Kinematics of Saturn's spokes

Voyager 2 images of Saturn's rings have been analyzed for spoke activity. More than 80 and 40 different spokes have been measured at the morning and at the evening ansa, respectively. Higher rate of spoke formation has been found at 145° ± 15° SLS and at 305° ± 15° SLS which persisted for at least 3 Saturn revolutions. Higher spoke activity (formation and growth in width) by more than a factor 3 has been observed over the nightside hemisphere of Saturn than over the dayside hemisphere. The age distribution (i.e. time from radial formation until observation, assuming Keplerian shear) of the leading (old) edges of spokes has its maximum at ～ 9,000 s and ～ 6,000 s for spokes observed at the morning ansa and at the evening ansa, respectively. The highest spoke age observed is ～ 20,000 s. The age distribution of the trailing (young) edges of spokes peaks at < 2,000 s at both ansae but has its mean at ～ 4,500 s and ～ 3,500 s, respectively. On the average the observed spokes grew in width for ～ 4,500 s at the morning ansa and for ～ 2,500 s at the evening ansa. The maximum time of growth in width was ～ 12,000 s.     

Thermal model and thermo-mechanical stresses in cometary nuclei

Spherically symmetric radial temperature profiles of cometary nuclei have been determined numerically (and for simplified models analytically) in dependence on the orbital position of the periodic comet Halley. These temperature fields in the nucleus are connected with thermal stress fields which have been calculated with the assumption of elastic properties of cometary matter. The remarkable result is the possible existence of stresses, strong enough to cause internal cracking of the nucleus and break-ups of the cometary surface. This may be essential understanding normal cometary activity as well as outbursts and splits.     

Solution numérique du problème de Képler

A numerical solution of the Kepler problem. Requiring a six-decimal accuracy, the Kepler problem can be solved with four iterations at most, even for an eccentricity close to 1, provided that a new initial approximation be introduced in this last case.     

X-Ray images of the supernova remnant puppis A

Space Science Reviews -     

EXOSAT observations of the bright X-ray source GX9+1

We present the results of the spectral and timing analysis of an observation of GX9+1/4U1758-205 performed with the Medium Energy Experiment aboard EXOSAT. During our observation the source flux varied irregularly in time scales from minutes to hours. No periodic emission in the period range from 16 msec to 2000 sec was found with an upper limit of around 1% (3 ) for the pulsed fraction. The hardness ratio shows a correlated change with the flux intensity (Sco X-1 behaviour). The spectrum could be fitted by a double component model, a black body component (kT=1.16–1.26 keV) together with a thermal bremsstrahlung law (kT=13–15keV). The black-body temperature-black-body flux relation follows a Stefan Boltzmann law with R_BB=15.3 km^*D/10 kpc. No iron line was detected. The upper limit for the line equivalent width of a 6.7 keV iron emission line is 40 eV (1). The X-ray spectral behaviour of GX9+1 indicates, that this source belongs to the class of Low-Mass X-ray Binaries (LMXB).     

Correction to: Mission to Planet Earth: The First Two Billion Years

Space Science Reviews - The Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) mission makes measurements in near-Earth space that provide knowledge of the state of the ionosphere. From the vantage of...     

The Rotation and Interior Structure Experiment on the InSight Mission to Mars

The Rotation and Interior Structure Experiment (RISE) on-board the InSight mission will use the lander’s X-band (8 GHz) radio system in combination with tracking stations of the NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) to determine the rotation of Mars. RISE will measure the nutation of the Martian spin axis, detecting for the first time the effect of the liquid core of Mars and providing in turn new constraints on the core radius and density. RISE will also measure changes in the rotation rate of Mars on seasonal time-scales thereby constraining the atmospheric angular momentum budget. Finally, RISE will provide a superb tie between the cartographic and inertial reference frames. This paper describes the RISE scientific objectives and measurements, and provides the expected results of the experiment.     

Presolar Isotopic Signatures in Meteorites and Comets: New Insights from the Rosetta Mission to Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko

Comets are considered the most primitive planetary bodies in our Solar System, i.e., they should have best preserved the solid components of the matter from which our Solar System formed. ESA’s recent Rosetta mission to Jupiter family comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko (67P/CG) has provided a wealth of isotope data which expanded the existing data sets on isotopic compositions of comets considerably. In this paper we review our current knowledge on the isotopic compositions of H, C, N, O, Si, S, Ar, and Xe in primitive Solar System materials studied in terrestrial laboratories and how the Rosetta data acquired with the ROSINA (Rosetta Orbiter Sensor for Ion and Neutral Analysis) and COSIMA (COmetary Secondary Ion Mass Analyzer) mass spectrometer fit into this picture. The H, Si, S, and Xe isotope data of comet 67P/CG suggest that this comet might be particularly primitive and might have preserved large amounts of unprocessed presolar matter. We address the question whether the refractory Si component of 67P/CG contains a presolar isotopic fingerprint from a nearby Type II supernova (SN) and discuss to which extent C and O isotope anomalies originating from presolar grains should be observable in dust from 67P/CG. Finally, we explore whether the isotopic fingerprint of a potential late SN contribution to the formation site of 67P/CG in the solar nebula can be seen in the volatile component of 67P/CG.     

Dust Evolution in Protoplanetary Discs and the Formation of Planetesimals

After 25 years of laboratory research on protoplanetary dust agglomeration, a consistent picture of the various processes that involve colliding dust aggregates has emerged. Besides sticking, bouncing and fragmentation, other effects, like, e.g., erosion or mass transfer, have now been extensively studied. Coagulation simulations consistently show that \(\upmu\mbox{m}\)-sized dust grains can grow to mm- to cm-sized aggregates before they encounter the bouncing barrier, whereas sub-\(\upmu\mbox{m}\)-sized water-ice particles can directly grow to planetesimal sizes. For siliceous materials, other processes have to be responsible for turning the dust aggregates into planetesimals. In this article, these processes are discussed, the physical properties of the emerging dusty or icy planetesimals are presented and compared to empirical evidence from within and without the Solar System. In conclusion, the formation of planetesimals by a gravitational collapse of dust “pebbles” seems the most likely.     

Nucleosynthesis in Supernovae

We present the status and open problems of nucleosynthesis in supernova explosions of both types, responsible for the production of the intermediate mass, Fe-group and heavier elements (with the exception of the main s-process). Constraints from observations can be provided through individual supernovae (SNe) or their remnants (e.g. via spectra and gamma-rays of decaying unstable isotopes) and through surface abundances of stars which witness the composition of the interstellar gas at their formation. With a changing fraction of elements heavier than He in these stars (known as metallicity) the evolution of the nucleosynthesis in galaxies over time can be determined. A complementary way, related to gamma-rays from radioactive decays, is the observation of positrons released in \(\beta^{+}\)-decays, as e.g. from \(^{26}\mbox{Al}\), \(^{44}\mbox{Ti}\), \(^{56,57}\mbox{Ni}\) and possibly further isotopes of their decay chains (in competition with the production of \(e^{+}e^{-}\) pairs in acceleration shocks from SN remnants, pulsars, magnetars or even of particle physics origin). We discuss (a) the role of the core-collapse supernova explosion mechanism for the composition of intermediate mass, Fe-group (and heavier?) ejecta, (b) the transition from neutron stars to black holes as the final result of the collapse of massive stars, and the relation of the latter to supernovae, faint supernovae, and gamma-ray bursts/hypernovae, (c) Type Ia supernovae and their nucleosynthesis (e.g. addressing the \(^{55}\mbox{Mn}\) puzzle), plus (d) further constraints from galactic evolution, \(\gamma\)-ray and positron observations. This is complemented by the role of rare magneto-rotational supernovae (related to magnetars) in comparison with the nucleosynthesis of compact binary mergers, especially with respect to forming the heaviest r-process elements in galactic evolution.