Synoptic observations of coronal transients and their interplanetary consequences

A small coronagraph has been placed in orbit to monitor the sun's outer corona from 2.5 to 10.0 solar radii, and five years of nearly continuous synoptic observations have now been completed. Rapid and sensitive image processing techniques have been developed to screen the data for transient phenomena, particularly coronal mass ejections (CMEs). About 50,000 coronal images have been examined, out of a five-year total of 68,000, and a standardized listing of more than 1,200 coronal transients for the period 1979–1982 has been prepared. These data have been analysed in the light of other available information, particularly on conditions in the interplanetary plasma. The dynamical characteristics of the active corona, as they are beginning to emerge from the data, are presented. We find that coronal mass ejections exercise significant influence on the interplanetary solar wind. They are the source of disturbances that are frequent and energetic, that tend to be somewhat focussed, that often reach shock intensity, and that propagate to large heliocentric distances, sometimes causing major geomagnetic storms.     

Potential defense applications of expert systems

The authors provide an overview of expert systems and how they may effect the development of future defense applications. Military uses of computers are outlined, and expert-systems fundamentals are described. Artificial research and development efforts by the military are examined, and potential military applications are discussed. Expert systems efforts at NASA, by the US Air Force, and for the Strategic Defence Initiative are considered     

Preliminary data of the thermal regime and circulation in the upper mesosphere and mesopause

Circulation and thermal structure for the 90–95 km region is described on the basis of the joint analysis of direct and indirect sounding data. Mean season charts of the 0.001 mb surface were compiled using data from meteor trials, ionospheric drifts, rocket launchings and data of the rotational temperature of hydroxyl emission.     

Some recent results in the interpretation of high brightness temperature microwave spike emission

Theoretical work on the interpretation of high brightness temperature microwave spike emission is reviewed, with emphasis upon recent contributions from the University of Maryland. Recent work on the interpretation of the spike emission as gyrosynchrotron masering is reviewed. Two alternative radiation mechanisms, stimulated plasma emission from the coherent intraction of electrostatic upper hybrid waves and from the interaction of electron plasma waves, are also discussed.     

Some aspects of the application of the bunch of MPD engines

In the present work, the asymptotic dependence of the reservation multiplicity on the failure danger diminution coefficient in both cases of reservation replacement and continually acting reserver is investigated. The comparison of the method of reservation for different multiplicities with the method of diminution of the failure intensity, related to the mean performance time shows that the decrease of the failure intensity of the plazma engine is the most rational. Nevertheless, there is a value of the time flight for which even a simple duplication is better than arbitrarily large, though finite, failure intensity decrease of the engine. The reliability of coupled MOD-thrusters is verified experimentally. The specific character of the thruster V-I curves and, in particular, their increase in the pubricrcrisis region, yield normally working couples, conformly to many types of feed sources with weakly decreasing of constant V-I characteristics. The parallel connection of a second thruster is shown to double the customed current and, as a consequence the thruster intermediary regimes of the thruster and the dynamics of switching on and by breaking the electric line and stopping the propellant rate flow are investigated.     

Telerobotics: problems and research needs

With major emphasis on simulation, a university laboratory telerobotics facility permits problems to be approached by groups of graduate students. Helmet-mounded displays provide realism; the slaving of the display to the human operator's viewpoint gives a sense of `telepresence' that may be useful for prolonged tasks. Using top-down 3-D model control of distant images allows distant images to be reduced to a few parameters to update the model used for display to the human operator in a preview model to circumvent, in part, the communication delay. Also, the model can be used as a format for supervisory control and permit short-term local autonomous operations. Image processing algorithms can be made simpler and faster without trying to construct sensible images from the bottom. Control studies of telerobots lead to preferential manual control modes and, in this university environment, to basic paradigms for human motion and thence, perhaps, to redesign of robotic control, trajectory path planning, and rehabilitation prosthetics. Speculation as to future industrial drives for this telerobotic field suggests efficient roles for government agencies such as NASA     

Matter streams in Algol-like systems

Simulations of the Algol-like binary CX Draconis, combined with IUE observations of the stream of material escaping the system can place limits on the inclination of the system and give estimates, via line profile synthesis, of the mass-loss rate at the L1 point.     

Matter streams in Algol-like systems

Simulations of the Algol-like binary CX Draconis, combined with IUE observations of the stream of material escaping the system can place limits on the inclination of the system and give estimates, via line profile synthesis, of the mass-loss rate at the L1 point.     

The crab-like supernova remnants

About twenty galactic supernova remnants contain, or are suspected to contain, internal neutron stars. These are observed as pulsing sources or through radiation from surrounding synchrotron nebulae. The Crab Nebula is the most famous example. Similar, but less luminous, nebulae have been identified through radio and X-ray morphology and spectra. This review emphasizes the X-ray observations and is based on images obtained with the Einstein Observatory. These images are illustrated for most remnants and some have not been published previously.There is a great variety of observed characteristics. A typical SNR in this class appears as a patchy shell of hot gas with a contribution from an energetic pulsar at the center. Both the luminosity of the shell and the luminosity powered by the pulsar can vary over a wide range. Remnants reviewed range from the Crab, in which the pulsar-powered component is overwhelming, to RCW 103, in which a central object is marginally observed through a bright shell.