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NASA NTRS1996

Ulysses at high latitudes: An overview of recent results

After its fly-by of the planet Jupiter in February 1992, the Ulysses spacecraft is now in a highly inclined heliocentric orbit that will bring it above the south polar regions of the Sun in September 1994. The high-latitude phenomena observed to date have been strongly influenced by the near-minimum solar activity conditions encountered during this phase of the mission. In late April 1993, when Ulysses was at approximately 29 deg S heliographic latitude, the recurrent high speed solar wind stream that had been observed at the location of the spacecraft for 11 consecutive solar rotation underwent a dramatic change. The wind speed in the valleys between successive peaks increased in a single step from approximately 420 km/s to aopproximately 560 km/s. This change in solar wind flow was accompanied by the disappearance at the spacecraft of the magnetic sector structure that had been observed until then. Both these finding are consistent with Ulysses having climbed beyond the latitude of the coronal streamer belt in which is embedded the heliospheric current sheet (HCS). In its subsequent poleward journey, no further evidence for an encounter with the HCS has been seen at Ulysses. Other phenomena observed include the evolution with latitude of corotating interaction region (CIRs) and their influence on the acceleration of energetic particles, and the characteristics of the solar wind flows emanating from the south polar coronal hole. In this paper, we present details of the above observations. Finally, while the polar passes of the prime mission will take place near solar minimum, an extended mission will bring Ulysses back over the poles near the maximum of the next cycle. A summary of scientific goals for Ulysses at solar maximum is given.

Marsden, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Do gamma-ray burst sources repeat?

The demonstration of repeated gamma-ray bursts from an individual source would severely constrain burst source models. Recent reports of evidence for repetition in the first BATSE burst catalog have generated renewed interest in this issue. Here, we analyze the angular distribution of 585 bursts of the second BATSE catalog (Meegan et al. 1994). We search for evidence of burst recurrence using the nearest and farthest neighbor statistic ad the two-point angular correlation function. We find the data to be consistent with the hypothesis that burst sources do not repeat; however, a repeater fraction of up to about 20% of the bursts cannot be excluded.

Meegan, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Do gamma-ray burst sources repeat?

The demonstration of repeated gamma-ray bursts from an individual source would severely constrain burst source models. Recent reports (Quashnock and Lamb, 1993; Wang and Lingenfelter, 1993) of evidence for repetition in the first BATSE burst catalog have generated renewed interest in this issue. Here, we analyze the angular distribution of 585 bursts of the second BATSE catalog (Meegan et al., 1994). We search for evidence of burst recurrence using the nearest and farthest neighbor statistic and the two-point angular correlation function. We find the data to be consistent with the hypothesis that burst sources do not repeat; however, a repeater fraction of up to about 20% of the observed bursts cannot be excluded.

Meegan, Charles A.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Modular, Hierarchical Learning By Artificial Neural Networks

Modular and hierarchical approach to supervised learning by artificial neural networks leads to neural networks more structured than neural networks in which all neurons fully interconnected. These networks utilize general feedforward flow of information and sparse recurrent connections to achieve dynamical effects. The modular organization, sparsity of modular units and connections, and fact that learning is much more circumscribed are all attractive features for designing neural-network hardware. Learning streamlined by imitating some aspects of biological neural networks.

Baldi, Pierre F.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Coronal x-ray jets: Observation and theory

The Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) aboard Yohkoh has revealed that the solar corona is much more dynamic that had been thought. Among various newly discovered dynamic phenomena, one of the most surprising findings is the discovery of coronal x-ray jets. The length of these jets is a few 10(exp 3) - a few 10(exp 5) km, their (apparent) velocity is a few 10 - a few 100 km/s (some reached 1000 km/s), and the corresponding kinetic energy is estimated to be 10(exp 25) - 10(exp 28) erg. They occur in association with small flares in active regions, emerging flux regions, and x-ray bright points, and show the following common characteristics: recurrency, whip-like motion, change in morphology at the footpoint ARs, and often converging (or inverted-Y) shape. Large scale loop brightenings observed by SXT seem to correspond to jets occurring in closed loop systems. These observations suggest that the magnetic reconnection between the emerging magnetic flux (or expanding loop) and the overlying coronal/chromospheric magnetic field is a key physical process for producing these jets. We shall summarize characteristics of these coronal X-ray jets observed by SXT, and also discuss the theoretical interpretation of them, especially in the framework of a magnetic reconnection model.

Shibata, Kazunari↗
NASA NTRS1995

Ulysses observations of energetic ions over the south pole of the Sun

The Ulysses spacecraft began its journey out-of-the-ecliptic in February of 1992, when it encountered the planet Jupiter. In April of 1993, the spacecraft had reached 29 deg S, and from then on was completely immersed in the flow from the southern polar coronal hole. Accelerated ions were observed, recurring with a main peak once per solar rotation, with the intensity at the peak slowly decreasing with increasing latitude. This decrease continued to the end of 1993, when the spacecraft was at approximately 50 deg S. During the first three months of 1994 the intensity of the accelerated ions rose again, due either to an increase in magnetic activity on the sun or a reconfiguration of the heliospheric magnetic field. Recurrent accelerated ions were still being seen at the beginning of July 1994, when the spacecraft was at a latitude of 70 deg S, although with reduced intensity. The accelerated ions were no longer seen at latitudes higher than 70 deg S, the ion intensity staying constant at around the cosmic ray background level. This continued on until the highest latitude reached, 80.2 deg S, on 13 September 1994. The spacecraft then began its journey back towards lower latitudes, a small increase in the particle intensity being observed at the end of October whilst at approximately 72 deg S, and thereafter no more increases until the end of 1994, when the spacecraft was at approximately 45 deg S. We present interpretations for this asymmetry in latitude dependence.

Sanderson, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Ulysses solar wind plasma observations from peak southerly latitude through perihelion and beyond

The Ulysses spacecraft trajectory includes a peak southern latitude of -80.2 deg, reached during September 1994, and perihelion in the ecliptic plane at 134 AU in March 1995. The near-perihelion mission phase features a rapid scan through solar latitude, with rates approaching one degree per day. We will present observations through mid-May 1995, when the spacecraft will be near 1.5 AU and +50 deg solar latitude. At the time of this writing, observations from the solar wind plasma experiment have been examined through -40 deg solar latitude. At that latitude Ulysses was still immersed in fast solar wind from the south polar coronal hole, with wind speeds of 700 to 800 km/s and with a variety of fine structure. Expectations for near-perihelion measurements include times of slow, dense wind characteristic of the near-equatorial heliomagnetic streamer belt. A non-zero tilt of the streamer belt would produce recurrent intervals of fast coronal hole wind and corotating interaction regions (CIRs) caused by fast wind overtaking slow wind. Forward and reverse shock waves bounding the CIRs, routinely observed at low and intermediate latitudes beyond approximately 2 AU, will likely be absent during the northward transit due to proximity to the Sun we will summarize solar wind plasma results concerning meridional gradients in fluid parameters, large-scale and fine structure, and transient events such as coronal mass ejections.

Phillips, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Energetic particles and coronal mass ejections in the high latitude heliosphere: Ulysses-LET observations

The COSPIN Low Energy Telescope (LET) onboard the Ulysses spacecraft measures protons, alphas and heavier ions at energies of approximately 1 to 50 MeV/n. Ulysses measurements offer favorable opportunities to study the effects of solar activity in the out-of-ecliptic regions of the heliosphere. Using LET data, we have investigated the properties of transient energetic ions at high heliographic latitudes when Ulysses was permanently immersed in high speed solar wind and magnetically connected to the Sun on open magnetic field lines. Recurrent increases in the fluxes of energetic ions at high heliographic latitudes at frequencies related to the solar rotation period were found to occur in association with co-rotating interaction regions (CIRs). Here we investigate fluxes of energetic particles that showed no relationship to ClRs. From the investigation of plasma and magnetic held data it is found that all of the transient high latitude particle events were associated with the passage of a coronal mass ejection (CME) over Ulysses. Enhancements in particle fluxes several days prior to the arrival of a CME, but with a significant time delay with respect to the estimated CME-onset at the Sun, were most probably associated with interplanetary shocks driven by fast CMEs. These particle events exhibit unusually high rho/alpha-ratios and are not observed for CMEs not driving a shock. However, not all CMEs that passed Ulysses were associated with a particle event. We find evidence that at high solar latitudes, solar flare particles cannot reach Ulysses on open magnetic field lines, but can reach the spacecraft if particles are injected into magnetic flux-ropes (CMEs) at the Sun. These findings are supported by soft X-ray observations from the Japanese Yohkoh-satellite.

Bothmer, V.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Coronal mass ejections and the evolution of the large-scale corona

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are dynamic, large-scale events in the solar corona that expel plasma and magnetic fields into the solar wind. The structure of the large-scale corona influences CME occurrence; for example, CMEs are most frequently observed to be disruptions of coronal or helmet streamer configurations on the Sun. We have investigated the evolution of the large-scale corona in the presence of differential rotation, using time-dependent magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations in two and three dimensions. An equilibrium coronal configuration is first computed by superimposing a Parker solar wind flow on an initial potential field, the equations are integrated in time until a steady-state is reached. When differential rotation is introduced, we find that the configuration does not reach a steady state; the closed field regions (helmet streamers) disrupt recurrently, ejecting plasmoids into the solar wind. Our results suggest that differential rotation may be one of the mechanisms by which mass ejections are initiated. We will describe the evolution of the polarization brightness (pB) for the resulting configurations, as well as the propagation of the ejected plasmoids in the solar wind, and we will compare the effects of differential rotation with other possible initiation mechanisms, such as the emergence of new magnetic flux.

Linker, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The 3-D effects in the long-term solar wind speed rise observed by Voyager 2 in early 1994

In early 1994, Voyager 2 at 42-43 AU near heliolatitude 10 deg S observed over a period of approximately 100 days a remarkable sequence of quasi-recurrent stream fronts, wherein the background (ambient) speed rose steadily from approximately 450 to approximately 550 km/s while the mean period of the streams decreased from the usual 25 days down to approximately 20 days. A qualitative explanation for this effect can be derived from IMP observations, which show that the amplitude of the stream structure at 1 AU increased monotonically in late 1993, concurrent with major secular evolution in the corona. The reduction in period, then, amounts to a doppler shift due to the progressive overtaking of successively faster streams in the sequence. Attempts to model this process quantitatively with 1-D dynamic simulations falter on three accounts: (1) the reduction in period is overestimated, (2) the simulation predicts many more fronts surviving to 43 AU than are observed by Voyager; (3) the density variations are much too large. It is argued that inclusion of the 3-D geometry in the simulation would resolve most all these shortcomings. Using a series of calculations executed with 1-D, 2-D, and 3-D MHD models of hypothetical tilted-dipole flows, we show that: (1) the radial propagation velocities of 3-D fronts are less than those of 1-D or 2-D fronts, owing to the tilt of (and increased shearing across) the interaction surfaces hence the overtaking rate of successive streams is reduced; (2) in a tilted-dipole geometry, the reverse fronts should largely disappear from the equatorial plane by 43 AU, effectively halving the number of fronts to be observed (see companion paper on predominance of forward fronts at Voyager); and (3) the density enhancements would be much smaller than predicted by a 1-D model.

Pizzo, V. J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Numerical simulation of corotating interaction regions

We report on a numerical simulation of Corotating Interaction Regions (CIRs) in the solar wind. We employ an MHD calculation with a tilted dipole model: slow wind is assumed around the tilted current sheet. As a simplifying assumption the solar wind is kept radial, meridional and azimuthal deflections are neglected. Despite of this simplification the model reproduces several observed features of CIR-s. CIR-s turn out most prominent at mid-latitudes. Toward increasing heliographic latitudes, reverse shocks become dominant, forward shocks tend to become weaker then disappear. The frozen in magnetic field is calculated and applied for the simulation of the transport of cosmic rays in the heliosphere. Some consequences on recurrent cosmic ray phenomena and on the acceleration of energetic particles will be discussed.

Kota, J.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Chebyshev polynomials in the spectral Tau method and applications to Eigenvalue problems

Chebyshev Spectral methods have received much attention recently as a technique for the rapid solution of ordinary differential equations. This technique also works well for solving linear eigenvalue problems. Specific detail is given to the properties and algebra of chebyshev polynomials; the use of chebyshev polynomials in spectral methods; and the recurrence relationships that are developed. These formula and equations are then applied to several examples which are worked out in detail. The appendix contains an example FORTRAN program used in solving an eigenvalue problem.

Johnson, Duane↗
NASA NTRS1995

The IUE MEGA Campaign: The Rotationally Modulated Wind of zeta Puppis

We discuss 16 days of intensive International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) observations of the Si iv doublet (lambda1400) in the spectrum of the O4 I(n) f star zeta Pup. The data show continuous variability throughout the greater part of the blueshifted absorption. Time series analysis of these data reveals significant power at periods of 19.2 hr and 5.2 days, which we identify with the mean recurrence time of Discrete Absorption Components (DACs) and the photospheric rotation period, respectively. These results indicate that the wind has a global longitudinal asymmetry (approaching a factor 2 in optical depth), possibly associated with large-scale magnetic structures, but suggest that the DACs are not directly associated with specific stellar longitudes in this star. There is no significant power in the lines at the 8.5 hr period identified in photospheric absorption-line variability, nor at the 16.7 hr period reported in X-ray observations.

Howarth, Ian D.↗
NASA NTRS1992

X-ray Novae and Related Systems

Accretion disk thermal instability models have been successful in accounting for the basic observations of dwarf novae and the steady behavior of nova-like systems. Models for the dwarf-nova like variability of the old nova and intermediate polar GK Per give good agreement with the burst amplitude, profile and recurrence time in the optical and UV. A month-long 'precursor plateau' in the UV is predicted for the expected 1992 outburst prior to the rise to maximum in the optical and UV. The models for the time scales of the outbursts and corresponding UV spectra at maximum are consistent with the inner edge of the accretion disk being essentially constant between quiescence and outburst and a factor of four larger than the co-rotation radius. These conclusions represent a challenge to the standard theory of magnetic accretion. Disk instability models have also given a good representation of the soft X-ray and optical outbursts of the X-ray novae A0620-00 and GS2000+25. Formation of coronae above the disk, heated by magneto-acoustic flux from the disk, may account for the temporal and spectral properties of the hard X-ray and gamma ray emission of related sources such as Cyg X-1, GS 2023+33 (V404 Cyg), IE 1740.7-2942 (the 'Galactic Center' Einstein Source), and GS 1124-683 (Nova Muscae).

Wheeler, J. Craig↗
NASA NTRS1997

T Pyxidis: The First Cataclysmic Variable with a Collimated Jet

We present the first observational evidence for a collimated jet in a cataclysmic variable system; the recurrent nova T Pyxidis. Optical spectra show bipolar components of H(alpha) with velocities approx. 1400 km/s, very similar to those observed in the supersoft X-ray sources and in SS 433. We argue that a key ingredient of the formation of jets in the supersoft X-ray sources and T Pyx (in addition to an accretion disk threaded by a vertical magnetic field), is the presence of nuclear burning on the surface of the white dwarf.

Shahbaz, T.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Periodic outbursts from the black hole candidate 4U 1630-47

Observational data from several observatories, including Rosat, are used to identify two previously unreported outbursts from the ultrasoft X-ray transient 4U 1630-47. These outbursts occurred in March 1979 and September 1993, which is consistent with a previously reported 600-day outburst recurrence period. This source is a member of the class of transient X-ray binary systems that are thought to contain black holes. The 601.0 +/- 2.8 day period is the shortest observed so far for this class.

Parmar, A. N.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Long-term variability in bright hard X-ray sources: 5+ years of BATSE data

The operation of the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO)/burst and transient source experiment (BATSE) continues to provide data for inclusion into a data base for the analysis of long term variability in bright, hard X-ray sources. The all-sky capability of BATSE provides up to 30 flux measurements/day for each source. The long baseline and the various rising and setting occultation flux measurements allow searches for periodic and quasi-periodic signals with periods of between several hours to hundreds of days to be conducted. The preliminary results from an analysis of the hard X-ray variability in 24 of the brightest BATSE sources are presented. Power density spectra are computed for each source and profiles are presented of the hard X-ray orbital modulations in some X-ray binaries, together with amplitude modulations and variations in outburst durations and intensities in recurrent X-ray transients.

Robinson, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Morphological Analyses of Spring Wheat (CIMMYT cv. PCYT-10) Somaclones

The objectives of this study were to induce callus from single immature wheat embryos, produce multiple seedlings from the induced callus, and analyse the somaclonal regenerants for potential grain production in a space garden. Immature wheat, Triticum aestivum L. (cv. PCYT-10), embryos were excised 10 to 12 days post-anthesis and cultured on modified Murashige and Skoog's inorganic salts. Embryos cultured on medium containing kinetin (6-furfurylaminopurine) at 0.5mg/l plus 2 or 3mg/l dicamba (1-methoxy-3,6- dichlorobenzoic acid) or 0.2mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid produced calli from which 24, 35 and 39% of the explant tissue exhibited regenerants, respectively. The size of flag leaves, plant heights, tillers per plant, spike lengths, awn lengths, and seeds per spike were significantly different in regenerants of two-selfed recurrent generations (SC(sub 1), SC(sub 2)) than in parental controls. However, there were no significant differences in spikelets per spike between the SC(sub 2) and parental controls. Desirable characteristics that were obtained included longer spikes, more seeds per spike, supernumerary spikelets, and larger flag leaves, variants that should be useful in wheat improvement programs.

Campbell, W. F.↗