all data at all wavelengths were not found.
This note deals with the measurement of the total electron content of the ionosphere at the Goddard Space Flight Center, looking towards the geostationary satellite ATS 3 during the solar eclipse of Mar. 7, 1970. Obscuration at this site was nearly total. Faraday rotation was measured with a stationary circularly polarized antenna and a dual-channel phase-lock receiver tuned to 137.350 MHz. By comparing the electrical phase of the two opposite circularly polarized components, a continuous chart recording was made of Faraday rotation vs local time. A depletion of about 25% in electron content was observed from first contact to the time of minimum electron content. The time variations of the electron content during the eclipse are briefly examined in the light of current theories of ionospheric processes.
Measurement of the degree of linear polarization of the residual illumination in the umbral region in different colors at intermediate levels in the atmosphere (10 to 12 km) during the total solar eclipses of May 30, 1965, and Nov. 12, 1966. The objective was to examine the polarization characteristics of light that had been scattered more than once. It is found that, in the middle of the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum (0.4 to 0.6 micron), multiply scattered light is partially linearly polarized (about 20%) at the altitudes where the measurements have been made. Results of similar ground-based measurements performed during the annular eclipse of Sept. 11, 1969, are also briefly discussed.
Measurement of the N2 concentration and temperature, the ion composition and concentrations, and the electron temperature up to 290 km about 30 and 5 min before totality during the Mar. 7, 1970, eclipse. The rockets traveled similar trajectories, thus permitting the purely temporal changes between flights to be resolved. The neutral temperature and N2 concentration changed little, but the electron temperature decreased by as much as 20% in the lower F region. The ion concentration decreased by about 30% in the F region and about 50% in the E region, with little change in relative ion composition. The electron cooling rates decreased by a factor of 6 in the lower F region, approximately in proportion to the change in the visible solar disk. A smaller than expected decrease in the cooling rate below 150 km between the two flights indicates a hardening of the solar spectrum and suggests a significant heat contribution from the solar corona near totality. The ion composition measurements were consistent with solutions of the ion continuity equations. A proper fit required a factor-of-three enhancement of the flux below 200 A, an amount also consistent with the electron heat balance analysis. Reactions involving the minor ions N(+) and N2(+) were found to be important for the ion chemistry of the major ions O2(+) and NO(+), especially at the time of eclipse.-
Results of measurements made with a retarding potential analyzer on a Nike-Tomahawk rocket during the totality of the solar eclipse, showing definite evidence for the existence of photoelectrons from the conjugate hemisphere. Photoelectrons are observed in the altitude range from 120 to 260 km. The observed flux in the energy range from 2 to 30 eV is relatively constant above about 200 km, but decreased below that altitude. The flux of 5-eV energy electrons above 200 km altitude is about 10 to the 7th power electrons/cm/sec/eV. Higher-energy electrons were also observed, and it is possible that the energy content of these observed fluxes of conjugate-point photoelectrons is sufficient to maintain the observed electron densities and temperatures during the total eclipse.
Observations were made of the total lunar eclipse on February 10, 1971 at a wavelength of 3.1 mm at the Millimeter Wave Observatory of the University of Texas at Austin. Eclipse cooling curves obtained for Copernicus, Mare Serenitatis, and a mountainous region indicate maximum temperature decreases of 6.77%, 6.37%, and 7.51%, respectively. Cooling rates of about 6 K/hour were measured. The normalized solar insolation has also been calculated for each region.
By means of simple geometric construction compact expressions for the maximum and minimum eclipse durations of a circular orbit, whose semimajor axis and inclination are specified, can be obtained. The method outlined in this note provides the designer with the necessary envelope of eclipse durations that a spacecraft will experience throughout its lifetime, and, therefore, provides a quick method of estimating necessary thermal constraints. Moreover, the closed form method presented eliminates the need for extensive machine time expenditure previously required for this type of analysis. Some numerical data to aid in the design of the spacecraft is provided.
The accurate analysis of eclipsing binary light curves is fundamental to obtaining information on the physical properties of stars. The model described accounts for the important geometric and photometric distortions such as rotational and tidal distortion, gravity brightening, and reflection effect. This permits a more accurate analysis of interacting eclipsing star systems. The model is designed to be useful to anyone with moderate computing resources. The programs, written in FORTRAN 4 for the IBM 360, consume about 80k bytes of core. The FORTRAN program listings are provided, and the computational aspects are described in some detail.
The objective of this atlas is to present the thermal response of the lunar surface observed during an eclipse of the moon with accurate position data. The observations were made at a wavelength of 11 microns with an angular resolution of 10 sec, equivalent to 17 km at the disk center. Over a thousand thermally anomalous regions (hot spots) were detected. They cool more slowly than their environs and remain warmer than their environs during the umbral phase. In addition to these very localized hot spots, some of the maria show thermal enhancements during the eclipse. Fourty four charts make up this atlas which are identical in coverage and projection to the Lunar Atlas Charts (LAC) series. The charts are in the form of digital images of a normalized temperature difference which is particularly useful for studying regions of small thermal enhancements. Each increase of intensity corresponds to a 4 K temperature increase.
Review of the photometric work on eclipse reappearances of Io. New observations of eclipse reappearances of Io confirm the posteclipse brightness anomaly reported by Binder and Cruikshank (1964) but testify to its intermittent nature. A posteclipse anomaly of approximately 0.07 mag was observed on two occasions in 1972, while observations of Europa and Ganymede showed no brightness anomaly greater than 0.01 mag. The atmospheric condensation model for the anomaly on Io is reviewed in terms of the quantity of frost required to produce the effect and the corresponding amount of gas liberated to the atmosphere upon sublimation. The observational data and the results from a stellar occultation are in general accord with the theoretical predictions of the stability of heavy gases on Io, while both observational and theoretical criteria are satisfied by a tenuous atmosphere of a heavy gas such as methane or ammonia having a surface pressure of about 0.1 microbar.
New photoelectric observations of the B-magnitude of CV Ser made in 1973 and 1974 show no clear evidence of an eclipse, but they establish night-to-night variability of several percent, a systematic brightness change of 0.035 mag during a portion of the single orbit observed in 1973, and irregular flaring in 1974. We made iris photometer measurements of Harvard patrol plates taken between 1905 June and 1953 July, and find no evidence of a very deep eclipse such as observed by Hjellming and Hiltner. We present several new light curves and discuss then in the light of the recent results of Cowley et al.
An elementary theory of the ratio of depths of secondary and primary eclipses of a light curve has been proposed for studying the nature of component stars. It has been applied to light curves of Beta Lyrae in the visual, blue, and far-ultraviolet regions with the purpose of investigating the energy sources for the luminosity of the disk surrounding the secondary component and determining the dominant radiative process in the disk. No trace of the spectrum of primary radiation has been found in the disk. Therefore, it is suggested that LTE is the main radiative process in the disk, which radiates at a temperature of approximately 12,000 K in the portion that undergoes eclipse. A small source corresponding to 14,500 K has also been tentatively detected and may represent a hot spot caused by hydrodynamic flow of matter from the primary component to the disk.
An eclipse of Ganymede observed in 30 colors with a multichannel spectrometer and the 5-m Hale telescope is analyzed to determine the aerosol content of the upper Jovian atmosphere. Contemporary radiative-equilibrium atmospheric models are used, and less restrictive a priori assumptions about the aerosol distribution are made than in previous studies. Preliminary processing of the raw data to correct for telescope aperture change and to remove scattered light is described, eclipse light-curve theory is reviewed, and light-curve features are examined. The primary 'cloudy' atmospheric model employed is outlined along with the computational method, and results are presented on aerosol profiles, the upper limit of the aerosol region, the aerosol structure, the sensitivity of the aerosol profiles to various parameters, and the stratospheric aerosol distribution. The aerosol profiles are found to indicate a very dilute stratospheric haze overlying a tenuous tropopause cloud or cloud top.
Existing photometry of the O9.5 III eclipsing binary LY Aur is discussed and combined into a visual mean light curve. It is found that the observed light curve is incompatible with previous solutions based on the Russell model, but a respectable fit to the observed light curve can be achieved by assuming von Zeipel gravity darkening provided the system is allowed to be in marginal contact, which involves an unrealistically large change in the mass ratio to obtain the appropriate eclipse depths and light ratio. The alternative possibilities are considered that the primary is tidally distorted more than expected for its relative radius and the observed mass ratio or that von Zeipel gravity darkening is not appropriate for O-type stars and photometric effects exist which magnify the effects of the primary's physical distortions in the light curve. A solution is favored in which the ratio of radii is near 0.75 and the primary is very highly gravity darkened relative to von Zeipel's law.
Narrowband spectrophotometry of satellite eclipses is presented for each of the Galilean satellites. Comparing the partially eclipsed full-phase satellite disk to the uneclipsed disk can reveal colorimetric inhomogeneities on the surface. The trailing half-disk of Ganymede is slightly blue compared to the leading half-disk. The trailing and leading half-disks of Callisto are similar to each other, as are the northern and southern half-disks. The northern half-disk shows evidence of blue and red portions. The trailing half-disk of Europa is redder than the leading half-disk.