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Water on the sun: line assignments based on variational calculations.

The infrared spectrum of hot water observed in a sunspot has been assigned. The high temperature of the sunspot (3200 K) gave rise to a highly congested pure rotational spectrum in the 10-micrometer region that involved energy levels at least halfway to dissociation. Traditional spectroscopy, based on perturbation theory, is inadequate for this problem. Instead, accurate variational solutions of the vibration-rotation Schrödinger equation were used to make assignments, revealing unexpected features, including rotational difference bands and fewer degeneracies than anticipated. These results indicate that a shift away from perturbation theory to first principles calculations is necessary in order to assign spectra of hot polyatomic molecules such as water.

Chemical Phenomena↗

Experimental simulations of sulfide formation in the solar nebula.

Sulfurization of meteoritic metal in H2S-H2 gas produced three different sulfides: monosulfide solid solution [(Fe,Ni)1-xS], pentlandite [(Fe,Ni)9-xS8], and a phosphorus-rich sulfide. The composition of the remnant metal was unchanged. These results are contrary to theoretical predictions that sulfide formation in the solar nebula produced troilite (FeS) and enriched the remaining metal in nickel. The experimental sulfides are chemically and morphologically similar to sulfide grains in the matrix of the Alais (class CI) carbonaceous chondrite, suggesting that these meteoritic sulfides may be condensates from the solar nebula.

Ferrous Compounds↗

Identification of water ice on the Centaur 1997 CU26.

Spectra of the Centaur 1997 CU26 were obtained at the Keck Observatory on 27 October 1997 (universal time). The data show strong absorptions at 1.52 and 2.03 micrometers attributable to water ice on the surface of 1997 CU26. The reflectance spectrum of 1997 CU26 is matched by the spectrum of a mixture of low-temperature, particulate water ice and spectrally featureless but otherwise red-colored material. Water ice dominates the spectrum of 1997 CU26, whereas methane or methane-like hydrocarbons apparently dominate the spectrum of the Kuiper belt object 1993 SC, perhaps indicating different origins, thermal histories, or both for these two objects.

Hydrocarbons↗

Deflection of the local interstellar dust flow by solar radiation pressure.

Interstellar dust grains intercepted by the dust detectors on the Ulysses and Galileo spacecrafts at heliocentric distances from 2 to 4 astronomical units show a deficit of grains with masses from 1 x 10(-17) to 3 x 10(-16) kilograms relative to grains intercepted outside 4 astronomical units. To divert grains out of the 2- to 4-astronomical unit region, the solar radiation pressure must be 1.4 to 1.8 times the force of solar gravity. These figures are consistent with the optical properties of spherical or elongated grains that consist of astronomical silicates or organic refractory material. Pure graphite grains with diameters of 0.2 to 0.4 micrometer experience a solar radiation pressure force as much as twice the force of solar gravity.

Cosmic Dust↗

Planetary science. Nitrogen on the moon.

The nitrogen isotopic compositions seen in lunar soils have long been a mystery to planetary scientists. As Becker discusses in his Perspective, new techniques, such as the depth profiling of mineral grains reported by Hashizume et al., are now shedding some light on the matter, allowing some theories to be excluded. Nevertheless, the relative role of the solar wind and other processes remains hotly debated.

Argon↗

Solar wind record on the moon: deciphering presolar from planetary nitrogen.

Ion microprobe analyses show that solar wind nitrogen associated with solar wind hydrogen implanted in the first tens of nanometers of lunar regolith grains is depleted in 15N by at least 24% relative to terrestrial atmosphere, whereas a nonsolar component associated with deuterium-rich hydrogen, detected in silicon-bearing coatings at the surface of some ilmenite grains, is enriched in 15N. Systematic enrichment of 15N in terrestrial planets and bulk meteorites relative to the protosolar gas cannot be explained by isotopic fractionation in nebular or planetary environments but requires the contribution of 15N-rich compounds to the total nitrogen in planetary materials. Most of these compounds are possibly of an interstellar origin and never equilibrated with the 15N-depleted protosolar nebula.

Argon↗