Altitude profile of H in the atmosphere of Venus from Lyman α observations of Venera 11 and Venera 12 and origin of the hot exospheric component

Two extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrophotometers flown in December 1978 on Venera 11 and Venera 12 measured the hydrogen Lyman α emission resonantly scattered in the atmosphere of Venus. Measurements were obtained across the dayside of the disk, and in the exosphere up to 50,000 km. They were analyzed with spherically symmetric models for which the radiative transfer equation was solved. The H content of the Venus atmosphere varies from optically thin to moderately thick regions. A shape fit at the bright limb allows one to determine the exospheric temperature T_c and the number density n_c independently of the calibration of the instrument or the exact value of the solar flux. The dayside exospheric temperature was measured for the first time in the polar regions, with T_c = 300 ± 25°K for Venera 11 (79°S) and T_c = 275 ± 25°K (59°S) for Venera 12. At the same place, the density is n_c = 4_?2⁺³ × 10⁴ atom.cm^?3, and the integrated number density N_t from 250 to 110 km (the level of CO₂ absorption) is 2.1 × 10¹² atom.cm^?2, a factor of 3 to 6 lower than that predicted in aeronomical models. This probably indicates that the models should be revised in the content of H-bearing molecules and should include the effect of dynamics. Across the disk the value of N_t decreases smoothly with a total variation of two from the morning side to the afternoon side. Alternately it could be a latitude effect, with less hydrogen in the polar regions. The nonthermal component if clearly seen up to 40,000 km of altitude. It is twice as abundant as at the time of Mariner 10 (solar minimum). Its radial distribution above 4000 km can be simulated by an exospheric distribution with T = 10³⁰K and n = 10³ atom.cm^?3 at the exobase level. However, there are less hot atoms between 2000 and 4000 km than predicted by an ionospheric source. A by-product of the analysis is a determination of a very high solar Lyman α flux of 7.6 × 10¹¹ photons (cm² sec Å)^?1 at line center (1 AU) in December 1978.     

Small-scale turbulence in the atmosphere of Venus

Previous studies based on radio scintillation measurements of the atmosphere of Venus have identified two regions of small-scale temperature fluctuations located in the vicinity of 45 and 60 km. A global study of the fluctuations near 60 km, which are consistent with wind-shear-generated turbulence, was conducted using the Pioneer Venus measurements. The structure constants of refractive index fluctuations c_n² and temperature fluctuations c_T² increase poleward, peak near 70° latitude, and decrease over the pole; c_n² varies from 2 × 10^?15 to 1.5 × 10^?14m^{$\text{2}\text{3}$} and c_T² from 4 × 10^?3 to 7 × 10^?2°K²m^{$\text{?2}\text{3}$}. These results indicate greater turbulent activity at the higher latitudes. In the region near 45 km the refractive index fluctuations and the corresponding temperature fluctuations are substantially lower. Based on the analysis of one representative occultation measurement, $\text{c}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>n</mtext>}}{}^2\text{= 2 × 10}{}^{\mathrm{?16}}\text{m}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>?2</mtext><mtext>3</mtext>}}\text{and}\text{c}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>T</mtext>}}{}^2\text{= 7.3 × 10}{}^{\mathrm{?4}}\text{°}\text{K}{}^2\text{m}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>?2</mtext><mtext>3</mtext>}}$ in the 45-km region. The fluctuations in this region also appear to be consistent with wind-shear-generated turbulence. The turbulence level is considerably weaker than that at 60 km; the energy dissipation rate ε is 4.9 × 10^?5m²sec^?3 and the small-scale eddy diffusion coefficient K is 2 × 10³ cm² sec^?1.     

Analysis of the hypervelocity impact process from impact flash measurements

Hypervelocity microparticle impact experiments were performed with a 2 MV Van De Graaff dust accelerator. From measurements of the light intensity I and the total light energy E, the relations I=c₁mv^4.1 and E=c₂mv^3.2 were obtained, where m is the projectile mass, ν the projectile velocity and c₁,c₂ are constants, depending on projectile and target material. Using the measured values of the spectral distribution of the light emitted during impact, the temperature of the radiating material was estimated to be between 2500 and 5000 K depending on the projectile velocity. From an analysis of these measurements the angular distribution of secondary particle velocities as well as the relative mass distribution of these particles was determined. Approximately 90% of the detected ejecta mass (ν?1 km/sec) is found between 50° and 70° ejection angle. For ejection angles smaller than 20°, ejecta velocities of up to 30 km/sec were detected when the primary particle velocity was 4.8 km/sec. Using the dependence of the light intensity on pressure in the target chamber, an estimate of the total amount of material vaporized during impact could be derived. It was concluded that at 7.4 km/sec particle impact velocity at least 1.6% of the displaced projectile and crater material was vaporized.     

Effects of boundary conditions and viscous energy dissipation on carbon burning in thermonuclear supernova models

Based on a one-dimensional hydrodynamic model, we investigate carbon burning in a thermonuclear type-Ia supernova in the approximation of unsteady convection. The relatively broad range of convective parameters, 1×10^?3≤α_c≤2×10^?3, in which delayed detonation from the edge takes place was found to be preserved only for cases with a low boundary temperature at the presupernova stage, T _b ^(PS) = 6.4 × 10⁶ K, and with a high envelope mass, m_ex ? 2 × 10^?3M_⊙. In cases with a more realistic temperature, T _b ^(PS) = 2 × 10⁸ K, which corresponds to helium burning in the shell source, and with a lower mass m_ex, delayed detonation from the edge takes place only at α_c = 2 × 10^?3, while at α_c = 1 × 10^?3, numerous model pulsations occur during t?500 s. Artificial viscosity is shown to give a determining contribution to the increase in entropy in outer model shells, which is caused by the generation of weak shock waves during pulsations. We also show that the entropies calculated by two independent methods are equal.     

Active star-forming region in Orion KL, epoch 2012

Polarization measurements of the H₂O maser emission from the active region in Orion KL were carried out at epoch 2011?C2012 on the Svetloe-Zelenchukskaya radio interferometer. The bipolar outflow structure and polarized emission parameters have been determined. The emission from the components at v = 7.6 and 7.0 km s^?1 dominates in the line profile; the relative contribution of the former component has increased. The velocity of the bipolar outflow ejector region is almost equal to that of the local standard of rest v _LSR = 7.65 km s^?1, while the velocity of the remote component is v = 7.0 km s^?1. The emission from the bipolar outflow is observed at a distance up to 11 mas from the ejector. Its diameter does not exceed 0.3 mas. The outflow orientation in the plane of the sky is ?37°. The outflow velocity components along the line of sight differ by ??v = 0.3 km s^?1. The polarization levels of the bipolar outflow and the remote component reach m = 62 and 39%, respectively.     

Lyman-alpha observations of venera-9 and 10 I. The non-thermal hydrogen population in the exosphere of venus

The dayside hydrogen exosphere was observed in October–November 1975 with a Lymanalpha photometer carried on board Venera-9 and 10. In addition to intensity measurements, the use of a hydrogen cell allowed for the first time linewidth measurements. Both intensity and linewidth measurements below 1500 km of altitude are well fitted by a single exospheric component (T_c = 500 ± 100 K, n_c = 1.5 × 10⁴ atom cm^?3at 250 km). Above 3000 km, the measured linewidth increased sharply, to decrease again above 4500 km. This feature is interpreted as the signature of an additional population of “hot” atoms circulating on satellite orbits, created just behind the bow-shock by charge-exchange collisions (with an efficiency of 4%) between the neutral atoms and the solar wind protons, which became turbulent after bow-shock crossing. The density ratio of “hot” to standard population is of the order of 10% around 3500 km of altitude.     

Venera 9, 10: Is there a dust ring around Venus?

Four surveys in which the geometrical parameters were suitable for observations on weak scattering objects were carried out by the Venera 9, 10 orbiters using 3000–8000 Å spectrometers. The results of one survey can be explained by a dust layer at the height of sighting h = 100–700 km. Its absence in other sessions suggests a ring structure. The spectrum of dust scattering is a power function of the wavelength with the index varying from ?2.1 at 100km to ?1.3 at 500km. A method is proposed for obtaining the optical thickness, density and size distribution of dust particles from the scattering spectra. For m > 10^?14 g the number of dust particles with a mass higher than m is proportional to m^?1.3. The radial optical thickness τ is 0.7 × 10^?5 at 5000 Å assuming the geometric thickness δ to be 100 km. The maximum optical thickness along the normal to the plane of the ring is τ_n = 4 × 10^?6. The mass of the ring is 20 tons or 5 × 10^?3 g cm^?1 per unit circumference length; the maximum mass in a column normal to the ring plane is 10^?10g cm^?2; the maximum density (for δ = 100 km) is 10^?17 g cm^?3. A satellite of Venus gradually destroyed by temperature effects and by meteorite streams and plasma fluxes is suggested as the source of dust in the ring. One of 1 km radius could sustain such a ring for a billion years. The zodiacal light intensity near Venus is estimated.     

Type Ia supernovae: An explosion in the regime of a convergent delayed detonation wave

The model of a presupernova’s carbon-oxygen (C-O) core with an initial mass of 1.33 M _⊙, an initial carbon abundance X _C ⁽⁰⁾ =0.27, and a mean rate of increase in mass of 5 × 10^?7 M _⊙ yr^?1 through accretion in a binary system evolved from the central density and temperature ρ_c=10⁹ g cm^?3 and T _c=2.05 × 10⁸K, respectively, by forming a convective core and its subsequent expansion to an explosive fuel ignition at the center. The evolution and explosion equations included only the carbon burning reaction ¹²C+¹²C with energy release corresponding to the complete conversion of carbon and oxygen (at the same rate as that of carbon) into ⁵⁶Ni. The ratio of mixing length to convection-zone size α_c was chosen as the parameter. Although the model assumptions were crude, we obtained an acceptable (for the theory of supernovae) pattern of explosion with a strong dependence of its duration on α_c. In our calculations with sufficiently large values of this parameter, α_c=4.0 × 10^?3 and 3.0×10^?3, fuel burned in the regime of prompt detonation. In the range 2.0×10^?3≥α_c≥3.0×10^?4, there was initially a deflagration with the generation of model pulsations whose amplitude gradually increased. Eventually, the detonation regime of burning arose, which was triggered from the model surface layers (with m ? 1.33 M _⊙) and propagated deep into the model up to the deflagration front. The generation of model pulsations and the formation of a detonation front are described in detail for α_c=1.0 × 10^?3.     

The evolution of an impact-generated atmosphere

Shock wave and thermodynamic data for rock-forming and volatile-bearing minerals are used to determine minimum impact velocities (v_cr) and minimum impact pressures (p_cr) required to form a primary H₂O atmosphere during planetary accretion from chondritelike planetesimals. The escape of initially released water from an accreting planet is controlled by the dehydration efficiency. Since different planetary surface porosities will result from formation of a regolith, v_cr and p_cr can vary from 1.5 to 5.8 km/sec and from 90 to 600 kbar, respectively, for target porosities between 0 and ～45%. On the basis of experimental data, hydration rates for forsterite and enstatite are derived. For a global regolith layer on the Earth's surface, the maximum hydration rate equals 6 × 10¹⁰ g H₂O sec^?1 during accretion of the Earth. Attenuation of impact-induced shock pressure is modeled to the extent that the amount of released water as a function of projectile radius, impact velocity, weight fraction of water in the target, target porosity, and dehydration efficiency can be estimated. The two primary processes considered are the impact release of water bound in hydrous minerals (e.g., serpentine) and the subsequent reincorporation of free water by hydration of forsterite and enstatite. These processes are described in terms of model calculations for the accretion of the Earth. Parameters which lead to a primary atmosphere/hydrosphere are: an accretion time of ? 1.6 × 10⁸years, the use of an accretion model defined by Weidenschilling (1974, 1976), a mean planetesimal radius of 0.5 km, a hydration rate of 6 × 10¹⁰ g H₂O sec^?1 inferred from a mean porosity of ～ 10% for the upper 1 km of the accreting Earth, and values for the dehydration efficiency, DE, of 0.55 and 0.07 for the maximum and minimum pressure decay model, respectively. Conditions which prohibit the formation of a primary atmosphere include an accretion time much longer than 1.6 × 10⁸ years, a hydration rate for forsterite and enstatite well in excess of 6 × 10¹⁰ g H₂O sec^?1, and a dehydration efficiency DE < 0.07. We conclude that the concept of dehydration efficiency is of dominant importance in determining the degree to which an accreting planet acquires an atmosphere during its formation.     

Trigonometric parallaxes and a kinematically adjusted distance sale for OB associations

By directly comparing the photometric distances of Blaha and Humphreys (1989) (BH) to OB associations and field stars with the corresponding Hipparcos trigonometric parallaxes, we show that the BH distance scale is overestimated, on average, by 10–20%. This result is independently corroborated by applying the rigorous statistical-parallax method and its simplified analog (finding a kinematically adjusted rotation-curve solution from radial velocities and proper motions) to a sample of OB associations. These two methods lead us to conclude that the BH distance scale for OB associations should be shrunk, on average, by 11±6 and 24±10%, respectively. Kinematical parameters have been determined for the system of OB associations: u ₀ = 8.2 ± 1.3 km s^?1, v ₀ = 11.9 ± 1.1 km s^?1, w ₀ = 9.5 ± 0.9 km s^?1, σ _u = 8.2 ± 1.1 km s^?1, σ _v = 5.8 ± 0.8 km s^?1, σ _w = 5.0 ± 0.8 km s^?1, Ω₀ = 29.1 ± 1.0 km s^?1 kpc^?1, Ω₀′ = ?4.57 ± 0.20 km s^?1 kpc^?2, and Ω₀″ = 1.32 ± 0.14 km s^?1 kpc^?3. The distance scale for OB associations reduced by 20% matches the short Cepheid distance scale (Berdnikov and Efremov 1985; Sitnik and Mel’nik 1996). Our results are a further argument for the short distance scale in the Universe.     

Symmetry of the neutron and proton superfluidity effects in cooling neutron stars

We investigate the combined effect of neutron and proton superfluidities on the cooling of neutron stars whose cores consist of nucleons and electrons. We consider the singlet state paring of protons and the triplet pairing of neutrons in the cores of neutron stars. The critical superfluid temperatures T _c are assumed to depend on the matter density. We study two types of neutron pairing with different components of the total angular momentum of a Cooper pair along the quantization axis (|m _J |=0 or 2). Our calculations are compared with the observations of thermal emission from isolated neutron stars. We show that the observations can be interpreted by using two classes of superfluidity models: (1) strong proton superfluidity with a maximum critical temperature in the stellar core T _c ^max ?4×10⁹ K and weak neutron superfluidity of any type (T _c ^max ?2×10⁸ K); (2) strong neutron superfluidity (pairing with m _J =0) and weak proton superfluidity. The two types of models reflect an approximate symmetry with respect to an interchange of the critical neutron and proton pairing temperatures.     

Mariner 10 observations of hydrogen Lyman alpha emission from the venus exosphere: Evidence of complex structure

The Ultraviolet Spectrometer Experiment on the MARINER 10 spacecraft measured the hydrogen Lyman α emmission resonantly scattered in the Venus exosphere at several viewing aspects during the encounter period. Venus encounter occurred at 17:01 GMT on 5 February 1974. Exospheric emissions above the planet's limb were measured and were analyzed with a spherically symmetric, single scattering, two-temperature model. On the sunlit hemisphere the emission profile was represented by an exospheric hydrogen atmosphere with T_c = 275±50 K and n_c = 1.5 × 10⁵ cm^?3 and a non-thermal contribution represented by T_H = 1250±100 K with n_H = 500±100 cm^?3. The observations of the dark limb showed that the spherically symmetric model used for the sunlit hemisphere was inappropriate for the analysis of the antisolar hemisphere. The density of the non-thermal component had increased at low altitudes, < 12,000 km, and decreased at high altitudes, > 20,000 km, by comparison. We conclude that the non-thermal source is on the sunward side of the planet. Analysis of the dark limb crossing suggests that the exospheric temperature on the dark side is <125 K if the exospheric density remains constant over the planet; upper limits are discussed. An additional source of Lyman α emission, 70 ± 15 R, was detected on the dark side of the planet and is believed to be a planetary albedo in contrast to multiple scattering from the sunlit side. Our analysis of the MARINER 10 data is consistent when applied to the MARINER 5 data.     

Structure of radio sources at wavelengths 10.5 and 12.0 cm from observations of the Solar eclipse on March 29, 2006

The eclipse observations were performed at the Laboratory of Radio Astronomy of the CrAO in Katsiveli with stationary instrumentation of the Solar Patrol at wavelengths of 10.5 and 12.0 cm. The data obtained were used to determine the brightness temperature of the undisturbed Sun at solar activity minimum between 11-year cycles 23 and 24: T _d10.5 = (43.7 ± 0.5) × 10³ K at 10.5 cm and T _d12.0 = (51.8 ± 0.5) × 10³ K at 12.0 cm. The radio brightness distribution above the limb group of sunspots NOAA 0866 was calculated. It shows that at both wavelengths the source consisted of a compact bright nucleus about 50 × 10³ km in size with temperatures T _b10.5 = 0.94 × 10⁶ K and T _b12.0 = 2.15 × 10⁶ K located, respectively, at heights h _10.5 = 33.5 × 10³ km and h _12.0 = 43.3 × 10³ km above the sunspot and an extended halo with a temperature T _b = (230–300) × 10³ K stretching to a height of 157 × 10³ km above the photosphere. The revealed spatial structure of the local source is consistent with the universally accepted assumption that the radiation from the bright part of the source is generated by electrons in the sunspot magnetic fields at the second-third cyclotron frequency harmonics and that the halo is the bremsstrahlung of thermal electrons in the coronal condensation forming an active region. According to the eclipse results, the electron density near the upper boundary of the condensation was N _e ≈ 2.3 × 10⁸ cm^?3, while the optical depth was τ ≈ 0.1 at an electron temperature T _e ≈ 10⁶ K. Thus, the observations of the March 29, 2006 eclipse have allowed the height of the coronal condensation at solar activity minimum to be experimentally determined and the physical parameters of the plasma near its upper boundary to be estimated.     

Solar radiation scattered in the Venus atmosphere: The Venera 11,12 data

Results of the scattered solar radiation spectrum measurements made deep in the Venus atmosphere by the Venera 11 and 12 descent probes are presented. The instrument had two channels: spectrometric (to measure downward radiation in the range 0.45 < γ < 1.17 μm) and photometric (four filters and circular angle scanning in an almost vertical plane). Spectra and angular scans were made in the height range from 63 km above the planet surface. The integral flux of solar radiation is 90 ± 12 W m^?2 measured on the surface at the subsolar point. The mean value of surface absorbed radiation flux per planetary unit area is 17.5 ± 2.3 W m^?2. For Venera 11 and 12 landing sites the atmospheric absorbed radiation flux is ～15 W m^?2 for H >; 43 km and ～45 W m^?2 for H < 48 km in the range 0.45 to 1.55 μm. At the landing sites of the two probes the investigated portion of the cloud layer has almost the same structure: it consists of three parts with boundaries between them at about 51 and 57 km. The base of clouds is near 48 km above the surface. The optical depth of the cloud layer (below 63 km) in the range 0.5 to 1 μm does not depend on the wavelength and is ～29 and ～38 for the Venera 11 and 12 landing sites, respectively. The single-scattering albedo, ω₀, in the clouds is very close to 1 outside the absorption bands. Below 58 km the parameter (1 ? ω₀) is <10^?3 for 0.49 and 0.7 μm. The parameter (1 ? ω₀) obviously increases above 60 km. Below 48 km some aerosol is present. The optical depth here is a strong function of wavelength. It varies from 1.5 to 3 at λ = 0.49 μm and from 0.13 to 0.4 at 1.0 μm. The mean size of particles below the cloud deck is about 0.1 μm. Below 35 km true absorption was found at λ < 0.55 μm with the (1 ? ω₀) maximum at H ≈ 15 km. The wavelength and height dependence of the absorption coefficient are compatible with the assumption that sulfur with a mixing ratio ～2 × 10^?8 normalized to S₂ molecules is the absorber. The upper limits of the mixing ratio for Cl₂, Br₂, and NO₂ are 4 × 10^?8, 2 × 10^?11, and 4 × 10^?10, respectively. The CO₂ and H₂O bands are confidently identified in the observed spectra. The mean value of the H₂O mixing ratio is 3 × 10^?5 < F_H2O < 10^?4 in the undercloud atmosphere. The H₂O mixing ratio evidently varies with height. The most probable profile is characterized by a gradual increase from F_H2O = 2 × 10^?5 near the surface to a 10 to 20 times higher value in the clouds.     

Observation of the Comet Kohoutek (1973f) in the resonance light (A2Σ+−X2 ∏) of the OH radical

Two monochromatic pictures of the Comet Kohoutek (1973f) were taken on January 15, 1974 in the resonance light (A²Σ ? X² ∏) of the radical OH with a photographic telescope placed on board the NASA 990 Convair airplane. From an intensity profile we derive the production rate of OH radicals Q_OH = 4 xsx 10²⁸ moleculesec ^?1sr^?1 at 0.6 AU and the lifetime of the OH radical which is τ_OH = 4.5 × 10⁴ sec at 0.6 AU. This short lifetime (very similar to the lifetime of H₂O) combined with the high total production rate of gas in comets can explain the observed velocity of 8km sec^?1 for the H-atoms: The H-atoms produced by photodissociation of H₂O are thermalized at short distancesfrom the nucleus; the H-atoms produced by photodissociation of OH have a velocity of ?8km sec^?1 and can reach the outer part of the hydrogen envelope.     

Vertical distribution of water vapor and mars model lower and middle atmosphere

Observations and model calculations of water vapor diffusion suggest that about half the amount of water vapor is distributed with constant mixing ratio in the Martian atmosphere, the other half is the excess water vapor in the lower troposphere. During 24 hr the total content of water vapor may vary by a factor of two. The eddy diffusion coefficient providing agreement between calculations and observations is K = (3–10) × 10⁶ cm² sec^?1 in the troposphere. An analytical expression is derived for condensate density in the stratosphere in terms of the temperature profile, the particle radius r, and K. The calculations agree with the Mars 5 measurements for r = 1.5 μm, condensate density 5 × 10^?12 g/cm³ in the layer maximum at 30 to 35 km, condensate column density 7 × 10^?6 cm^?2, K = (1?3) × 10⁶ cm² sec^?1, and the temperature profile T = 185 ? 0.05z ? 0.01z² at 20 to 40 km. Condensation conditions yield a temperature of 160°K at 60 km in the evening; the scale height for scattered radiation yields T = 110°k at 80 to 90 km. The Mars model atmosphere has been developed up to 125 km.     

Estimation of the galactic spiral pattern speed from Cepheids

To study the peculiarities of the Galactic spiral density wave, we have analyzed the space velocities of Galactic Cepheids with propermotions from the Hipparcos catalog and line-of-sight velocities from various sources. First, based on the entire sample of 185 stars and taking R ₀ = 8 kpc, we have found the components of the peculiar solar velocity (u _⊙, v _⊙) = (7.6, 11.6) ± (0.8, 1.1) km s^?1, the angular velocity of Galactic rotation Ω₀ = 27.5 ± 0.5 km s^?1 kpc^?1 and its derivatives Ω′₀ = ?4.12 ± 0.10 km s^?1 kpc^?2 and Ω″₀ = 0.85 ± 0.07 km s^?1 kpc^?3, the amplitudes of the velocity perturbations in the spiral density wave f _R = ?6.8 ± 0.7 and f _θ = 3.3 ± 0.5 km s^?1, the pitch angle of a two-armed spiral pattern (m = 2) i = ?4.6° ± 0.1° (which corresponds to a wavelength λ = 2.0 ± 0.1 kpc), and the phase of the Sun in the spiral density wave χ_⊙ = ?193° ± 5°. The phase χ_⊙ has been found to change noticeably with the mean age of the sample. Having analyzed these phase shifts, we have determined the mean value of the angular velocity difference Ω _p ? Ω, which depends significantly on the calibrations used to estimate the individual ages of Cepheids. When estimating the ages of Cepheids based on Efremov’s calibration, we have found |Ω _p ? Ω₀| = 10 ± 1_stat ± 3_syst km s^?1 kpc^?1. The ratio of the radial component of the gravitational force produced by the spiral arms to the total gravitational force of the Galaxy has been estimated to be f _r0 = 0.04 ± 0.01.     

A new photometric study of the binary U Pegasi

Over four hundred photoelectric observations of U Peg in B and V were secured with a 0.6M reflector at Beijing Observatory in 1978. Four times of minima were determined. A period study of the times of minima from 1896 to 1980 was performed. The system was found to have a secular period decrease, Δp/p of ?1.32 ¢ 10^?1 or ?4.16 × 10^?3 sec/yr, as well as a short term (17 years) sinusoidal oscillation with a semi-amplitude of 0.00323 day. It is suggested that oscillating term is caused by the light-time effect of an unseen third body. The third body may be a M6 main sequence star with a mass of 0.16 M_⊙. The longterm secular change in period may be associated with slow mass transfer.The analysis of the 1978 light curves together with the 1958 light curves of Binnendijk suggest that the system U Peg has an overcontact configuration of about 9%. It has the characteristics of a W-type W UMa system. The photometric mass ratio, $\text{m}{}_2\text{m}{}_1$, is between 3 and 2.5. If we correct the Struve et al. γ-velocity from 0 km/sec to about ?40 km/sec the estimated spectroscopic mass ratio would agree with the photoelectric value. Based on the above assumption the absolute dimensions of U Peg are of 0.6 and 1.8 M_⊙ and of 0.8 and 1.4 R_⊙, for components 1 and 2 respectively. The physical dimensions indicate that the components are main sequence stars.     

Recombination of electrons with H3+ and H5+ ions

The dissociative recombination coefficients α for capture of electrons by H₃⁺ and H₅⁺ ions have been determined as a function of electron temperature T_e using a microwave afterglow-mass spectrometer apparatus. At ion and neutral temperatures T_u+ = T_n = 240 K, the coefficient α (H₃⁺) is found to vary slowly with T_e at first, decreasing from 1.6 × 10^?7 cm³/s at T_e = 240 K to 1.2 × 10^?7 cm³/s at T_e = 500 K, thereafter falling as T_e^?1 over the range 500 K ? T_e, ? 3000 K. These results, which have a ± 20% uncertainty, agree satisfactorily over the common energy range (0.03–0.36 eV) with the recombination cross sections determined in merged beam measurements by Auerbach et al. At T₊ = T_n = 128 K, the coefficient α(H₅⁺) is found to be (1.8 ± 0.3) × 10^?6 [T_e(K)/300]^?0.69 cm³/s over the range 128 K ? T_e ? 3000 K, with a more rapid decrease, as T_e^?1, between 3000 K and 5500 K. The implications of these results for modelling planetary atmospheres and interstellar clouds are briefly touched on.     

Ion-ion recombination rates in the earth's atmosphere

The temperature dependence of the binary recombination coefficient, α₂, for the reaction NO⁺+NO₂^? → products has been obtained over the range 185–530 K. It is found that the corresponding mean cross section $\text{σ}$ is described by the power law $\text{σ}\text{? A · T}{}^{\mathrm{?0.9}}$, and that α₂ ? B · T^?0.4. Data has also been obtained for two cluster ion recombination reactions which indicate that their recombination cross sections are only about 40% larger than for the parent ions at a given temperature, the cross sections for these reactions also apparently increasing with decreasing temperature. In the light of this data and by considering the most probable positive and negative ions existing at various altitudes up to 90km in the atmosphere, the most appropriate ionic recombination coefficients in various altitude ranges are deduced. Thus, between 30 and 90 km, where the recombination process is two-body, the coefficient varies over the narrow range 5–9 × 10^?8 cm³s^?1, while below 30 km the process is predominantly three-body with an effective two-body rate increasing rapidly to a maximum value ≈3 × 10^?6 cm³s^?1 in the troposphere, these deductions being based on published laboratory determinations of three-body recombination coefficients.