Solar Variability Observations – Discussion Session 1a

Space Science Reviews -     

Variations of Solar Ultraviolet Irradiance Observed by the UARS SOLSTICE — 1991 to 1999

The Solar Stellar Irradiance Comparison Experiment (SOLSTICE) is one of ten instruments on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) — one of two instruments measuring the solar ultraviolet irradiance. The instrument is a three channel spectrometer covering the spectral range 120 to 420nm with a spectral resolution of approximately 0.2nm. It has been successfully operating since October 1991, and has now provided more than eight years of data, extending from near the peak of solar cycle 22, through solar minimum and into the new cycle. The data provide time series that display solar variations over time scales from a few days up to the 11-year solar cycle. Quantitative estimates of amplitudes of both rotational modulation and the solar cycle variation in the 1991–1999 epoch are given for the UV spectrum between 119 and 300nm.     

Theodor Meyer—Lost pioneer of gas dynamics

Theodor Meyer's 1908 doctoral dissertation, with Ludwig Prandtl (1875–1953) as his advisor, introduced much of what has now become basic gas dynamics: not only the Prandtl–Meyer expansion but also the oblique-shock-wave theory as well. It is arguably the most influential dissertation in all of fluid dynamics. Yet no biography or even a photograph of Meyer has been available in the intervening century. This biography provides some insight into his character and covers his education, dissertation, World War I combat service and long career as an engineer and a teacher of math and physics.     

Coupling of the interstellar and interplanetary magnetic fields at the heliospheric interface: The effect of neutral hydrogen atoms

We present numerical results showing the effect of neutral hydrogen atoms on the solar wind (SW) interaction with the local interstellar medium (LISM), where the interstellar magnetic field (ISMF) is coupled to the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) at the surface of the heliopause. The IMF on the inner boundary surrounding the Sun is specified in the form of a Parker spiral and self-consistently develops in accordance with the SW motion inside the heliopause. The model of the SW–LISM interaction involves both plasma and neutral components which are treated as fluids. The configuration is chosen where the ISMF is orthogonal to the LISM velocity and tilted 60° to the ecliptic plane. This orientation of the magnetic field is a possible explanation of the 2–3 kHz emission data which is believed to originate ahead of the heliopause. It is shown that the topology of the heliospheric current sheet is substantially affected by the ISMF. The interaction pattern dependence on the neutral hydrogen density is analyzed.     

The x-ray cluster baryon crisis

Nucleosynthesis in the standard hot big bang cosmology offers a successful account of the production of the light nuclides during the early evolution of the Universe. Consistency among the predicted and observed abundances of D,³He,⁴He and⁷Li leads to restrictive lower and upper bounds to the present density of nucleons. In particular, the upper bound ensures that nucleons cannot account for more than a small fraction (<0.06h ₅₀ ^–2 ) of the mass in a critical density (Einstein-de Sitter) Universe. In contrast, x-ray observations of rich clusters of galaxies suggest strongly that baryons (in hot gas) contribute a significant fraction of the total cluster mass (0.2h ₅₀ ^–3/2 ). If, indeed, clusters do provide a fair sample of the mass in the Universe, this crisis forces us to consider other ways of mitigating it, including the politically incorrect possibility that <1. The options, including magnetic or turbulent pressure, clumping and non-zero space curvature and/or cosmological constant, are discussed.     

Dynamo Models for Planets Other Than Earth

Observations from planetary spacecraft missions have demonstrated a spectrum of dynamo behaviour in planets. From currently active dynamos, to remanent crustal fields from past dynamo action, to no observed magnetization, the planets and moons in our solar system offer magnetic clues to their interior structure and evolution. Here we review numerical dynamo simulations for planets other than Earth. For the terrestrial planets and satellites, we discuss specific magnetic field oddities that dynamo models attempt to explain. For the giant planets, we discuss both non-magnetic and magnetic convection models and their ability to reproduce observations of surface zonal flows and magnetic field morphology. Future improvements to numerical models and new missions to collect planetary magnetic data will continue to improve our understanding of the magnetic field generation process inside planets.