Gravity-dependent reactions of the moss Pohlia nutans protonemata.

In darkness, protonemata of Pohlia nutans (Hedw.) grew negatively gravitropically (upwards). However, not all filaments became gravitropic immediately after transfer to darkness. Some of them (~20%) for several days grew in different directions with respect to gravity. The apical cells of those protonemata predominantly contained multiple chloroplasts. The intensity of chlorophyll fluorescence rapidly decreased in the apical cells of such protonemata while starch content increased in comparison with upright growing protonemata. Light, especially in the red and blue part of the spectrum, inhibited protonemal gravitropism. Red light induced stronger inhibitory effects than blue light. Red light of 1.0 to 1.5 micromoles m-2 s-1 intensity induced bud differentiation in apical cells on almost all side branches of main protonemal filaments. Bright fluorescence of F-actin bundles in the tip of apical protonematal cells and a delicately fluorescing network enclosing plastids basal to the tip in a sedimentation zone were visualized. Bright fluorescence of actin as local patches and fine prominent axially oriented bundles was observed in cells of gametophore buds.     

The electrical environment of the Earth’s atmosphere: A review

The study of the electrical environment of the Earth’s atmosphere has rapidly advanced during the past century. Great strides have been made towards the understanding of lightning and thunderstorms and in relating them to the global electric circuit. The electromagnetic fields and currents connect different parts of the Earth’s environment, and any type of perturbation in one region affects another region. Starting from the traditional views in which the electrodynamics of one region has been studied in isolation from the neighboring regions, the modern theory of the global electrical circuit has been discussed briefly. Interconnection and electrodynamic coupling of various regions of the Earth’s environment can be easily studied by using the global electric circuit model. Deficiencies in the model and the possibility of improvement in it have been suggested. Application of the global electric circuit model to the understanding of the Earth’s changes of climate has been indicated.This revised version was published online in July 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Effects of the geomagnetic storm on October 29–31, 2003, on mid-latitude short-wave radio paths (the data of Doppler measurements)

We present the results of spectral analysis of a signal of oblique sounding of the ionosphere. This signal was received at the Doppler phase-angle measuring facility of Kazan University during the geomagnetic storm on October 29–31, 2003. On various short-wave (SW) radio paths, intense variations of Doppler frequency shift were observed. These variations exceeded variations observed on days without geomagnetic disturbances by an order of magnitude (and by two orders of magnitude during some short periods). Relatively short periods (1–3.5 min) are predominant on these days in variations of the Doppler frequency shift. It should be noted that, while for weak geomagnetic disturbances the response in the form of distortions of SW signal parameters was observed, as a rule, only for the paths coming from high-latitude regions, in the given case the effect was observed for all radio paths.Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 42, No. 6, 2004, pp. 640–644.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Bochkarev, Petrova, Teplov.     

Working group 1: Small scale features

A review is given of the activities of the working group on small scale features at the 2nd SOHO Workshop on Elba, 27 September–1 October 1993. The small scale and filamentary structure of the solar transition region, and possibly also the corona, was pointed out. The reported observations furthermore demonstrated that the upper solar atmosphere is strongly dynamical, containing rapidly flowing gas and with features changing with time. Theoretical concepts and simulations of conditions in the transition region and corona were presented and discussed. Finally some ideas on future observations and modelling were put forward.     

Enhancement of VLF-ducts under the action of high power radio wave on the ionospheric F-region

Wave effects are discussed pointing to improvement of whistler propagation in the ionosphere illuminated by a powerful radio wave. The large scale irregularities (ducts) responsible for these effects are formed in the illuminated ionospheric region by the process of electron heating by the fields of the pump wave and excited plasma oscillations. These irregularities may also be created in the ionosphere and plasmasphere by fluxes of suprathermal electrons accelerated by the plasma turbulence in the reflection region of the pump wave.     

DOA estimation using one-bit quantized measurements

The effects 1-bit quantization of the input samples has on the direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation accuracy are considered. The signal model assumes a single stochastic Gaussian point source that is embedded in white Gaussian noise (WGN). The inherent limitations governed by the extreme clipping of the input data are analyzed using the Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) that is derived for a two-sensor array. In addition, several estimators for the I-bit estimation are discussed. Numerical and analytical analyses of the estimation error reveal weak dependency on signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with singular behavior of the estimation error in certain DOA angles.     

The optical bidirectional accelerometer

A new Optical Bidirectional Accelerometer (O.B.A.) is described in this paper.

This accelerometer gives in real time the acceleration level in two orthogonal axis.

The advantages of this instrument in microgravity environment during a parabolic flight experiment (e.g. in fluid mechanics) are explained. The capability of O.B.A. to detect variations of the gravity level is studied. Theoretical curves give the sensibility and accuracy of the accelerometer for different parameters.

We describe the prototype and the different tests realized on it. The experimental results of the ground investigations are compared with the theoretical curves described in the previous section. The second part of the tests has been realized during a ESA parabolic flight campaign with the NASA KC 135 aircraft and in collaboration with the Belgian Air Force on a Fouga Magister.     

New aspects of whistler waves driven by an electron beam studied by a 3-D electromagnetic code

We have restudied electron beam driven whistler waves with a 3-D electromagnetic particle code. In the initialisation of the beam-plasma system, “quiet start” conditions were approached by including the poloidal magnetic field due to the current carried by beam electrons streaming along a background magnetic field. The simulation results show electromagnetic whistler wave emissions and electrostatic beam modes like those observed in the Spacelab 2 electron beam experiment. It has been suggested in the past that the spatial bunching of beam electrons associated with the beam mode may directly generate whistler waves. However, the simulation results indicate several inconsistencies with this picture: (1) the parallel (to the background magnetic field) wavelength of the whistler wave is longer than that of the beam instability, (2) the parallel phase velocity of the whistler wave is smaller than that of the beam mode, and (3) whistler waves continue to be generated even after the beam mode space charge modulation looses its coherence. The complex structure of the whistler waves in the vicinity of the beam suggest that the transverse motion (gyration) of the beam and background electrons is involved in the generation of the whistler waves.     

International verification arrangements : Choosing the right approach

A proposal for an international satellite monitoring agency (ISMA) to verify arms control agreements was first made by France in 1978, and has been received enthusiastically, although not by the superpowers. The technologies available for verification are proliferating, and many countries feel they can make a useful contribution. The authors examine the impact an ISMA would actually have on international security and arms control, and propose several alternative avenues for international participation in verification.     

Observations of whistler-type echoes on signals of a ground VLF transmitter on board the ‘iterkosmos-19’ satellite

Signals of VLF transmitters of the Omega navigation system located in the auroral zone (66.4°N, 13.2°E, L= 5) were recorded by the VLF receiving equipment of the Interkosmos 19 satellite. Signals at frequencies between 10.2 and 13.6 kHz were received in a region above the transmitters, frequently with whistler-type echoes. An analysis of these echoes has shown their predominating occurrence in periods of low geomagnetic activity (Kp<2+). The occurrence region of these phenomena in the outer ionosphere has the dimension of about 1000 km and its position is betweenL= 2.5 and L= 4.4. The delay of echo-signals is practically the same during one satellite pass but its values for different satellite revolutions lie between 2.5 and 3.5 s. The frequency spectrum of these signals can be broadened up to 100 Hz. On the basis of calculations made, it can be shown that the experimental results are generally in accordance with the hypothesis of nonlinear ducting of VLF waves in the magnetosphere.