1E 1740.7-2942 revisited: Confirmation of its identification with the core of a double sided radio jet structure

After more than two years of successful in-orbit operations, the γ-ray coded aperture SIGMA telescope has accumulated 800 hours of live-time observations of the Galactic Center region, including the remarkable hard source identified with the X-ray source 1E 1740.7–2942. The long-term behavior of the soft γ-ray emission of 1E 1740.7–2942, as determined from the SIGMA survey, supplemented with previously available soft γ-ray data, leads to its identification with a singular radio source, which consists of a double sided radio jet emanating from a compact variable core whose variability is correlated with that of the soft γ-ray source. The compact radio core, which lies well inside the improved soft γ-ray (40–150 keV) error circle (27″ radius) derived from the high-resolution SIGMA survey, is also inside the ROSAT and TTM error circle derived respectively in the soft and hard X-ray bands.     

Phase gradient autofocus-a robust tool for high resolution SARphase correction

The phase gradient autofocus (PGA) technique for phase error correction of spotlight mode synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery is examined carefully in the context of four fundamental signal processing steps that constitute the algorithm. We demonstrate that excellent results over a wide variety of scene content, and phase error function structure are obtained if and only if all of these steps are included in the processing. Finally, we show that the computational demands of the fun PGA algorithm do not represent a large fraction of the total image formation problem, when mid to large size images are involved     

Microwave spectrum analysis as solar energy release diagnostics

The possibilities of using spectrographic observations of microwave radio emission as a solar flare plasma diagnostic are discussed. The spectral fine structure of the emission is interpreted in the context of plasma emission mechanisms. The balance equations for particles and plasma turbulence together with the transfer equations for electromagnetic waves in a plasma are solved for a model containing a diverging magnetic loop. As a result of the analysis of the blip-type spectral feature, the structure of energy release region and the unperturbed plasma concentration in the preflare loop are evaluated. The number of accelerated electrons and the intensity of the plasma turbulence in the source region are estimated using the properties of the weak continuum emission following the blip. Based on the degree of circular polarization of both the narrow band and the continuum emission, estimates for the external magnetic field strength and the angular width of the radiating plasma turbulence have been obtained.     

Measuring flying object velocity with CCD sensors

An autonomous optoelectronic method of measuring the flying objects track velocity vector (TVV) using digital signal two-line CCD sensors has been developed and simulated at the Department of Radioelectronics at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the Technical University of Brno, Czech Republic. The principle of the method, the computer simulation of measuring device operations, the application of statistic estimates for the precision of values measured and the presentation of the results achieved are described     

Eutectic solidification of Al-Cu alloys influenced by convection

Directional solidification of eutectic Al-Cu alloys has been studied to demonstrate the influence of both impurity concentration and convective conditions. The λ/R relations show that higher iron concentration and intensive stirring coarsen the microstructure. The formation and growth of new iron-containing phases at the solidification front restrict impurity influence. Kinetic data follow a dependence λ.Rⁿ=const with n-value close to 0,5.     

Sporadic emission of ultra high energy gamma rays from crab pulsar

In a further study of sporadic emission from pulsars we find evidence for short lived intense emission from the Crab pulsar.     

Progress in the study of homologous flares on the sun — Part II

Studies of groups of homologous flares in active regions in 1980 have been made using a variety of space and ground based instruments. Detailed properties of three of these groups have been studied, and are combined to form a possible sequence of events.     

Comparison of measured cosmic ray LET spectra with models and predictions.

Radiation effects of cosmic ray nuclei are generally described as a function of the particle LET. For a large number of space missions LET spectra have been measured and models have been developed to calculate these spectra that include the effects of geomagnetic shielding and shielding provided by material. In this paper we compare measured and calculated LET spectra. For low earth orbits events with high local energy deposition, i.e., short range secondaries, contribute significantly to the measured spectra. These events are produced by nuclear interactions, mainly induced by protons from the south atlantic anomaly. The technique to include these contributions in the models depends on the size of radiation sensitive volumes. For sizes comparable to or larger than the range of target secondaries it is essential to separate contributions by target interactions from those of cosmic rays. This separation is possible in experiments which use stacks of plastic nuclear track detectors. The yield of short range events generated by protons and measured in the detector can be calibrated from accelerator experimental data. We present first results for CR-39 detectors.     

Cramer-Rao bounds and estimation of the parameters of the Gumbeldistribution

Maximum Likelihood (ML) algorithms and Cramer-Rao (CR) bounds for the location and scale parameters of the Gumbel distribution are discussed. First we consider the case in which the scale parameter is known, obtaining the estimator of the location parameter by solving the likelihood equation and then evaluating its performance. We next consider the case where both the location parameter and the scale parameter are unknown and need to be estimated simultaneously from the reference samples. For this case, performance is analyzed by means of Monte Carlo simulation and compared with the asymptotic CR bound     

Comet Halley: Nucleus and jets (results of the VEGA mission)

The VEGA-1 and VEGA-2 spacecraft made their closest approach to Comet Halley on 6 and 9 March, respectively. In this paper those results of the onboard imaging experiment which were obtained around closest approach are discussed. The nucleus of the comet was clearly identifiable as an irregularly shaped object, with overall dimensions of (16±1)×(8±1)×(8±1) km. The nucleus rotates in the prograde sense about an axis nearly perpendicular to the orbital plane with a period of 53±2 hours. Its albedo is only $\text{0.04±}\text{0.02}\text{0.01}$ Many of the jet features observed during the second fly-by have been spatially reconstructed. Their sources form a quasi-linear structure on the surface. The dust above the surface is shown to be generally optically thin with the exception of certain specific dust jets. Brightness features on the surface are clearly seen. Correlating our data with other measurements, we conclude that the dirty snow-ball model will probably need to be revised.