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At least 37 records · Page 2

The 67 Hz Feature in the Black Hole Candidate GRS 1915+105 as a Possible Diskoseismic Mode

The Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer has made feasible for the first time the search for high-frequency (greater than or equal to 100 Hz) periodic features in Black Hole Candidate (BHC) systems. Such a feature, with a 67 Hz frequency, recently has been discovered in the BHC GRS 1915+105 (Morgan, Remillard, & Greiner). This feature is weak (rms variability approx. 0.3%-1.6%), stable in frequency (to within approx. 2 Hz) despite appreciable luminosity fluctuations, and narrow (quality factor Q approx. 20). Several of these properties are what one expects for a 'diskoseismic' g-mode in an accretion disk about a 10.6 M(solar mass) (nonrotating) to 36.3 M(solar mass) (maximally rotating) black hole (if we are observing the fundamental-mode frequency). We explore this possibility by considering the expected luminosity modulation, as well as possible excitation and growth mechanisms-including turbulent excitation, damping, and 'negative' radiation damping. We conclude that a diskoseismic interpretation of the observations is viable.

Nowak, Michael A.

Wave-induced eddy diffusion coefficients in the upper atmosphere of Mars.

A theory and method previously used to calculate terrestrial eddy diffusion coefficients due to instabilities in internal gravity waves have been extended to obtain wave-induced eddy diffusion coefficients in the upper atmosphere of Mars. If the Martian atmosphere is relatively dry (water vapor mixing ratio much less than .001), the effects of radiative damping are minimal for all but the longest-period waves. For greater concentrations of water vapor the effects of radiative damping are increased, but in any event it is reasonable to expect wave-induced turbulence, with eddy diffusion coefficients of the order of 10 to the 7th sq cm/sec in the Martian upper atmosphere.

Beasley, W. H.

Quasi-biennial oscillations of ozone and diabatic circulation in the equatorial stratosphere

The quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) in ozone in the equatorial stratosphere is obtained by analyzing the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) data from 1984 to 1989. The phase of the ozone QBO in the lower stratosphere is found to precede the zonal wind QBO by several months as opposed to the theoretically expected in-phase relationship between the two. A mechanistic model is developed to explore possible reasons for this disagreement. The model is capable of simulating the actual time evolution of the ozone QBO by introducing the observed zonal wind profile as input. The modeled results confirm the conventional view that the ozone QBO is generated by the vertical ozone advection that is driven to maintain the temperature structure against radiative damping. However, a series of experiments emphasizes the importance of the feedback of the ozone QBO to the diabatic heating through the absorption of solar radiation. Due to this effect, the phase of the ozone QBO shifts up to a quarter cycle ahead and approaches that of the temperature QBO. Because of this inphase relationship, the feedback of the ozone QBO to the diabatic heating acts to compensate for the radiative damping of the temperature structure, thus reducing the magnitude of the induced diabatic circulation. Because the reduction of the magnitude of the vertical motion facilitates downward transport of easterly momentum by the mean flow, this feedback process can help to resolve the insufficiency of the easterly momentum in driving the dynamical QBO in general circulation models (GCMs). It should be emphasized that more sophisticated models that allow for full interaction between the chemical species and radiative and dynamical processes should be developed to improve our understanding of both dynamical and ozone QBOs.

Hasebe, Fumio

Nonradial oscillations of neutron stars

Linear, adiabatic, Newtonian, nonradial pulsation analyses have been performed for finite-temperature neutron star models with a fluid core, solid crust, and thin surface fluid 'ocean', including the effects of the neutron star crust. The pulsation equations are considered, including the spheroidal and toroidal modes. A local analysis is performed to provide information about the pulsation modes in the short-wavelength limit. Numerical calculations are made on the mode spectrum and systematic properties. Damping mechanisms are investigated, including gravitational radiation damping, neutrino emission damping, electromagnetic radiation from an oscillating stellar magnetic field, nonadiabatic effects, and internal friction and viscosity.

Mcdermott, P. N.

Ozone variations and radiative-photochemical damping during a stratospheric warming

Ozone variations expected in the uppermost stratosphere and mesosphere during a warming are estimated by a photochemical calculation based on temperatures measured at 40-80 km during the February 1966 warming at Fort Churchill, Canada. A simple linearized model of radiative-photochemical relaxation is then used to describe the coupled response of ozone and temperature to a specified heating due to dynamical forcing. By comparing the joint radiative-photochemical relaxation time with that for infrared emission alone shows that the ozone perturbation induced by the warming reduces the recovery time to approximately 65% of the pure radiative value near 70 km and to 90% near 50 km. Thus, the ozone changes induced by the dynamically forced temperature increases have a significant impact on the evolution of the warming.

Frederick, J. E.

Wave energy in white dwarf atmospheres. I - Magnetohydrodynamic energy spectra for homogeneous DB and layered DA stars

The radiative damping of acoustic and MHD waves that propagate through white dwarf photospheric layers is studied, and other damping processes that may be important for the propagation of the MHD waves are calculated. The amount of energy remaining after the damping processes have occurred in different types of waves is estimated. The results show that lower acoustic fluxes should be expected in layered DA and homogeneous DB white dwarfs than had previously been estimated. Acoustic emission manifests itself in an enhancement of the quadrupole term, but this term may become comparable to or even lower than the dipole term for cool white dwarfs. Energy carried by the acoustic waves is significantly dissipated in deep photospheric layers, mainly because of radiative damping. Acoustically heated corona cannot exist around DA and DB white dwarfs in a range T(eff) = 10,000-30,000 K and for log g = 7 and 8. However, relatively hot and massive white dwarfs could be exceptions.

Musielak, Zdzislaw E.

Voyager infrared observations of Uranus' atmosphere - Thermal structure and dynamics

The temperature structure of the Uranus atmosphere is investigated on the basis of 325/cm and 225/cm Voyager 2 IRIS observations of a layer between 60 and 200 mbar (including the tropopause). The data are presented in graphs and analyzed in detail. The latitudinal variations of the temperature near the tropopause and the inferred thermal winds are shown to be in good agreement with the findings reported for lower altitudes by Hanel et al. (1986), although greater in amplitude. A linear zonally symmetric circulation model with no solar and condensation heating, a frictional damping time 1-2 times the radiative damping time, a subrotating atmosphere at low latitudes, and zonal winds decaying with altitude is proposed to account for the observed structures.

Flasar, F. M.

Oscillations of rotating neutron stars

A perturbation technique is used to compute the rotational corrections to the nonradial oscillation spectrum of a realistic neutron star model. The l = l(0) oscillations are coupled to l = l(0) + or - 1 oscillations by the Coriolis force. To calculate the rotational corrections to the quadrupole, l(0) = 2, oscillation modes, previous calculations of the nonradial oscillation spectrum of this neutron star model are extended to include l(0) = 1 and l(0) = 3 modes, as well as many higher overtones at each value of l(o). As an example of this technique, the rotational corrections to two quadrupole toroidal modes are computed. For these modes the coupling to the spheroidal class of oscillations produced by the Coriolis force introduces a nonzero radial component to the velocity field, as well as a nonvanishing Lagrangian density perturbation. This result is used to compute the neutrino damping rates for these toroidal modes of a rotating neutron star. The neutrino damping time can approach the gravitational radiation damping time in rotating neutron stars if the central temperature is high enough. The rotationally induced coupling of spheroidal oscillations to toroidal modes can also produce significant displacements at the stellar surface in some of the toroidal modes. The damping rates due to this process for the rotationally corrected toroidal modes are estimated. The coupling of surface motions to the toroidal modes also have interesting implications for channeling energy, e.g., that associated with a glitch in the crust, to the surface of the star. Perhaps this might produce observable effects in the pulsar emission process or a gamma-ray burst event.

Strohmayer, Tod E.

Adiabatic fast passage spin manipulation measurements in solid polarized targets

Adiabatic fast passage (AFP) is a rapid method for reversing nuclear polarization and manipulating spin populations in polarized solid targets, avoiding the long repolarization times associated with dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). We report AFP measurements in a 5 T, 1 K polarized-target system for irradiated 15 NH 3 , irradiated 14 ND 3 , and butanol-based materials prepared either with TEMPO doping or by irradiation. We also present a joint manipulated-lineshape analysis for spin-1 targets and demonstrate that vector and tensor polarizations can be extracted from AFP-manipulated deuteron NMR spectra even when the populations are not described by a single Boltzmann spin temperature. In conclusion, we report a reproducible polarization- and direction-dependent AFP response in a large irradiated 15 NH 3 sample. These ammonia results are presented as empirical observations under the specific sample–coil conditions of the experiment, with possible circuit-mediated mechanisms such as radiation damping or superradiant behavior discussed but not assigned as a definitive cause.

Adiabatic fast passage

Gravitational radiation as a test of relativistic gravity

Gravitational radiation can be used to test theories of gravitation. When the waves are ultimately detected directly, their speed and polarization properties can be measured and compared with predictions of alternative theories. The multipole nature of gravitational radiation was already tested in the binary pulsar, where observations of the decay of the orbit verify the quadrupole formula for gravitational radiation damping of general relativity and put strong constraints on dipole gravitational radiation predicted by many alternative theories.

Will, Clifford M.

Effects of Mg II and Ca II ionization on ab-initio solar chromosphere models

Acoustically heated solar chromosphere models are computed considering radiation damping by (non-LTE) emission from H(-) and by Mg II and Ca II emission lines. The radiative transfer equations for the Mg II k and Ca II K emission lines are solved using the core-saturation method with complete redistribution. The Mg II k and Ca II K cooling rates are compared with the VAL model C. Several substantial improvements over the work of Ulmschneider et al. (1987) are included. It is found that the rapid temperature rises caused by the ionization of Mg II are not formed in the middle chromosphere, but occur at larger atmospheric heights. These models represent the temperature structure of the 'real' solar chromosphere much better. This result is a major precondition for the study of ab-initio models for solar flux tubes based on MHD wave propagation and also for ab-initio models for the solar transition layer.

Rammacher, W.

The form of Newtonian cooling in atmospheric tidal theory

The analytical results of Zurek (1986) are applied to compare the vertical-structure equations obtained by Dickinson and Geller (1968) and Lindzen and McKenzie (1967) in solving the classical tidal equations for planetary atmospheres when Newtonian cooling (NC) is included as part of diabatic tidal forcing. The two diabatic forcings are found to be different when the basic state temperature varies with height, and it is recommended that a log-pressure NC formulation be used whenever temperature is made a function of pressure in the radiative-damping calculation. Scaling arguments are presented to show that the choice of NC formulation has significant effects only in cases where the radiative time constants are short (such as the thin CO2 atmosphere of Mars). Numerical computations for that case indicate a difference of 20 percent in amplitude and 15 deg in phase for the (probably meteorologically significant) 4.1-d wavenumber-one Rossby tidal mode.

Zurek, Richard W.

Approximation methods in gravitational-radiation theory

The observation of gravitational-radiation damping in the binary pulsar PSR 1913 + 16 and the ongoing experimental search for gravitational waves of extraterrestrial origin have made the theory of gravitational radiation an active branch of classical general relativity. In calculations of gravitational radiation, approximation methods play a crucial role. Recent developments are summarized in two areas in which approximations are important: (a) the quadrupole approxiamtion, which determines the energy flux and the radiation reaction forces in weak-field, slow-motion, source-within-the-near-zone systems such as the binary pulsar; and (b) the normal modes of oscillation of black holes, where the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin approximation gives accurate estimates of the complex frequencies of the modes.

Will, C. M.

Improved Bounds on Violation of the Strong Equivalence Principle

I describe a unique, 20-year-long timing program for the binary pulsar B0655+64, the stalwart control experiment for measurements of gravitational radiation damping in relativistic neutron-star binaries. Observed limits on evolution of the B0655+64 orbit provide new bounds on the existence of dipolar gravitational radiation, and hence on violation of the Strong Equivalence Principle.

Arzoumanian, Z.

On the origin of the March 5, 1979 gamma ray transient: A vibrating neutron star in the Large Magellanic Cloud

It is proposed that a vibrating neutron star in the Large Magellanic Cloud is the source of the March 5 transient. Neutron star vibrations transport energy rapidly to the surface, heat the atmosphere by wave dissipation, and decay by gravitational radiation reaction. The electromagnetic emission arises from e(+)-e(-) pairs which cool and annihilate in the strong magnetic field of the neutron star. The field also confines the pairs, and this allows the production of the redshifted annihilation feature observed in the data. The redshift implies a gravitational radiation damping time which agrees with the 0.15 second duration of the impulsive phase of the event. Thus, the March 5 transient may be both the first detection of a vibrating neutron star and indirect evidence for gravitational radiation.

Ramaty, R.

Magellan radio occultation measurements of atmospheric waves on Venus

Radio occultation experiments were conducted at Venus on three consecutive orbits of the Magellan spacecraft in October 1991. Each occultation occurred over the same topography (67 deg N, 127 deg E) and at the same local time (22 hr 5 min), but the data are sensitive to zonal variations because the atmosphere rotates significantly during one orbit. Through comparisons between observations and predictions of standard wave theory, we have demonstrated that small-scale oscillations in retrieved temperature profiles as well as scintillations in received signal intensity are caused by a spectrum of vertically propagating internal gravity waves. There is a strong similarity between the intensity scintillations observed here and previous measurements, which pertain to a wide range of locations and experiment dates. This implies that the same basic phenomenon underlies all the observations and hence that gravity waves are a persistent, global feature of Venus' atmosphere. We obtained a fairly complete characterization of a gravity wave that appears above the middle cloud in temperature measurements on all three orbits. The amplitude and vertical wavelength are about 4 K and 2.5 km respectively, at 65 km. A model for radiative damping implies that the wave intrinsic frequency is approximately 2 x 10(exp 4) rad/sec, the corresponding ratio between horizontal and vertical wavelengths is approximately 100. The wave is nearly stationary relative to the surface or the Sun. Radiative attenuation limits the wave amplitude at altitudes above approximately 65 km, leading to wave drag on the mean zonal winds of about +0.4 m/sec per day (eastward). The sign, magnitude, and location of this forcing suggest a possible role in explaining the decrease with height in the zonal wind speed that is believed to occur above the cloud tops. Temperature oscillations with larger vertical wavelengths (5-10 km) were also observed on all three orbits, but we are able unable to interpret these unambiguously.

Hinson, David P.

A summary of transition probabilities for atomic absorption lines formed in low-density clouds

A table of wavelengths, statistical weights, and excitation energies is given for 944 atomic spectral lines in 221 multiplets whose lower energy levels lie below 0.275 eV. Oscillator strengths were adopted for 635 lines in 155 multiplets from the available experimental and theoretical determinations. Radiation damping constants also were derived for most of these lines. This table contains the lines most likely to be observed in absorption in interstellar clouds, circumstellar shells, and the clouds in the direction of quasars where neither the particle density nor the radiation density is high enough to populate the higher levels. All ions of all elements from hydrogen to zinc are included which have resonance lines longward of 912 A, although a number of weaker lines of neutrals and first ions have been omitted.

Morton, D. C.

The confrontation between general relativity and experiment

Experiments that test the foundations of gravitation theory in terms of the Einstein equivalence principle are discussed along with solar system tests of general relativity at the post-Newtonian level. These include classical (light-deflection, time delay and perihelion shift) tests as well as tests of the strong equivalence principle. The binary pulsar is discussed as an extra-solar-system gravitational testing ground, and attention is given to the multipolarity of the waves and the amount of radiation damping. The mass function, periastron shift, redshift-Doppler parameter and rate of change of the orbit period (Pb) of the binary pulsar are also considered, and it is suggested that the measurement of Pb represents the first observation of the effects of gravitational radiation.

Will, C. M.