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NASA NTRS2000

Plasma Sheet Source and Loss Processes

Data from the TIMAS ion mass spectrometer on the Polar satellite, covering 15 ev/e to 33 keV/e in energy and essentially 4(pi) in view angles, are used to investigate the properties of earthward (sunward) field-aligned flows of ions, especially protons, in the plasma sheet-lobe transition region near local midnight. A total of 142 crossings of this region are analyzed at 12-sec time resolution, all in the northern hemisphere, at R(SM) approx. 4 - 7 R(sub E), and most (106) in the poleward (sunward) direction. Earthward proton flows are prominent in this transition region (greater than 50% of the time), typically appearing as sudden "blasts" with the most energetic protons (approx. 33 keV) arriving first with weak flux, followed by protons of decreasing energy and increasing flux until either: (1) a new "blast" appears, (2) the flux ends at a sharp boundary, or (3) the flux fades away within a few minutes as the mean energy drops to a few keV. Frequent step-like changes (less than 12 sec) of the flux suggest that perpendicular gradients on the scale of proton gyroradii are common. Peak flux is similar to central plasma sheet proton flux (10(exp 5) - 10(exp 6)/[cq cm sr sec keV/e] and usually occurs at E approx. 4 - 12 keV. Only the initial phase of each "blast" (approx. 1 min) displays pronounced field-alignment of the proton velocity distribution, consistent with the time-of-flight separation of a more or less isotropic source distribution with df/d(nu) less than 0. The dispersive signatures are often consistent with a source at R(SM) less than or equal to 30 R(sub E). No systematic latitudinal velocity dispersion is found, implying that the equatorial plasma source is itself convecting. In short, the proton "blasts" appear as sudden local expansions of central plasma sheet particles along reconfigured ("dipolarized") magnetic field lines.

Lennartsson, O. W.↗

NASA NTRS2009

A Contribution by Ice Nuclei to Global Warming

Ice nuclei (IN) significantly affect clouds via supercooled droplets, that in turn modulate atmospheric radiation and thus climate change. Since the IN effect is relatively strong in stratiform clouds but weak in convective ones, the overall effect depends on the ratio of stratiform to convective cloud amount. In this paper, 10 years of TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) satellite data are analyzed to confirm that stratiform precipitation fraction increases with increasing latitude, which implies that the IN effect is stronger at higher latitudes. To quantitatively evaluate the IN effect versus latitude, large-scale forcing data from ten field campaigns are used to drive a CRM (cloud-resolving model) to generate longterm cloud simulations. As revealed in the simulations, the increase in the net downward radiative flux at the TOA (top of the atmosphere) from doubling the current IN concentrations is larger at higher latitude, which is attributed to the meridional tendency in the stratiform precipitation fraction. Surface warming from doubling the IN concentrations, based on the radiative balance of the globe, is compared with that from anthropogenic COZ . It is found that the former effect is stronger than the latter in middle and high latitudes but not in the Tropics. With regard to the impact of IN on global warming, there are two factors to consider: the radiative effect from increasing the IN concentration and the increase in IN concentration itself. The former relies on cloud ensembles and thus varies mainly with latitude. In contrast, the latter relies on IN sources (e.g., the land surface distribution) and thus varies not only with latitude but also longitude. Global desertification and industrialization provide clues on the geographic variation of the increase in IN concentration since pre-industrial times. Thus, their effect on global warming can be inferred and then be compared with observations. A general match in geographic and seasonal variations between the inferred and observed warming suggests that IN may have contributed positively to global warming over the past decades, especially in middle and high latitudes.

Zeng, Xiping↗

DOE OSTI2020

Photo-z outlier self-calibration in weak lensing surveys

Calibrating photometric redshift errors in weak lensing surveys with external data is extremely challenging. In this work, we show that both Gaussian and outlier photo-z parameters can be self-calibrated from the data alone. This comes at no cost for the neutrino masses, curvature and dark energy equation of state w0, but with a 65% degradation when both w0 and wa are varied. We perform a realistic forecast for the Vera Rubin Observatory (VRO) Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) 3× 2 analysis, combining cosmic shear, projected galaxy clustering and galaxy - galaxy lensing. We confirm the importance of marginalizing over photo-z outliers. We examine a subset of internal cross-correlations, dubbed "null correlations", which are usually ignored in 3× 2 analyses. Despite contributing only ~ 10% of the total signal-to-noise, these null correlations improve the constraints on photo-z parameters by up to an order of magnitude. Using the same galaxy sample as sources and lenses dramatically improves the photo-z uncertainties too. Together, these methods add robustness to any claim of detected new Physics, and reduce the statistical errors on cosmology by 15% and 10% respectively. Finally, including CMB lensing from an experiment like Simons Observatory or CMB-S4 improves the cosmological and photo-z posterior constraints by about 10%, and further improves the robustness to systematics. To give intuition on the Fisher forecasts, we examine in detail several toy models that explain the origin of the photo-z self-calibration. Our Fisher code LaSSI (Large-Scale Structure Information), which includes the effect of Gaussian and outlier photo-z, shear multiplicative bias, linear galaxy bias, and extensions to LCDM, is publicly available at \href{https://github.com/EmmanuelSchaan/LaSSI}{https://github.com/EmmanuelSchaan/LaSSI}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Generalized symmetries and Noether’s theorem in $\mathrm{QFT}$

We show that generalized symmetries cannot be charged under a continuous global symmetry having a Noether current. Further, only non-compact generalized symmetries can be charged under a continuous global symmetry. These results follow from a finer classification of twist operators, which naturally extends to finite group global symmetries. They unravel topological obstructions to the strong version of Noether’s theorem in QFT, even if under general conditions a global symmetry can be implemented locally by twist operators (weak version). We use these results to rederive Weinberg-Witten’s theorem within local QFT, generalizing it to massless particles in arbitrary dimensions and representations of the Lorentz group. Several examples with local twists but without Noether currents are described. We end up discussing the conditions for the strong version to hold, dynamical aspects of QFT’s with non-compact generalized symmetries, scale vs conformal invariance in QFT, connections with the Coleman-Mandula theorem and aspects of global symmetries in quantum gravity.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2022

Using post-processing heat treatments to elucidate precipitate strengthening of additively manufactured superalloy 718

The poor machinability and extensive work hardening of Ni-based superalloys makes additive manufacturing an attractive option for producing geometrically complex components with distinct microstructures. Although previous studies show recovery of high strength at room temperature, very few studies demonstrate successful properties at elevated temperatures required for industrial applications. Here, the objectives of this study are to present a post-build heat treatment for high strength across a wide temperature range, determine the strength contribution of nanoscale precipitating phases to the overall mechanical properties of superalloy 718, and from these, provide a comprehensive microstructure-property relationship for wrought and AM 718 to guide efforts to simulate the properties of AM components. Laser powder bed fusion–produced superalloy 718 was characterized at multiple length scales using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy in the as-built condition and with multiple heat treatments designed to form combinations of γ', γ", and δ precipitates. Uniaxial tensile tests performed from room temperature to 600 °C on subsize specimens determined the yield strength, elastic modulus, ultimate tensile strength, fracture stress, and uniform elongation. Precipitates in this work proved to be weak barriers to dislocation motion through a dispersed barrier model, but they provided strength to the alloy through their consistent high density. The relative contribution to the yield strength from γ" remained consistent between 48% and 57% of the total strength up to 600 °C, the primary influence on the high temperature strength of superalloy 718. The strength factors for γ" and δ precipitates were found to trend inversely with tensile test temperature and may be attributable to the differences in precipitate coherency. A post-build heat treatment is recommended to maintain high strength at elevated temperatures. A quantitative microstructure-property relationship, dependent on precipitate size, density, and morphology, was derived and can estimate the yield strength across a wide temperature range applicable to the operational regimes for superalloy 718.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

MUSE Analysis of Gas around Galaxies (MAGG) – IV. The gaseous environment of z ∼ 3–4 Ly α emitting galaxies

ABSTRACT We study the link between galaxies and H i-selected absorption systems at z ∼ 3–4 in the MUSE Analysis of Gas around Galaxies (MAGG) survey, an ESO large programme consisting of integral field spectroscopic observations of 28 quasar fields hosting 61 strong absorbers with $\rm N_{\rm H\,{\small I}}\gtrsim 10^{16.5}~\rm cm^{-2}$. We identify 127 Ly α emitting galaxies (LAEs) around the absorbers, corresponding to a detection rate of 82 ± 16 per cent. The luminosity function of these LAEs is ≈5 times higher in normalization than the field population and we detect a significant clustering of galaxies with respect to the gas, confirming that high column density absorbers and LAEs trace each other. Between 30 and 40 per cent of the absorbers are associated with multiple LAEs, which lie preferentially along filaments. Galaxies in groups also exhibit a three times higher covering factor of optically thick gas compared to isolated systems. No significant correlations are identified between the emission properties of LAEs and the absorption properties of optically thick gas clouds, except for a weak preference of brighter and multiple galaxies to reside near broad absorbers. Based on the measured impact parameters and the covering factor, we conclude that the near totality of optically thick gas in the Universe can be found in the outer circumgalactic medium (CGM) of LAEs or in the intergalactic medium (IGM) in proximity to these galaxies. Thus, LAEs act as tracers of larger scale structures within which both galaxies and optically thick clouds are embedded. The patchy and inhomogeneous nature of the CGM and IGM explains the lack of correlations between absorption and emission properties. This implies that very large samples are needed to unveil the trends that encode the properties of the baryon cycle.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

DOE OSTI2023

Location and thermal evolution of the pseudogap due to spin fluctuations

We study pseudogap behavior in a metal near a spin density wave (SDW) instability due to thermal magnetic fluctuations. We consider the t–t' Hubbard model on a square lattice at a finite doping, at intermediate coupling strength, and analyze the thermal evolution of the electron spectral function between a SDW ordered state at low temperatures and a normal Fermi liquid at high temperatures. We argue that for proper description of the pseudogap one needs to sum up infinite series of diagrams for both the fermionic self-energy and the SDW order parameter in the SDW state or the magnetic correlation length in the paramagnetic state. We use the eikonal approach to sum up an infinite series of diagrammatic contributions from thermal fluctuations. Earlier studies found that in the SDW state the spectral function A k (ω) of a hot fermion at a finite T is exponentially small below the energy scale Δ(T), which scales with SDW order and vanishes at the ordering temperature T N , and has a hump at a larger frequency Δ PG , comparable to the zero-temperature SDW gap Δ(T = 0). We argue that the hump, which we associate with the pseudogap, survives in some T range above T N . We show that this range is split by regions of strong and weak pseudogap behavior. In the first region, Δ PG is weakly temperature dependent, despite the fact that it comes from thermal fluctuations. Such a behavior has been seen in numerical studies of the Hubbard model. We show that to obtain it one needs to go beyond the one-loop approximation and sum up the infinite series of diagrams. In the second regime, Δ PG decreases with increasing T and eventually vanishes. Here, we further argue that a magnetic pseudogap at a finite T emerges only if the ground state is magnetically ordered. We present the phase diagram and apply the results to high-T c cuprates.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2021

Cosmological constraints from DES Y1 cluster abundances and SPT multiwavelength data

We perform a joint analysis of the counts of redMaPPer clusters selected from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) year 1 data and multiwavelength follow-up data collected within the 2500 deg2 South Pole Telescope (SPT) Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (SZ) survey. The SPT follow-up data, calibrating the richness-mass relation of the optically selected redMaPPer catalog, enable the cosmological exploitation of the DES cluster abundance data. To explore possible systematics related to the modeling of projection effects, we consider two calibrations of the observational scatter on richness estimates: a simple Gaussian model which account only for the background contamination (BKG), and a model which further includes contamination and incompleteness due to projection effects (PRJ). Assuming either a ΛCDM+∑mν or wCDM+∑mν cosmology, and for both scatter models, we derive cosmological constraints consistent with multiple cosmological probes of the low and high redshift Universe, and in particular with the SPT cluster abundance data. This result demonstrates that the DES Y1 and SPT cluster counts provide consistent cosmological constraints, if the same mass calibration data set is adopted. It thus supports the conclusion of the DES Y1 cluster cosmology analysis which interprets the tension observed with other cosmological probes in terms of systematics affecting the stacked weak lensing analysis of optically selected low–richness clusters. Finally, we analyze the first combined optically SZ selected cluster catalog obtained by including the SPT sample above the maximum redshift probed by the DES Y1 redMaPPer sample (z=0.65). Besides providing a mild improvement of the cosmological constraints, this data combination serves as a stricter test of our scatter models: the PRJ model, providing scaling relations consistent between the two abundance and multiwavelength follow-up data, is favored over the BKG model.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Ab Initio Uncertainty Quantification of Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay in 76 Ge

The observation of neutrinoless double-beta (0⁢𝜈⁢𝛽⁢𝛽) decay would offer proof of lepton number violation, demonstrating that neutrinos are Majorana particles, while also helping us understand why there is more matter than antimatter in the Universe. If the decay is driven by the exchange of the three known light neutrinos, a discovery would, in addition, link the observed decay rate to the neutrino mass scale through a theoretical quantity known as the nuclear matrix element (NME). Accurate values of the NMEs for all nuclei considered for use in 0⁢𝜈⁢𝛽⁢𝛽 experiments are therefore crucial for designing and interpreting those experiments. Here, we report the first comprehensive ab initio uncertainty quantification of the 0⁢𝜈⁢𝛽⁢𝛽-decay NME, in the key nucleus 76 Ge. Here, our method employs nuclear strong and weak interactions derived within chiral effective field theory and recently developed many-body emulators. Our result, with a conservative treatment of uncertainty, is an NME of 2.60$^{+1.28}_{−1.36}$, which, together with the best-existing half-life sensitivity and phase-space factor, sets an upper limit for effective neutrino mass of 187$^{+205}_{−62}$ meV. The result is important for designing next generation germanium detectors aiming to cover the entire inverted hierarchy region of neutrino masses.

Ab initio calculations↗

DOE OSTI2022

A Quasar Shedding Its Dust Cocoon at Redshift 2

We present the first near-IR spectroscopy and joint analyses of multiwavelength observations for SDSS J082747.14+425241.1, a dust-reddened, weak broad emission-line quasar (WLQ) undergoing a remarkable broad-absorption line (BAL) transformation. The systemic redshift is more precisely measured to be z = 2.070 ± 0.001 using Hβ compared to z = 2.040 ± 0.003 using Mg ιι from the literature, signifying an extreme Mg ιι blueshift of 2140 ± 530 km s –1 relative to Hβ. Using the Hβ-based single-epoch scaling relation with a systematic uncertainty of 0.3 dex, its black hole (BH) mass and Eddington ratio are estimated to be M BH ~ 6.1 × 10 8 M ⊙ and λ Edd ~ 0.71, indicative of being in a rapidly accreting phase. Our investigations confirm the WLQ nature and the LoBAL → HiBAL transformation, along with a factor of 2 increase in the Mg ιι+Fe ιι emission strength and a decrease of 0.1 in E(B – V) over two decades. The kinetic power of this LoBAL wind at R ~ 15 pc from its BH is estimated to be ~43% of the Eddington luminosity, sufficient for quasar feedback upon its host galaxy albeit with an order-of-magnitude uncertainty. This quasar provides a clear example of the long-sought scenario where LoBAL quasars are surrounded by dust cocoons, and wide-angle nuclear winds play a key role in the transition of red quasars evolving into the commonly seen blue quasars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS2022

Discrete Aurora on the Nightside of Mars: Occurrence Location and Probability

This paper represents the first attempt to predict the occurrence location and probability of discrete electron aurora on the nightside of Mars. We run a 3-D time-dependent magnetohydrodynamic model to characterize the spatial and temporal dynamics of magnetic field and plasma distributions over the course of one planetary rotation. We perform eight simulation cases under solar minimum quiet-solar-wind conditions (four equinox/solstice seasons, each with two interplanetary magnetic field polarities) and in an actual interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) case to assess quiet and space weather situations, respectively. The occurrence of detectable discrete aurora is subject to the combination of the probabilities that (a) the ionosphere is magnetically connected with high altitudes through open field lines and (b) precipitating energy fluxes of >30 eV electrons exceed 0.1 erg/cm2/s. Our results show that during quiet solar activity, discrete aurora occurs likely on small-scale patches embedded inside strong crustal magnetic field regions (with a magnitude greater than 50 nT at 150 km), and the overall chance across the globe is ∼0.77%. The higher probability over strong crustal field regions is attributed to the stronger magnetic field convergence. Modeling shows the occurrence probability dramatically increases during the ICME event, particularly by more than an order of magnitude in weak crustal field regions. Our model results reasonably agree with NASA Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN and Mars Express observations. Our study suggests that nightside discrete electron aurora is not caused by the direct entry of magnetosheath plasma in a cusp-like process but due to the recycling of nightside magnetospheric electrons.

Xiaohua Fang↗

DOE OSTI2019

VeloxChem: A Python-driven density-functional theory program for spectroscopy simulations in high-performance computing environments

An open-source program named VeloxChem has been developed for the calculation of electronic real and complex linear response functions at the levels of Hartree–Fock and Kohn–Sham density functional theories. With an object-oriented program structure written in a Python/C++ layered fashion, VeloxChem enables time-efficient prototyping of novel scientific approaches without sacrificing computational efficiency, so that molecular systems involving up to and beyond 500 second-row atoms (or some 10,000 contracted and in part diffuse Gaussian basis functions) can be routinely addressed. In addition, VeloxChem is equipped with a polarizable embedding scheme for the treatment of the classical electrostatic interactions with an environment that in turn is modeled by atomic site charges and polarizabilities. The underlying hybrid message passing interface (MPI)/open multiprocessing (OpenMP) parallelization scheme makes VeloxChem suitable for execution in high-performance computing cluster environments, showing even slightly beyond linear scaling for the Fock matrix construction with use of up to 16,384 central processing unit (CPU) cores. An efficient—with respect to convergence rate and overall computational cost—multifrequency/gradient complex linear response equation solver enables calculations not only of conventional spectra, such as visible/ultraviolet/X-ray electronic absorption and circular dichroism spectra, but also time-resolved linear response signals as due to ultra-short weak laser pulses.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

DOE OSTI2024

Effect of viral infection on the ice nucleation efficiency of marine coccolithophores

A marine coccolithophore (Emiliania huxleyi) and coccolithovirus (EhV-207) were grown together in a marine aerosol reference tank (MART) to investigate how the viral lysis of phytoplankton affects the formation of immersion mode ice nucleating particles (INPs) in sea spray aerosol (SSA). The mean ice nucleation temperatures of SSA produced during viral infection were slightly lower (–28.5 °C) than pre-viral infection (–27.5 °C). Ice nucleation temperatures were relatively low, indicating that organic matter from E. huxleyi is less effective as an INP than phytoplankton examined in previous studies. E. huxleyi is covered in calcium carbonate coccoliths and contains high intracellular concentrations of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). The ice nucleation efficiencies of purified components were measured to better understand this model system. Purified coccoliths were moderately effective INPs (–25.3 ± 0.4 °C at 5 x 10 2 mg L -1 (mean ±pooled SD)) that showed a concentration effect, with lower freezing temperatures at lower concentrations. Coccoliths and DMSP were both weakly efficient INPs. In comparison, purified phytoplankton viruses (EhV-207 and CtenRNAV-01) infecting coccolithophores and diatoms, respectively, did not affect freezing at temperatures warmer than the procedural blank. Our results suggest that E. huxleyi, in contrast to diatoms and cyanobacteria, is not a significant source of immersion mode INPs to the marine atmosphere, despite its broad distribution in the global ocean and large-scale bloom formation.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2026

The ABCs of phase retrieval: Connecting the acronyms of scanning transmission electron microscopy

High-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM) is an indispensable tool for characterizing the structure and properties of materials down to the atomic scale. Conventional S/TEM imaging, however, is limited by the phase problem, whereby the phase of the electron exit wave is lost upon detection. Recent advances in diffractive imaging and 4D-STEM have enabled a range of phase-retrieval techniques that computationally reconstruct the missing information encoded in the phase of the transmission function. These approaches offer improved dose efficiency and enhanced sensitivity to weakly scattering signals, extending quantitative imaging to beam-sensitive materials composed of light elements. In this work, we introduce the phase problem in electron microscopy and survey the diverse landscape of phase-retrieval techniques used in the field. Despite their many acronyms and algorithmic variations, these techniques share a common physical and mathematical foundation. We present a unified framework that connects these seemingly distinct methods, from parallax imaging and tilt-corrected bright-field (tcBF-STEM), to aberration-corrected bright-field (acBF-STEM), optimum bright-field (OBF-STEM) and single-sideband (SSB) ptychography, as well as first-moment integrated center of mass techniques (iCOM) and iterative ptychographic algorithms. Based on these insights, we discuss the opportunities and practical limitations of applying these methods across different materials systems, detector designs, and microscope configurations.Graphical abstractRepresentative electron microscopy configurations used for phase retrieval and diffractive imaging in S/TEM: (a) Zernike phase-contrast transmission electron microscopy (TEM), (b) small-convergence-angle four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D-STEM) for nanobeam-based phase reconstruction methods, and (c) large-convergence-angle 4D-STEM for ptychographic and related diffractive imaging techniques reviewed in this work.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Cross-flow separation characteristics and piloting of graphene oxide nanofiltration membrane sheets and tubes for kraft black liquor concentration

Dewatering of weak black liquor (WBL) in the kraft cycle by evaporation is highly energy intensive. Membranes are an attractive alternative for energy-efficient dewatering, but existing commercial polymeric or ceramic membranes are either degraded in BL or have high capital costs. Our recent works have demonstrated the engineering of graphene oxide (GO) nanofiltration membranes, their stability and promising performance in BL conditions, and preliminary scale-up into sheets and tubes. Here, we describe in detail the separation characteristics of GO membrane sheets and tubes under real BL conditions and crossflow operation. Recycle-mode piloting of a GO tubular membrane showed average “production flux” of 16 L/m2/h (LMH) and high rejections of lignin (98.3%), total solids (66%), and total organic carbon (83%), with no signs of irreversible fouling identified. A corresponding GO sheet membrane produced an average flux of ~25 LMH and maintained high lignin rejection of ~97% during a slipstream pilot at a kraft mill site using WBL with ~16 wt% total solids (TS). Finally, we piloted a Dow/DuPont XUS1808 polyamide composite reverse osmosis (RO) membrane for last-mile processing of the GO nanofiltration membrane permeate. The RO membrane showed a steady state flux of 19 LMH at 65 bar and produced ~0.02 wt% TS water product, which is highly suitable for reuse in pulp washing operations in the kraft process. The results have strong positive implications for the industrial application of GO membranes in BL concentration and other related applications.

Materials Science↗

NASA NTRS1973

Further aspects of weak shock theory applied to the solar chromosphere.

The low chromosphere now seems definitely to require mechanical heating, and dissipation of initially acoustic waves by shocking is one of the most promising possibilities. Results of recent calculations indicate that the weak shock theory may be applicable in this case, but discrepancies exist among various applications of this theory, and the explanations offered to date are not completely satisfactory. It is shown that the different approximations used by different authors to evaluate the mechanical flux integral play an important role in producing these discrepancies, in addition to the already well-known effects of the density scale heights and the wave periods. Arguments are presented favoring Ulmschneider's (1970, 1971) method for evaluation of this flux integral.

Jordan, S. D.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Hydrodynamic simulations of flare/surge events

A one-dimensional, hydrodynamic, time-dependent model which simulates the major observed dynamics of flare associated surges was developed. The thermodynamics, the surge mass, the time scales, the physical dimensions, and the velocities of typical surge events are reproduced. The surge is created by a sudden pressure increase at the top of the chromosphere, and this pressure pulse produces a disturbance which is followed, with a time-dependent numerical solution, as it propagates upward through the transition region and into the corona. The leading edge of the disturbance is a weak shock which has only a slight effect on the original transition region and coronal thermodynamics. The major effect occurs behind the shock where the temperature is decreased and the density is increased, and this cool, dense region moves upward then falls downward. After the material begins returning to the chromosphere, a second shock is formed which propagates upward, brings the infalling material to rest, and returns the atmosphere to hydrostatic equilibrium.

Steinolfson, R. S.↗

NASA NTRS1982

A first look at the eclipsing cataclysmic variable Lanning 10

Photometry and spectroscopy of a new cataclysmic variable star, Lanning 10 are presented. The star is shown to be an eclipsing binary with a 7h 42m orbital period. Blue flickering is observed to occur on a time scale of 10 minutes. The light curve is analyzed with a numerical simulation of the eclipse of the accretion disk by the lobe-filling star. The disk nearly spans the Roche lobe of the white dwarf, and its surface brightness is a steep function of radius. Spectra show broad H alpha and He I 6678 A emission lines from the accretion disk and a weak absorption feature from the red dwarf. Radial velocity measurements of the H alpha emission line vary systematically with binary phase. The observed velocity amplitude 240 km/s, gives the mass function 0.46 solar masses. A phase shift of the velocity curve relative to the eclipse ephemeris indicates that a brightness asymmetry exists in the inner parts of the disk.

Horne, K.↗