Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 7997;andrew.cmu.edu;Ted Anderson Received: from beak.andrew.cmu.edu via trymail for +dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr11/tm2b/space/space.dl@andrew.cmu.edu (->+dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr11/tm2b/space/space.dl) (->ota+space.digests) ID ; Sun, 21 Oct 1990 02:31:30 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <8b8I1sm00VcJ4aMk5t@andrew.cmu.edu> Precedence: junk Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Sun, 21 Oct 1990 02:30:21 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V12 #475 SPACE Digest Volume 12 : Issue 475 Today's Topics: Gamma-Ray Observatory Info? Re: Theories needed on life MONTHLY SOLAR TERRESTRIAL REVIEW Re: Venus/Magellan, poles Re: Theories needed on life Ulysses Update - 10/19/90 Administrivia: Submissions to the SPACE Digest/sci.space should be mailed to space+@andrew.cmu.edu. Other mail, esp. [un]subscription notices, should be sent to space-request+@andrew.cmu.edu, or, if urgent, to tm2b+@andrew.cmu.edu ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 19 Oct 90 15:38:46 GMT From: swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!maverick.ksu.ksu.edu!iowasp.physics.uiowa.edu!ceres.physics.uiowa.edu!jak@ucsd.edu Subject: Gamma-Ray Observatory Info? Can anyone tell me where I might find some technical articles describing the Gamma-Ray Observatory, and in particular the BATSE experiment on the GRO? Thanks. Jeff Kouba Dept. of Physics and Astronomy University of Iowa INET: jak@ceres.physics.uiowa.edu SPAN: ceres::jak ------------------------------ Date: 19 Oct 90 21:59:40 GMT From: crash!ncr-sd!se-sd!jim@nosc.mil (Jim Ruehlin, Cognitologist domesticus) Subject: Re: Theories needed on life In <1990Oct18.213753.34575@eagle.wesleyan.edu> dlinder@eagle.wesleyan.edu writes: >Could someone theorize on what humanoid life would be like on a planet 3 or 4 >times the size of the Earth. I'm looking for theories on body structure, >societies, technology, psychology, etc. Thanks, I appreciate any speculation. If you mean bipedal with an internal skeleton, I'd say it may not be possible at all. We'ld need to be much smaller than we are now, or have a massive frame to support ourselves, probably one to big to support itself given the gravity, organism size, and cube-square law. - Jim Ruehlin ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Oct 90 22:04:22 MDT From: std_oler%HG.ULeth.CA@ucnet.ucalgary.ca (Cary Oler) Subject: MONTHLY SOLAR TERRESTRIAL REVIEW X-St-Vmsmail-To: ST%"space+@andrew.cmu.edu" --- MONTHLY SOLAR TERRESTRIAL REVIEW --- September 1990 Report Issued from Data Released by the Space Environment Services Center Boulder Colorado -------- MONTHLY ACTIVITY SUMMARY AND SOLAR CYCLE OUTLOOK OCTOBER 1990 - APRIL 1991 We are now in month 49 of solar cycle 22. Average activity levels and solar indices fell dramatically in September when compared to the August averages. Daily values for the 10 cm solar radio flux, sunspot number, and sunspot area fell by nearly 50% in some cases. In particular, the average 10 cm flux fell by over 45 points to 175.8, the average sunspot number fell 83 points to 186.4, and the average sunspot area was less than half that of August (6,933 million square kilometers [4,333 mil. sq. miles] in August compared to 3,399 mil. sq. kilometers [2,124 mil. sq. miles] in September). This sharp drop in activity averages resulted in a 0.8 drop in the smoothed sunspot numbers for March 1990 from that of February, a similar drop in the smoothed 10.7 cm flux was also noted. The decrease in the smoothed sunspot numbers has turned the prediction model downward again. It is now very unlikely that we will see activity of sufficient magnitude for a sufficient length of time to change the cycle maximum of July 1989. This being the case, solar cycle 22 will go on the record as the shortest rise to maximum ever recorded (only 34 months). Flare activity was low to moderate during September. Sixteen M-class flares were reported during the month, and of these, only one reached M5 strength. It was an M5/1B from Region 6272 at 21:56 UT on 17 September. In addition, Region 6272 produced two smaller M-class flares earlier on the 17th. The only other Regions that produced more than one M-class flare during the month were Region 6233 and Region 6266. Region 6233 was August's most active region. During September, it produced four M-class flares before crossing the limb. Region 6266 produced only two M-class flares. Satellite level protons remained at background levels throughout the month. Geomagnetic activity was mostly unsettled. There were nine days of active conditions at middle latitudes and six at high latitudes. High latitudes also experienced five days of minor storm conditions and one of major storm conditions. This activity is believed to be more in response to coronal hole and disappearing filaments than to solar flare activity. Although the long duration M3/SF on 14 September may have contributed to the geomagnetic activity on 18 September. Likewise the M5/1B major flare of 17 September may have contributed to the activity of 21-22 September. Early outlooks showed a pulse of activity in September or October with a low around the first of the year followed by a second pulse of activity about April 1991. However, the uniqueness of cycle 22 with its earlier than predicted sunspot maximum and earlier than predicted pulse of activity may indicate that earlier outlooks of future pulses may also be late by several months. The cycle is still expected to contain a relatively flat peak through 1991 (with a slow decline), which would indicate that solar activity throughout the coming year will likely have several bursts of high activity with increasing periods of low activity occurring as the cycle begins to wind down. Geomagnetic conditions will also contain spikes of activity occurring throughout the coming year due to solar activity and coronal holes, which are showing signs of stabilizing somewhat, in recurrent patterns. The probability of major geomagnetic activity being attributed to strong solar flares is steadily decreasing as the number of flares capable of producing terrestrial impacts also begin to decline. Most of the future magnetic activity will likely be caused by coronal holes and disappearing filaments (as was observed during September). Radio propagation conditions over the coming year will, likewise, experience brief periods of poor to very poor conditions due to the magnetic and periodic solar activity. Overall, however, radio propagation conditions are expected to remain very good over most paths as sunspot numbers continue to remain elevated over the next year or so. RECENT SOLAR INDICES (PRELIMINARY) OF THE OBSERVED MONTHLY MEAN VALUES Updated for September, 1990 Sunspot Numbers Radio Flux Geomagnetic ------------------------------------ ------------- ----------- Observed Ratio Smooth Values Ottawa Smooth Smooth SESC RI RI/SESC SESC RI 10 cm Value Ap Value ------------------------------------ ------------- ----------- YEAR = 1988 Oct: 163.7 125.1 .76 160.5 125.2 169.8 171.6 13 15.7 Nov: 153.8 125.1 .82 168.3 130.2 156.2 177.5 12 16.1 Dec: 229.5 179.2 .78 180.1 137.4 199.8 184.8 13 16.5 YEAR = 1989 Jan: 203.2 161.6 .80 189.2 141.9 235.4 190.2 19 16.7 Feb: 211.0 164.5 .78 196.0 144.7 222.4 194.0 15 17.0 Mar: 176.8 131.0 .74 204.1 149.4 205.1 199.7 41 17.6 Apr: 172.3 129.3 .75 209.9 153.1 189.6 204.4 23 18.2 May: 207.0 138.4 .67 216.4 156.5 190.1 209.3 16 18.8 Jun: 297.3 196.0 .66 220.1 157.9 239.6 213.1 17 19.2 Jul: 193.9 126.8 .65 221.1 158.1 181.9 212.6 8 19.1 Aug: 243.0 166.8 .69 221.5 157.4 217.1 209.7 20 19.3 Sep: 240.7 176.8 .74 221.3 156.3 225.9 207.2 17 18.8 Oct: 217.4 158.5 .73 223.2 157.1 208.7 206.3 21 18.3 Nov: 255.0 173.0 .68 223.4 157.3 235.1 206.1 19 18.4 Dec: 217.8 166.1 .76 217.3 153.3 213.0 203.3 16 18.4 YEAR = 1990 Jan: 239.3 179.4 .75 212.4 150.3 210.1 200.4 14 18.6* Feb: 184.7 128.4 .71 213.9 152.5* 178.3 200.5* 23 18.8* Mar: 198.6 140.8 .71 212.7 151.7* 188.8 198.6* 23 18.7* Apr: 196.1 139.8 .71 185.3 27 May: 187.7 132.0 .70 189.7 16 Jun: 168.9 105.2 .62 170.9 16 Jul: 204.3 147.0 .72 180.7 14 Aug: 269.4 199.9* .74* 221.6* 19* Sep: 186.4 124.7* .67* 175.8* 15* * = Preliminary estimates The lowest smoothed sunspot number for Cycle 21, RI = 12.3, occurred in September 1986. The preliminary sunspot maximum for this cycle (cycle 22) remains July 1989, with a peak smoothed sunspot number of 158.1. SUMMARY OF GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY FOR SEPTEMBER 1990. Global geomagnetic activity peaked on 12 September with an estimated planetary A-Index value of 24. On that day, the eight estimated planetary K-indices were (starting at 00 UT): 5, 4, 3, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3. High latitudes experienced the most severe geomagnetic activity, reaching major storm conditions on 11 September. The magnetic observatory at Anchorage Alaska recorded an A-Index of 50 on 11 September. The eight K-index values for Anchorage were (starting at 00 UT): 3, 3, 5, 7, 6, 5, 4, 4. Middle latitudes closely followed the planetary figures throughout this period, implying that the strong geomagnetic activity remained confined to the high northern latitudes. Global geomagnetic activity reached it's lowest value of the month on 30 September, with an estimated planetary A-Index of 6. Estimated planetary K-Index figures for this date were: 2, 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 2, 2. Middle latitudes had K-Index figures slightly below these values, while high latitudes had figures slightly above these planetary estimates. DAILY SOLAR DATA FOR SEPTEMBER, 1990. ENERGITIC EVENT SUMMARY (MINOR AND MAJOR FLARES) _____________________________________________________________________________ | Date | Time (U.T.) | X-Ray | Optical Information | Sweep Freq. | | | Begin Max End | Class | Type Location Region | Intensity | |------|-----------------|-------|------------------------------| II III IV V| |01 Sep| 0700 0710 0728| M2.7 | SN N14W31 6233 | | | | | |03 Sep| 0940 0946 1008| M2.2 | 1B N14W57 6233 | | | | | |04 Sep| 1432 1446 1530| M1.4 | 1N N14W73 6233 | | 1 | | 1| |05 Sep| 0356 0431 0717| M2.7 | SF N14W87 6233 | | 1 | | | |06 Sep| 2108 2151 2250| M1.9 | Uncorrelated event. | | 1 | | | |12 Sep| 0054 0110 0139| M1.5 | 2N N06W45 6247 | | 1 | | | |14 Sep| 0408 0417 0429| M1.3 | 1F S29E43 6266 | 3 | 3 | | | | | 1326 1406 1522| M3.5 | SF S20E90 | | | | 3| | | 2001 2015 2048| M1.6 | 2N N19E25 6263 | 2 | | | 2| |17 Sep| 0549 0555 0559| M1.0 | 1N S15E41 6272 | | 3 | | | | | 1341 1346 1355| M1.3 | SB S15E30 6272 | | 2 | | | | | 2151 2156 2202| M5.3 | 1B S15E29 6272 | | 3 | | 3| |19 Sep| 0901 0908 0913| M2.6 | 1N N06E90 6281 | | | | | |22 Sep| 0302 0319 0345| M1.1 | 1F S27W60 6266 | | | | | |23 Sep| 1305 1313 1322| M2.7 | Uncorrelated event. | 1 | | | 1| |25 Sep| 0221 0228 0235| M1.7 | 1B N15E09 6280 | | 1 | | | |______|_________________|_______|______________________________|_____________| NOTES: - Xray Flare Classes (weak to strong): C, M, X (with sub-categories rated from 0.0 to 9.9 in each class). - Optical Flare Classes (weak to strong): S, 1, 2, 3, 4 (with an attached figure identifying brightness: F-Faint, N-Normal, B-Brilliant). - Locations are given in latitude and longitude as measured from the central solar meridian. - Sweep Frequency Intensity represents the intensity of detected solar radio frequency bursts (bursts sweep over large frequencies). Type II and IV almost always represent ejection of solar material through the solar corona and into interplanetary space. Intensities are rated from 1 to 3+. GENERAL DAILY SOLAR STATISTICS _____________________________________________________________________________ | | Radio Flux | | Sunspot | Flares | | | Ottawa | Sunspot | Area | X-Ray Optical | |Date | 10.7 cm | Number | mil.sq.km. | C M X | S 1 2 3 | |-------|-------------|-----------|------------|--- --- --- | --- --- --- --- | |01 Sep | 167 | 193 | 3,300 | 3 1 0 | 8 0 0 0 | |02 Sep | 165 | 186 | 3,330 | 6 0 0 | 13 2 0 0 | |03 Sep | 157 | 180 | 2,910 | 9 1 0 | 15 2 1 0 | |04 Sep | 160 | 204 | 2,940 | 7 1 0 | 18 4 0 0 | |05 Sep | 157 | 169 | 2,250 | 8 1 0 | 7 0 0 0 | |06 Sep | 154 | 153 | 2,220 | 6 1 0 | 10 0 0 0 | |07 Sep | 160 | 135 | 2,100 | 2 0 0 | 11 3 1 0 | |08 Sep | 159 | 153 | 1,980 | 4 0 0 | 7 2 0 0 | |09 Sep | 166 | 157 | 2,010 | 1 0 0 | 15 0 0 0 | |10 Sep | 168 | 173 | 2,190 | 3 0 0 | 4 0 0 0 | |11 Sep | 176 | 206 | 3,150 | 6 0 0 | 16 2 0 0 | |12 Sep | 189 | 193 | 4,170 | 3 1 0 | 8 1 1 0 | |13 Sep | 194 | 195 | 4,290 | 6 0 0 | 16 1 0 0 | |14 Sep | 206 | 239 | 4,680 | 5 3 0 | 16 4 1 0 | |15 Sep | 203 | 229 | 5,070 | 4 0 0 | 12 1 0 0 | |16 Sep | 200 | 221 | 4,710 | 7 0 0 | 10 3 0 0 | |17 Sep | 205 | 228 | 4,110 | 8 3 0 | 23 3 0 0 | |18 Sep | 203 | 224 | 3,720 | 7 0 0 | 26 1 0 0 | |19 Sep | 208 | 231 | 4,140 | 6 1 0 | 13 0 1 0 | |20 Sep | 200 | 196 | 3,930 |10 0 0 | 22 4 0 0 | |21 Sep | 200 | 194 | 4,440 | 7 0 0 | 13 0 0 0 | |22 Sep | 192 | 182 | 4,530 | 1 1 0 | 10 1 0 0 | |23 Sep | 183 | 172 | 4,770 | 2 1 0 | 6 0 0 0 | |24 Sep | 176 | 163 | 3,900 |10 0 0 | 11 4 0 0 | |25 Sep | 165 | 173 | 3,300 | 4 1 0 | 14 2 0 0 | |26 Sep | 157 | 147 | 3,210 | 4 0 0 | 8 0 0 0 | |27 Sep | 150 | 160 | 2,580 | 1 0 0 | 9 0 0 0 | |28 Sep | 150 | 168 | 2,460 | 4 0 0 | 6 0 0 0 | |29 Sep | 149 | 185 | 2,820 | 3 0 0 | 14 0 0 0 | |30 Sep | 156 | 182 | 2,790 | 2 0 0 | 16 0 0 0 | |_______|_____________|___________|____________|____________|_________________| ** End of Report ** ------------------------------ Date: 20 Oct 90 19:13:54 GMT From: agate!shelby!neon!jkl@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (John Kallen) Subject: Re: Venus/Magellan, poles On Mercury, the 20th meridian passes through the crater Hun Kal ("Twenty" in Mayan). _______________________________________________________________________________ | | | | |\ | | /|\ | John Kallen "Stonehenge is very | |\ \|/ \| * |/ | |/| | | 3232 Round Hill Dr. nutritious." | |\ /|\ |\ * |\ | | | | Hayward CA 94345 - Migato Gami _|_|___|___|____|_\|___|__|__|_1-415-886 6323__________________________________ ------------------------------ Date: 19 Oct 90 17:24:11 GMT From: olivea!tymix!3comvax!michaelm@apple.com (Michael McNeil) Subject: Re: Theories needed on life In article <1990Oct18.213753.34575@eagle.wesleyan.edu> dlinder@eagle.wesleyan.edu writes: >Could someone theorize on what humanoid life would be like on a planet >3 or 4 times the size of the Earth. I'm looking for theories on body >structure, societies, technology, psychology, etc. Thanks, I appreciate >any speculation. It's highly likely that humanoid life wouldn't exist even on a planet just like the Earth -- if life were to independently evolve again. There are just too many other possible pathways for it to follow. -- Michael McNeil michaelm@vax.DSD.3Com.COM (3comvax.UUCP) 3Com Corporation ucbvax!hplabs!oliveb!3comvax!michaelm Santa Clara, California work telephone: (408) 492-1790 x 5-208 Life, even cellular life, may exist out yonder in the dark. But high or low in nature, it will not wear the shape of man. That shape is the evolutionary product of a strange, long wandering through the attics of the forest roof, and so great are the chances of failure, that nothing precisely and identically human is likely ever to come that way again. Loren Eiseley, *The Immense Journey*, 1957 ------------------------------ Date: 19 Oct 90 22:34:38 GMT From: julius.cs.uiuc.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars.jpl.nasa.gov!baalke@apple.com (Ron Baalke) Subject: Ulysses Update - 10/19/90 ULYSSES MISSION STATUS October 19, 1990 Ulysses today is beginning the process of turning on and checking out each of its nine science instruments. All covers on the science instruments will be released today, with the exception of the HISCALE (Heliospheric Instrument for Spectra, Composition and Anisotropy at Low Energies) instrument. The first instrument to be turned on will be the Energetic-Particle Composition and Neutral Gas instrument. In addition, heaters for the Solar-Wind Ion-Composition Spectrometer will be started in preparation for that instrument to be turned on Saturday, October 20. Also on October 20, after the Solar-Wind Ion-Composition Spectrometer is turned on, it will be checked out for thermal conditions and then switched off. A calibration test will be running on the neutral-gas portion of the Energetic-Particle Composition and Neutral Gas experiment. Finally, the Cosmic Dust instrument will also be switched on for checkout. Plans call for relatively quiet weekend monitoring of the spacecraft Sunday and Monday, October 21-22. Instruments will continue to be turned on and checked out for several weeks. The trajectory correction maneuver of this week concluded successfully Thursday, October 18. The flight dynamics team is evaluating the results of the maneuver in order to plan a second trajectory maneuver on Friday, November 2. The five-year mission to study the Sun's poles and interstellar space beyond the poles is conducted jointly by the European Space Agency and NASA/JPL. ___ _____ ___ /_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| | | | | __ \ /| | | | Ron Baalke | baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov ___| | | | |__) |/ | | |___ Jet Propulsion Lab | baalke@jems.jpl.nasa.gov /___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| M/S 301-355 | |_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ Pasadena, CA 91109 | ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V12 #475 *******************