An icy mineralogy package (IMP) for in-situ studies of Titan’s surface

We describe the scientific case for and preliminary design of an instrument whose primary goal is to determine the chemistry (element abundance) and mineralogy (compound identity and abundance) of Titan’s surface using a combination of energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (EDXRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). XRD is capable of identifying any crystalline substance present on Titan’s surface at relative abundances greater than ∼1 wt%, allowing unambiguous identification of, for example, structure I and II clathrates (even in the presence of ice), and various organic solids, which may include C₂H₂, C₂H₄, C₄H₂, HCN, CH₃CN, HC₃N, and C₄N₂). The XRF component of the instrument will obtain elemental abundances for 16 < Z < 60 with minimum detection limits better than 10 ppm (including detection of atmospheric noble gas isotopes), and may achieve detection limits of 0.01–1% for lighter elements down to Z = 6 (carbon). The instrument is well suited to integration with other analytical tools as part of a light-weight surface chemistry and mineralogy package. Although considerably less sensitive to elemental abundance than GC–MS (10⁻² vs. 10⁻⁸) it is likely to be significantly lighter (<0.5 kg vs. 10 kg).     

Signatures of the Sudden Stratospheric Warming events of January–February 2008 in Seoul,S. Korea

The period January–February 2008 was characterized by four Sudden Stratospheric Warmings (SSWs) in the Northern Hemisphere, of which the last warming, at the end of February 2008, was a major warming. A significant decrease in mesospheric water vapour (H₂O) of more than 2 ppmv (∼40%) was observed by the ground-based microwave (GBMW) radiometer in Seoul, S. Korea [37.3°N, 126.3°E] during the major SSW. A comparison with ground-based mesospheric H₂O observations from the mid-latitude station in Bern [46.9°N, 7°E] revealed an anticorrelation in the mesospheric H₂O data during the major SSW. In addition, prior to the major warming, strong periodic fluctuations were recorded in the Aura MLS vertical temperature distribution between 15 and 0.05 hPa at Seoul. The mesospheric temperature oscillation was found to have a period of ∼10–14 days with a persistency of 3–4 cycles.     

Rotational constants of linear and/or bent Cn+1H and CnN(n = 1–6): A DFT study

The geometries, dipole moments, and rotational constants for the linear and/or bent cations, C_n+1H⁺ and C_nN⁺(n = 1–6), were studied by the B3LYP method with the modest basis sets. For C_nH⁺(n = odd; 3, 5, 7) and C_nN⁺(n = even; 2, 4, 6), the theoretical rotational constants (B_es) of closed-shell singlet C₃H⁺, C₅H⁺, C₇H⁺, CCN⁺, C₄N⁺, and C₆N⁺ were calculated to be about 11,244, 2420, 885.2, 11,970, 2439, and 880.8 MHz, respectively. By contrast, the triplets are stable than the corresponding singlets for C_nH⁺(n = odd; 2, 4, 6) and C_nN⁺(n = even; 3, 5) except CN⁺.     

Response of the mid-latitude D-region ionosphere to the total solar eclipse of 22 July 2009 studied using VLF signals in South Korean peninsula

In this paper, we analyze VLF signals received at Busan to study the the D-region changes linked with the solar eclipse event of 22 July 2009 for very short (∼390 km) transmitter–receiver great circle path (TRGCP) during local noon time 00:36–03:13 UT (09:36–12:13 KST). The eclipse crossed south of Busan with a maximum obscuration of ∼84%. Observations clearly show a reduction of ∼6.2 dB in the VLF signal strength at the time of maximum solar obscuration (84% at 01:53 UT) as compared to those observed on the control days. Estimated values of change in Wait ionospheric parameters: reflection height (h′) in km and inverse scale height parameter (β) in km⁻¹ from Long Wave Propagation Capability (LWPC) model during the maximum eclipse phase as compared to unperturbed ionosphere are 7 km and 0.055 km⁻¹, respectively. Moreover, the D-region electron density estimated from model computation shows 95% depletion in electron density at the height of ∼71 km. The reflection height is found to increase by ∼7 km in the D-region during the eclipse as compared to those on the control days, implying a depletion in the Lyman-α flux by a factor of ∼7. The present observations are discussed in the light of current understanding on the solar eclipse induced D-region dynamics.     

Jovian periodicities (∼10 h, ∼40 min) on Ulysses’ Distant Jupiter Encounter observations around the Halloween CIR events

We analyzed data from four different instruments (HI-SCALE, URAP, SWOOPS, VHM/FGM) onboard Ulysses spacecraft (s/c) and we searched for possible evidence of Jovian emissions when the s/c approached Jupiter during the times of Halloween events (closest time approach/position to Jupiter: February 5, 2004/R = 1683 R_J,θ = ∼49°). In particular, we analyzed extensively the low energy ion measurements obtained by the HI-SCALE experiment in order to examine whether low energy ion/electron emissions show a symmetry, and whether they are observed at north high latitudes upstream from the jovian bow shock, as is known to occur in the region upstream from the south bow shock as well ( Marhavilas et al., 2001). We studied the period from October 2003 to March 2004, as Ulysses moved at distances 0.8–1.2 AU from the planet at north Jovicentric latitudes <75°, and we present here an example of characteristic Jovian periodicities in the measurements around a CIR observed by Ulysses on days ∼348–349/2003 (R = 1894 R_J,θ = 72°). We show that Ulysses observed low energy ion (∼0.055–4.7 MeV) and electron (>∼40 keV) flux and/or spectral modulation with the Jupiter rotation period (∼10 h) as well as variations with the same period in solar wind parameters, radio and magnetic field directional data. In addition, characteristic strong ∼40 min periodic variations were found superimposed on the ∼10 h ion spectral modulation. Both the ∼10 h and ∼40 min ion periodicities in HI-SCALE measurements were present in several cases during the whole period examined (October 2003 to March 2004) and were found to be more evident during some special conditions, for instance during enhanced fluxes around the start (forward shock) and the end (reverse shock) of CIRs. We infer that the Jovian magnetosphere was triggered by the impact of the CIRs, after the Halloween events, and it was (a) a principal source of forward and reverse shock-associated ion flux structures and (b) the cause of generation of ∼10 h quasi-periodic magnetic field and plasma modulation observed by Ulysses at those times.     

Studies of electron and ion temperatures at 500 km altitude during sunrise using Indian SROSS C2 satellite

Solar dependence of electron and ion temperatures (T_e and T_i) in the ionosphere is studied using RPA data onboard SROSS C2 at an altitude of ∼500 km and 77°E longitude during early morning hours (04:00–07:00 LT) for three solar activities: solar minimum, moderate and maximum during winter, summer and equinox months in 10°S–20°N geomagnetic latitude. In winter the morning overshoot phenomenon is observed around 06:00 LT (T_e enhances to ∼4000 K) during low-solar activity and to T_e ∼ 3800 K, during higher solar activity. In summer, it is observed around 05:30 LT, but the rate of T_e enhancement is higher during moderate solar activity (∼2700 K/hr) than the low-solar activity (∼1700 K/hr). During equinox, this phenomenon is delayed and is observed around 06:00 LT (∼4200 K) during all three activities.     

Status of the GAMMA-400 project

The preliminary design of the new space gamma-ray telescope GAMMA-400 for the energy range 100 MeV–3 TeV is presented. The angular resolution of the instrument, 1–2° at E_γ ∼ 100 MeV and ∼0.01° at E_γ > 100 GeV, its energy resolution ∼1% at E_γ > 100 GeV, and the proton rejection factor ∼10⁶ are optimized to address a broad range of science topics, such as search for signatures of dark matter, studies of Galactic and extragalactic gamma-ray sources, Galactic and extragalactic diffuse emission, gamma-ray bursts, as well as high-precision measurements of spectra of cosmic-ray electrons, positrons, and nuclei.     

Mesospheric doppler wind measurements from Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS)

This paper describes a microwave limb technique for measuring Doppler wind in the Earth’s mesosphere. The research algorithm has been applied to Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) 118.75 GHz measurements where the O₂ Zeeman lines are resolved by a digital autocorrelation spectrometer. A precision of ∼17 m/s for the line-of-sight (LOS) wind is achieved at 80–92 km, which corresponds to radiometric noise during 1/6 s integration time. The LOS winds from Aura MLS are mostly in the meridional direction at low- and mid-latitudes with vertical resolution of ∼8 km. This microwave Doppler technique has potential to obtain useful winds down to ∼40 km of the Earth’s atmosphere if measurements from other MLS frequencies (near H₂O, O₃, and CO lines) are used. Initial analyses show that the MLS winds from the 118.75 GHz measurements agree well with the TIDI (Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics Doppler Interferometer) winds for the perturbations induced by a strong quasi 2-day wave (QTDW) in January 2005. Time series of MLS winds reveal many interesting climatological and planetary wave features, including the diurnal, semidiurnal tides, and the QTDW. Interactions between the tides and the QTDW are clearly evident, indicating possible large tidal structural changes after the QTDW events dissipate.     

AVS-F observations of γ-ray emission during January 20, 2005 solar flare up to 140 MeV

The solar flare of January 20, 2005 (X7.1, 06:36–07:26 UT, maximum at 07:01 UT by the GOES soft X-ray data) was the most powerful one in January 2005 series. The AVS-F apparatus onboard CORONAS-F registered γ-emission during soft X-ray rising phase of this flare in two energy ranges of 0.1–20 MeV and 2–140 MeV. The highest γ-ray energy registered during this flare was ∼140 MeV. Six spectral features were registered in energy spectrum of this solar flare: annihilation + αα (0.4–0.6 MeV), ²⁴Mg + ²⁰Ne + ²⁸Si + neutron capture (1.7–2.3 MeV), ²¹Ne + ²²Ne + ¹⁶O + ¹²С (3.2–5.0 MeV), ¹⁶O (5.3–6.9 MeV), one from neutral pions decay (25–110 MeV) and one in energy band 15–21 MeV. Four of them contain typical for solar flares lines – annihilation, nuclear de-excitation and neutron capture at ¹H. Spectral feature caused by neutral pions decay was registered during several flares too. Some spectral peculiarities in the region of 15–21 MeV were first observed in solar flare energy spectrum.     

Modeling PSBL high speed ion beams observed by Cluster and Double Star

On October 8, 2004, the Cluster and Double Star spacecraft crossed the near-Earth (12–19 R_E) magnetotail neutral sheet during the recovery phase of a small, isolated substorm. Although they were separated in distance by ∼7 R_E and in time by ∼30 min, both Cluster and Double Star observed steady, but highly structured Earthward moving >1000 km/s high speed H⁺ beams in the PSBL. This paper utilizes a global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation driven by Wind spacecraft solar wind input to model the large-scale structure of the PSBL and large-scale kinetic (LSK) particle tracing calculations to investigate the similarities and differences in the properties of the observed beams. This study finds that the large-scale shape of the PSBL is determined by the MHD configuration. On smaller scales, the LSK calculations, in good qualitative agreement with both Cluster and Double Star observations, demonstrated that the PSBL is highly structured in both time and space, on time intervals of less than 2 min, and spatial distances of the order of 0.2–0.5 R_E. This picture of the PSBL is different from the ordered and structured region previously reported in observations.     

Chlorophyll,calcite, and suspended sediment concentrations in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea at the river mouths

Chlorophyll and suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) and sea surface temperature (SST) are important parameters in assessing the productivity of coastal regions. Numerous rivers flow into the eastern (Ganga, Subernarekha, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Penner, and Kaveri) and western (Narmada, Tapti, and Indus) coasts of the Indian sub-continent. Using IRS P4 (Oceansat-1) Ocean Color Monitor (OCM) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, we have retrieved chlorophyll, calcite, and SSC near the mouth of these rivers for the period during 2000–2004. The maxima of chlorophyll-a concentrations at the river mouth is much higher for the Himalayan and north India rivers (Ganga, Subernarekha, Mahanadi, and Indus) (10–14 mg/m³) compared to rivers in the southern parts of India (Kaveri and Penner) (∼4 mg/m³). The maxima of calcite concentration (∼45 moles/m³), chlorophyll (∼14 mg/m³), and sediment concentrations (∼9 g/m³) near river mouth are found to be influenced by river discharges (Ganga and Brahmaputra) during the monsoon season. The calcite concentration (∼45 moles/m³) at the mouth of Ganga river shows a major peak with the onset of monsoon season (June–July) followed by a maxima in chlorophyll-a with a time lag of 1–2 months. The Krishna, Kaveri, and Penner rivers show low chlorophyll concentrations (3–8 mg/m³), high calcite (0–40 moles/m³), and low SSC (<3 g/m³) compared to Narmada and Tapti rivers (chlorophyll-a 12–14 mg/m³, calcite 0–2 moles/m³, and SSC 13–19 g/m³). The Indus river shows similar behavior (maxima of chlorophyll ∼13 mg/m³ and SSC ∼8 g/m³) with respect to Ganga river except for high calcite concentration during winter months (∼25 moles/m³). The characteristics of the chlorophyll, calcite, and SSC at the mouth of these rivers show spatial and temporal variability along the eastern and westerns coasts of India which are found to differ widely. A comparison of the chlorophyll concentrations using OCM and MODIS data shows low chlorophyll concentrations in the Bay of Bengal as compared to the Arabian Sea.     

3D Imaging of the OH mesospheric emissive layer

A new and original stereo imaging method is introduced to measure the altitude of the OH nightglow layer and provide a 3D perspective map of the altitude of the layer centroid. Near-IR photographs of the OH layer are taken at two sites separated by a 645 km distance. Each photograph is processed in order to provide a satellite view of the layer. When superposed, the two views present a common diamond-shaped area. Pairs of matched points that correspond to a physical emissive point in the common area are identified in calculating a normalized cross-correlation coefficient (NCC). This method is suitable for obtaining 3D representations in the case of low-contrast objects. An observational campaign was conducted in July 2006 in Peru. The images were taken simultaneously at Cerro Cosmos (12°09′08.2″ S, 75°33′49.3″ W, altitude 4630 m) close to Huancayo and Cerro Verde Tellolo (16°33′17.6″ S, 71°39′59.4″ W, altitude 2272 m) close to Arequipa. 3D maps of the layer surface were retrieved and compared with pseudo-relief intensity maps of the same region. The mean altitude of the emission barycenter is located at 86.3 km on July 26. Comparable relief wavy features appear in the 3D and intensity maps. It is shown that the vertical amplitude of the wave system varies as exp (Δz/2H) within the altitude range Δz = 83.5–88.0 km, H being the scale height. The oscillatory kinetic energy at the altitude of the OH layer is comprised between 3 × 10⁻⁴ and 5.4 × 10⁻⁴ J/m³, which is 2–3 times smaller than the values derived from partial radio wave at 52°N latitude.     

X-ray redshifts with the International X-ray Observatory (IXO)

We explore the capabilities of the future space science mission IXO (International X-ray Observatory) for obtaining cosmological redshifts of distant Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) using the X-ray data only. We first find in which regions of the X-ray luminosity (L_X) versus redshift (z) plane the weak but ubiquitous Fe Kα narrow emission line can deliver an accurate redshift (δz < 5%) as a function of exposure time, using a CCD-based Wide Field Imager (IXO/WFI) as the one baselined for IXO. Down to a 2–10 keV X-ray flux of 10⁻¹⁴ erg cm⁻² s⁻¹ IXO/WFI exposures of 100 ks, 300 ks and 1 Ms will deliver 20%, 40% and 60% of the redshifts. This means that in a typical 18′ × 18′ IXO/WFI field of view, 4, 10 and 25 redshifts will be obtained for free from the X-ray data alone, spanning a wide range up to z ∼ 2–3 and fairly sampling the real distribution. Measuring redshifts of fainter sources will indeed need spectroscopy at other wavebands.     

XMM-Newton observations across the Cygnus Loop from northeastern rim to southwestern rim

We have observed the Cygnus Loop from the northeast (NE) to the southwest (SW) with XMM-Newton. We extracted spectra from 3′-spaced annular regions across the Loop and fitted them either with a one-kT_e-component non-equilibrium ionization (NEI) model or with two-kT_e-component NEI model. We found that the two-kT_e-component model yields significantly better fits in almost all the spectra than the one-kT_e-component model. Judging from the abundances, the high-kT_e-component in the two-temperature model must be fossil ejecta while the low-kT_e-component comes from the swept-up interstellar medium (ISM). The distributions of Ne, Mg, Si, and S for fossil ejecta appear to retain the onion-skin structure at the time of a supernova explosion, suggesting that significant overturning of the ejecta has not occurred yet. Comparing the relative abundances of fossil ejecta estimated for the entire Cygnus Loop with those from theoretical calculations for Type-II SN, the mass of the progenitor star is likely to be ∼13 M_⊙. The trends of the radial profiles of kT_e and emission integral for the swept-up ISM are adequately described by the Sedov model, suggesting that the swept-up ISM is concentrated in a shell-like structure. Comparing our data with the Sedov model, we found the ambient medium density to be ∼0.7 cm⁻³. Then, we estimated the total mass of the swept-up ISM and the age of the remnant to be ∼130 M_⊙ and 13,000 years, respectively. Note that if the explosion occurred within a stellar wind cavity, then the density in the cavity, the total swept-up mass in the cavity, and the age of the remnant are estimated to be ∼0.14 cm⁻³, ∼25 M_⊙, and ∼10,000 years, respectively.     

Planetary wave coupling of the atmosphere–ionosphere system during the Northern winter of 2008/2009

This paper presents the global spatial (latitude and altitude) structure and temporal variability of the ∼23-day ionospheric zonally symmetric (s = 0) planetary wave (PW) seen in the Northern winter of 2008/2009 (October 2008–March 2009). It is shown that these ∼23-day ionospheric oscillations are forced from PWs propagating from below. The COSMIC ionospheric parameters f_oF2 and h_mF2 and electron density at fixed altitudes and the SABER temperatures were utilized in order to define the waves which are present simultaneously in the atmosphere and ionosphere. The long-period PWs from the two data sets have been extracted through the same data analysis method. The similarity between the lower thermospheric ∼23-day (s = 0) temperature PW and its ionospheric electron density response provides valuable and strong experimental evidence for confirming the paradigm of atmosphere–ionosphere coupling.     

Cross testing of ionosphere models IRI-2001 and IRI-2007, data from satellite altimeters (Topex/Poseidon and Jason-1) and global ionosphere maps

In this study, we use a great body of statistical data covering the entire 23rd solar cycle to cross test data of satellite altimeters, Global Ionosphere Maps and the International Reference Ionosphere models, IRI-2001 and IRI-2007. It is revealed that experimental TEC values of the satellite altimeters regularly exceed the model ones by ∼3 TECU (1 TECU = 10¹⁶ m⁻²). The best possible value of difference between TECs obtained from altimeter and GIM-map data significantly differs for different laboratories: the maximum for CODG data falls on 2.5 TECU, ESAG – 3 TECU, JPLG – 0 TECU, UPCG – 2 TECU. The dependence of experimental and model data root-mean-square deviation on the F10.7 index is shown to be nearly linear. IRI-2001 and IRI-2007 relative errors are characterized by considerable 11-year and annual variations. Given the geomagnetic planetary index K_p under 7, IRI-2001 and IRI-2007 reproduce TEC in the ionosphere with an accuracy of ∼30% relative to measurement data from satellite altimeters. The amplitude of absolute error variations resulting from the difference in ionization enhancement between the model and the real ionosphere during the morning solar terminator transit is ∼5 TECU.     

Contamination of short GRBs by giant magnetar flares: Significance of downward revision in distance to SGR 1806–20

We highlight how the downward revision in the distance to the star cluster associated with SGR 1806–20 by Bibby et al. (2008) reconciles the apparent low contamination of BATSE short GRBs by intense flares from extragalactic magnetars without recourse to modifying the frequency of one such flare per 30 years per Milky Way galaxy. We also discuss the variety in progenitor initial masses of magnetars based upon cluster ages, ranging from ∼50 M_⊙ for SGR 1806–20 and AXP CXOU J164710.2–455216 in Westerlund 1 to ∼17 M_⊙ for SGR 1900+14 according to Davies et al. (2009) and presumably also 1E 1841–045 if it originated from one of the massive RSG clusters #2 or #3.     

Possible interstellar anions: CnS and CnO (n = 2–8)

The geometries, electron affinities and/or electron detachment energies for the C_nS and C_nO (n = 2–8) molecules and their anions were calculated by using the RCCSD (T) method. The C_nS⁻ (even n = 4, 6, and 8) and C_nO⁻ (even n = 6 and 8) anions are found to be substantially more stable than their corresponding neutral species. Several anions are potentially detectable as interstellar molecules.     

F3 layer feature under low and medium solar activity observed at a Chinese low latitude station Fuke

Ionogram observations from the ionosonde at Fuke (9.5°N geomagnetic latitude), a Chinese low latitude station, in 2010–2012 are analyzed to present the features of F3 layer under low and moderate solar activity conditions. Structure of the ionogram, displaying the F3 layer, was more distinct and clear during MSA than LSA periods especially during spring to summer. Start time of occurrence of the F3 layer is about at 0830–0900 LT and is approximately the same for LSA and MSA conditions. The average duration time of the F3 layer occurrence was 181 min per day under F_10.7 = 75 condition, 263 min in F_10.7 = 99 and 358 min in F_10.7 = 125, respectively. The differences of h′F2 and h′F3 exhibited obvious semiannual variation observed at Fuke from March 2010 to June 2012 and increased with increasing solar activity. The difference of foF2 and foF3 in the months February, March, September, October and November is less evident in the middle solar activity period 2011–2012 than the low solar activity 2010 and in the other period it shows a slight increase (0.5 MHz) or keeps constant. The results show that the solar activity dependence of the F3 layer occurrence at low latitude away from the magnetic equator is different from that at near the magnetic equator.