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3991802 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardtack%20Teak | Hardtack Teak | HARDTACK-Teak was an exoatmospheric high altitude nuclear weapon test performed during Operation Newsreel. It was launched from Johnston Atoll on a Redstone missile. On 1 August 1958, the shot detonated at an altitude of .
Along with HARDTACK-Orange it was one of the two largest high-altitude nuclear explosions.
Planning
The 3.8-megaton detonation was planned to occur at an altitude of above a point approximately south of Johnston Island. However, due to a programming failure, it burst directly above the island at the desired altitude, making the island the effective ground zero. This brought the explosion nearer the launch site control and analysis crews than intended.
The Teak test was originally planned to be launched from Bikini Atoll, but Lewis Strauss, chairman of the United States Atomic Energy Commission opposed the test because of fears that the flash from the nighttime detonation might blind Islanders who were living on nearby atolls. He finally agreed to approve the high-altitude test on the condition that the launch point be moved from Bikini Atoll to the more remote site at Johnston Island.
According to the United States Defense Nuclear Agency report (DNA6038F) on Operation Hardtack I:
Effects
When the warhead burst at directly above Johnston Island, the flash effectively turned night into day, as shown in the "After" photo in the section above. The initial glow faded over a period of about 30 seconds. The thermal radiation output of the explosion was such that observers were forced to take cover in the "shade" for the first few moments, as can be seen in film footage of the test.
Teak caused communications impairment over a widespread area in the Pacific basin. This was due to the injection of a large quantity of fission debris into the ionosphere. The debris prevented normal ionospheric reflection of high-frequency (HF) radio waves back towards Earth, which disrupted most long-distance HF radio communications. The nuclear detonation occurred at 10:50 UTC on 1 August 1958 (which was 11:50 p.m., Johnston Island local time, on 31 July 1958).
According to the book Defense's Nuclear Agency 1947–1997, when the Teak detonation occurred:
The Apia Observatory in Western Samoa approximately 2,000 miles to the south described the ". . . violent magnetic disturbance," which heralded ". . . the most brilliant manifestation of the Aurora Australis [Southern Lights] ever seen in Samoa." The resulting persistent ionization of the low-density atmosphere cut high frequency radio communications with New Zealand for six hours.
In Hawaii, where there had been no announcement of the test, the TEAK fireball turned from light yellow to dark yellow to orange to red. . . . The red glow remained clearly visible in the southwestern sky for half an hour. In Honolulu, military and civilian air traffic communications were interrupted for several hours. At the AFSWP’s Armed Forces Special Weapons Project offices in the Pentagon, Admiral Parker grew concerned for the personnel on Johnston Island as hour after hour passed with no word regarding the test. Finally, some eight hours after TEAK had occurred, the word that all was well came from Alvin Luedecke, the commander of Joint Task Force 7 and soon to be General Manager of the AEC. The communications blackout worried others as well. Later AFSWP learned that one of the first radio messages received at Johnston Island once communications were restored was: "Are you still there?"
According to page 269 of the Defense Nuclear Agency report on Operation Hardtack:
The detonation spread a layer of fission debris in the upper atmosphere and destroyed the ability of the normally ionized layers of the upper atmosphere to bend radio waves back to the Earth, thus cutting many trans-Pacific high-frequency communications circuits. This blackout lasted 9 hours in Australia and at least 2 hours in Hawaii. Honolulu telephone service was apparently not affected; the Honolulu police registered over 1,000 extra calls that night as startled residents asked for information on what they had seen.
According to civilian observer reports contained in the official United States Defense Nuclear Agency report on Operation Hardtack I:
A Honolulu resident described the burst in a page-1 story in the 1 August Honolulu Star-Bulletin:
I stepped out on the lanai and saw what must have been the reflection of the fireball. It turned from light yellow to dark yellow and from orange to red.
The red spread in a semi-circular manner until it seemed to engulf a large part of the horizon.
A cloud rose in the center of the circle. It was quite large and clearly visible. It remained visible for about a half-hour.
It looked much closer than Johnston Island. The elevation of the circle was perhaps 20° above the horizon.
Other descriptions in the same issue emphasized the red feature that appeared. From Mt. Haleakala on Maui, observers reported that this red shell appeared to pass overhead about 40 minutes after the detonation.
References
Johnston Atoll American nuclear explosive tests
Exoatmospheric nuclear weapons testing
Explosions in 1958
1958 in military history
August 1958 events in the United States
1958 in the United States
1958 in Oceania
August 1958 events in Oceania |
3992454 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%2815788%29%201993%20SB | (15788) 1993 SB | (15788) 1993 SB is a trans-Neptunian object of the plutino class. Apart from Pluto, it was one of the first such objects discovered (beaten by two days by (385185) 1993 RO and by one day by 1993 RP), and the first to have an orbit calculated well enough to receive a number. The discovery was made in 1993 at the La Palma Observatory with the Isaac Newton Telescope.
Very little is known about the object. Even the diameter estimate of ~130 km is based on an assumed albedo of 0.09.
KBO's found in 1993 include: (15788) 1993 SB, (15789) 1993 SC, (181708) 1993 FW, and (385185) 1993 RO.
Over one thousand bodies were found in a belt between orbiting between about 30-50 AU from the Sun in the twenty years (1992-2012), after finding 1992 QB1 (named in 2018, 15760 Albion), showing a vast belt of bodies more than just Pluto and Albion. By 2018, over 2000 Kuiper belt objects were discovered.
References
External links
MPEC: recovery of the object
list of known TNOs, including size estimates
IAU minor planet lists
Plutinos
1993 SB
1993 SB
1993 SB
19930916 |
3993515 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%28385185%29%201993%20RO | (385185) 1993 RO | (385185) 1993 RO is a plutino. It was the first plutino discovered after Pluto itself, with 1993 RP and (15788) 1993 SB a day and two days later, respectively. The discovery was made in 1993 at the Mauna Kea Observatory with a 2.2-meter telescope. Very little is known about (385185) 1993 RO. Even the diameter estimate of ~90 km is based on the assumed albedo of 0.09.
KBO's found in 1993 include: (15788) 1993 SB, (15789) 1993 SC, (181708) 1993 FW, and (385185) 1993 RO.
See also
List of trans-Neptunian objects
Kuiper belt
References
External links
IAUC 5865: 1993 RO
Further MPEC
Further MPEC
List of known TNOs, including size estimates
IAU minor planet lists
385185
Discoveries by David C. Jewitt
Discoveries by Jane Luu
19930914 |
3993713 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garmin%20iQue | Garmin iQue | iQue ( ; like "IQ") was a line of personal digital assistants (PDA) with integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers sold by Garmin. It was introduced in 2003 and discontinued in mid-2008.
Description
The Garmin iQue 3600 was among the first devices to integrate GPS technology into a PDA. The line included devices running Palm OS and Windows Mobile operating systems. As of June 2008, all iQue products have been discontinued by Garmin and are no longer being supported or repaired by the company.
Integration of address book and date book with GPS location provides convenient ways for turn-by-turn voice guided navigation.
All devices include the Que software, including map display, auto-routing, search for points of interest and addresses in the map database, etc.
All devices have Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) and European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) abilities.
Popular accessories include external GPS antennas, vehicle mounts, power adaptors and external speakers.
Que software
The Que software provides integration (with address and datebook), navigation and mapping.
QueMap - map display
QueFind - search by various criteria through the database: address, points of interests, cities, services, facilities, etc.
QueGPS - satellite signal display
QueTracks - collects and manages GPS tracks
QueRoutes - routing and voice guidance preferences
QueTurns - turn by turn route guidance, used with automatic routing
QueTrip - statistics
List of products
Palm OS devices
iQue 3600 - Palm OS 5, 480x320 pixel display, voice recorder
iQue 3600a - Similar to an iQue 3600 but designed for aviation use
iQue 3200 - Palm OS 5, 320x320 pixel display, SDIO capable
iQue 3000 - Palm OS 5, 320x320 pixel display, with included 128 MB microSD card
Pocket PC devices
iQue M5 - Windows Mobile 2003 SE, 240x320 pixel display, SDIO/MMC compatible, Bluetooth
iQue M3 - Windows Mobile 2003 SE, 240x320 pixel display, SDIO compatible, 3D mapping
iQue M4 - Windows Mobile 2003 SE, 240x320 pixel display, SDIO compatible, preloaded maps, 3D mapping
Related products
cfQue 1620 - CompactFlash extension for Windows Mobile OS PDAs; discontinued in 2006.
GPS 10 (10R) - Bluetooth GPS receiver, compatible with both Palm PDAs and Pocket PCs, and personal computers running Microsoft Windows.
Garmin Mobile 10 (10X) - Bluetooth GPS receiver that works together with some smartphones including Windows Mobile based, Palm based, BlackBerry and Symbian. This device is about the size of a pager and can be worn on the belt using the belt clip that is provided.
Garmin Mobile 20 (20SM) - Bluetooth GPS receiver that functions as a cradle that a compatible smartphone can sit in. This device requires 12V for power and can only be used in a vehicle with a 12V system. The 20SM comes with various types of power adapters that can charge various types of phones and PDAs.
Competitors
MiTAC
TomTom
Magellan
Lowrance
Sony
References
External links
Global Positioning System
Palm OS devices
Windows Mobile Classic devices
Personal digital assistant software
Garmin |
3994116 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%2848639%29%201995%20TL8 | (48639) 1995 TL8 | is a binary trans-Neptunian object from the scattered disc in the outermost regions of the Solar System. It was discovered by Arianna Gleason in 1995 and measures approximately 176 kilometers in diameter. Its 80-kilometer minor-planet moon, provisionally designated , was discovered on 9 November 2002.
Discovery
was discovered on 15 October 1995, by American astronomer Arianna Gleason as part of UA's Spacewatch survey at Kitt Peak National Observatory, near Tucson, Arizona.
It was the first of the bodies presently classified as a scattered-disc object (SDO) to be discovered, preceding the SDO prototype by almost a year.
Satellite
A companion was discovered by Denise C. Stephens and Keith S. Noll, from observations with the Hubble Space Telescope taken on 9 November 2002, and announced on 5 October 2005. The satellite, designated , is relatively large, having a likely mass of about 10% of the primary. Its orbit has not been determined, but it was at a separation of only about to the primary at the time of discovery, with a possible orbital period of about half a day and an estimated diameter of .
Scattered–extended object
is classified as detached object (scattered–extended) by the Deep Ecliptic Survey, since its orbit appears to be beyond significant gravitational interactions with Neptune's current orbit. However, if Neptune migrated outward, there would have been a period when Neptune had a higher eccentricity.
Simulations made in 2007 show that appears to have less than a 1% chance of being in a 3:7 resonance with Neptune, but it does execute circulations near this resonance.
Numbering and naming
This minor planet was numbered by the Minor Planet Center on 20 November 2002. As of 2018, it has not been named.
See also
3753 Cruithne (orbital circulations due to near resonant perturbations with Earth)
– to see a proper 3:7 resonance with Neptune
Notes
References
External links
1999 MPEC listing
2000 MPEC listing
Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info )
Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (45001)-(50000) – Minor Planet Center
048639
Discoveries by Arianna E. Gleason
048639
19951015
20021109 |
3996439 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/105P/Singer%20Brewster | 105P/Singer Brewster | 105P/Singer Brewster is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It was discovered in 1986, and received the name of 1986d under the old naming system.
Because 105P/Singer Brewster only comes within 2 AU of the Sun, during the 2012 perihelion passage it is only expected to brighten to about apparent magnitude 17.
The comet nucleus is estimated to be 2.2 kilometers in diameter.
The orbit of Comet Singer Brewster was altered significantly in August 1976 when it passed within 0.376 AU of Jupiter and will be altered again in August 2059.
The single discoverer bears a hyphenated surname (Singer-Brewster), but co-discovered comets bear the names of the co-discoverers linked by hyphens, e.g. Shoemaker-Levy 9, Swift-Tuttle, etc. In these cases, the IAU either removes one of the parts of the name or replaces the hyphen by a space.
References
External links
Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
105P/Singer Brewster – Seiichi Yoshida @ aerith.net
Elements and Ephemeris for 105P/Singer Brewster – Minor Planet Center
Periodic comets
0105
Comets in 2018
19860503 |
3999992 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accidental%20release%20source%20terms | Accidental release source terms | Accidental release source terms are the mathematical equations that quantify the flow rate at which accidental releases of liquid or gaseous pollutants into the ambient environment which can occur at industrial facilities such as petroleum refineries, petrochemical plants, natural gas processing plants, oil and gas transportation pipelines, chemical plants, and many other industrial activities. Governmental regulations in many countries require that the probability of such accidental releases be analyzed and their quantitative impact upon the environment and human health be determined so that mitigating steps can be planned and implemented.
There are a number of mathematical calculation methods for determining the flow rate at which gaseous and liquid pollutants might be released from various types of accidents. Such calculational methods are referred to as source terms, and this article on accidental release source terms explains some of the calculation methods used for determining the mass flow rate at which gaseous pollutants may be accidentally released.
Accidental release of pressurized gas
When gas stored under pressure in a closed vessel is discharged to the atmosphere through a hole or other opening, the gas velocity through that opening may be choked (i.e., it has attained a maximum) or it may be non-choked.
Choked velocity, also referred to as sonic velocity, occurs when the ratio of the absolute source pressure to the absolute downstream pressure is equal to or greater than [(k + 1) / 2]k / (k − 1), where k is the specific heat ratio of the discharged gas (sometimes called the isentropic expansion factor and sometimes denoted as ).
For many gases, k ranges from about 1.09 to about 1.41, and therefore [(k + 1) / 2]k / (k − 1 ) ranges from 1.7 to about 1.9, which means that choked velocity usually occurs when the absolute source vessel pressure is at least 1.7 to 1.9 times as high as the absolute downstream ambient atmospheric pressure.
When the gas velocity is choked, the equation for the mass flow rate in SI metric units is:
or this equivalent form:
For the above equations, it is important to note that although the gas velocity reaches a maximum and becomes choked, the mass flow rate is not choked. The mass flow rate can still be increased if the source pressure is increased.
Whenever the ratio of the absolute source pressure to the absolute downstream ambient pressure is less than
[ (k + 1) / 2]k / (k − 1), then the gas velocity is non-choked (i.e., sub-sonic) and the equation for mass flow rate is:
or this equivalent form:
The above equations calculate the initial instantaneous mass flow rate for the pressure and temperature existing in the source vessel when a release first occurs. The initial instantaneous flow rate from a leak in a pressurized gas system or vessel is much higher than the average flow rate during the overall release period because the pressure and flow rate decrease with time as the system or vessel empties. Calculating the flow rate versus time since the initiation of the leak is much more complicated, but more accurate. Two equivalent methods for performing such calculations are presented and compared at.
The technical literature can be very confusing because many authors fail to explain whether they are using the universal gas law constant R which applies to any ideal gas or whether they are using the gas law constant Rs which only applies to a specific individual gas. The relationship between the two constants is Rs = R/M.
Notes:
The above equations are for a real gas.
For an ideal gas, Z = 1 and ρ is the ideal gas density.
1kilomole (kmol) = 1000moles = 1000 gram-moles = kilogram-mole.
Ramskill's equation for non-choked mass flow
P.K. Ramskill's equation for the non-choked flow of an ideal gas is shown below as equation (1):
(1)
The gas density, A, in Ramskill's equation is the ideal gas density at the downstream conditions of temperature and pressure and it is defined in equation (2) using the ideal gas law:
(2)
Since the downstream temperature TA is not known, the isentropic expansion equation below is used to determine TA in terms of the known upstream temperature T:
(3)
Combining equations (2) and (3) results in equation (4) which defines A in terms of the known upstream temperature T:
(4)
Using equation (4) with Ramskill's equation (1) to determine non-choked mass flow rates for ideal gases gives identical results to the results obtained using the non-choked flow equation presented in the previous section above.
Evaporation of non-boiling liquid pool
Three different methods of calculating the rate of evaporation from a non-boiling liquid pool are presented in this section. The results obtained by the three methods are somewhat different.
The U.S. Air Force method
The following equations are for predicting the rate at which liquid evaporates from the surface of a pool of liquid which is at or near the ambient temperature. The equations were derived from field tests performed by the U.S. Air Force with pools of liquid hydrazine.
If TP = 0°C or less, then TF = 1.0
If TP > 0°C, then TF = 1.0 + 0.0043 TP2
The U.S. EPA method
The following equations are for predicting the rate at which liquid evaporates from the surface of a pool of liquid which is at or near the ambient temperature. The equations were developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency using units which were a mixture of metric usage and United States usage. The non-metric units have been converted to metric units for this presentation.
NB, the constant used here is 0.284 from the mixed unit formula/2.205lb/kg. The 82.05 become 1.0 = (ft/m)² × mmHg/kPa.
The U.S. EPA also defined the pool depth as 0.01m (i.e., 1cm) so that the surface area of the pool liquid could be calculated as:
A = (pool volume, in m3)/(0.01)
Notes:
1kPa = 0.0102kgf/cm2 = 0.01bar
mol = mole
atm = atmosphere
Stiver and Mackay's method
The following equations are for predicting the rate at which liquid evaporates from the surface of a pool of liquid which is at or near the ambient temperature. The equations were developed by Warren Stiver and Dennis Mackay of the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Toronto.
Evaporation of boiling cold liquid pool
The following equation is for predicting the rate at which liquid evaporates from the surface of a pool of cold liquid (i.e., at a liquid temperature of about 0°C or less).
Adiabatic flash of liquefied gas release
Liquefied gases such as ammonia or chlorine are often stored in cylinders or vessels at ambient temperatures and pressures well above atmospheric pressure. When such a liquefied gas is released into the ambient atmosphere, the resultant reduction of pressure causes some of the liquefied gas to vaporize immediately. This is known as "adiabatic flashing" and the following equation, derived from a simple heat balance, is used to predict how much of the liquefied gas is vaporized.
If the enthalpy data required for the above equation is unavailable, then the following equation may be used.
See also
Choked flow
Orifice plate
Flash evaporation
References
External links
Ramskill's equations are presented and cited in this pdf file (use search function to find "Ramskill").
Choked flow of gases
Development of source emission models
Atmospheric dispersion modeling
Air pollution |
4005703 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/102P/Shoemaker | 102P/Shoemaker | 102P/Shoemaker, also known as Shoemaker 1, is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It was first seen in 1984 and then again in 1991. Images taken of it in 1999 were not recognized until 2006 when it was once again observed. It was unexpectedly dim in each of these returns.
References
External links
Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
102P/Shoemaker 1 – Seiichi Yoshida @ aerith.net
102P at Kronk's Cometography
IAU Minor Planet Center, Minor Planet Electronic Circular No. 2006-O54 giving questionable observations from 1999/2000 and new observations from 2006.
IAU Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Circular No. 5361 giving visual magnitude estimates for 1991 observations.
IAU Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Circular No. 5336 giving calculated orbit based on 1991 observations.
IAU Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Circular No. 5286 Describing recovery of 102P/Shoemaker in 1991
IAU Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Circular No. 4017. Describing more visual magnitude estimates and orbital parameters from 1984.
IAU Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Circular No. 4002. Describing visual magnitude estimates of comet from 1984.
IAU Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Circular No. 4000. Describing positions of comet observed in 1984. Also mentions close pass of Jupiter calculated to have occurred in 1980.
IAU Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Circular No. 3998 Describing the initial calculation of the comet's orbit in 1984
Periodic comets
0102
102P
102P
Comets in 2013
19840927 |
4016108 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet%20Bennett | Comet Bennett | Comet Bennett, formally known as C/1969 Y1 (old style 1970 II and 1969i), was one of the two bright comets observed in the 1970s, along with Comet West and is considered a great comet. The name is also borne by an altogether different comet, C/1974 V2. Discovered by John Caister Bennett on December 28, 1969, while still almost two AUs from the Sun, it reached perihelion on March 20, passing closest to Earth on March 26, 1970, as it receded, peaking at magnitude 0. It was last observed on February 27, 1971.
Observational history
The comet was discovered by John Caister Bennett on 28 December 1969 from Pretoria, South Africa, during his comet seeking routine. The comet was located in the costellation Tucana, in 65° south declination, and had an estimated magnitude of 8.5. At that time the comet was about 1.7 AU both from the Sun and the Earth. The orbit was computed by M. P. Candy of the Perth Observatory and it became apparent that the comet could become a bright object by the end of March, during its perihelion at a distance of 0.54 AU, as it moved northwards.
The comet became visible to the naked eye in February, and the first week of that month it had a magnitude of 5 and its tail measured about one degree in length. By the end of February the comet had brightened to a magnitude of 3.5 while its tail was about two degrees long. The comet continued to brighten during March, as it approached both the Sun and Earth. By the middle of the month it was a first magnitude with a prominent curved tail about 10 degrees long.
The comet reached perihelion on 20 March and crossed the equator on 25 March, becoming better visible in the morning sky of the north hemisphere, staying at an elongation greater than 32 degrees. On 26 March was the perigee of the comet, when it approached Earth at a distance of 0.69 AU. The comet was then at the square of the Pegasus and continued moving northwards until it reached its maximum north declination of 83° in August, when the comet was in the constellation of Camelopardalis. The comet at the start of April had a magnitude of 1, but as it receded both from the Sun and Earth, it had dimmed to a magnitude of 3-4 by the end of April, when its circumpolar, located in Cassiopeia. The comet had in April two tails, with the longest being 20-25 degrees long. Although by the start of May the comet head had faded to magnitude 5, its tail was still 10-15 degrees long, but by the end of the month it was only 2.5 degrees long. It was last seen by naked eye around mid May.
The comet was observed to fade during summer, autumn and winter. By the start of July it was around magnitude 10 and by the September it was magnitude 12. In January 1971 it was photographed as an 18.9 magnitude object. It was last photographed by Elizabeth Roemer on 27 February 1971, when the comet was 4.9 AU from the Sun and 5.3 AU from Earth.
Scientific results
Soon after the first orbital elements could be calculated, it was suggested that the comet would become "a bright object, that could be observed with unaided eye." It was found to combine three favorable characteristics that made it an exceptional comet for observation: a short perihelion distance, a short distance from Earth, and high intrisic brightness. Numerous research projects were therefore initiated, so that Comet Bennett became the most photographed and most thoroughly researched comet at the time of its appearance.
Ultraviolet observations
A few years earlier it had been suggested that comets are surrounded by a shell of hydrogen gas, which could be detected by observing in the ultraviolet the Lyman α line at 121.5 nm. However, this observation is not possible from the ground because the ultraviolet light does not penetrate the atmosphere. The first observation of a comet in the ultraviolet came in January 1970 when the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2 (OAO-2) acquired the spectrum of comet C/1969 T1 (Tago-Sato-Kosaka) and verified the predicted hydrogen envelope. In February of the same year, Comet Bennett reached a favorable observation position for observation from space and was systematically observed with OAO-2 and OGO-5 on the basis of this discovery from mid-March to mid-April in order to track the temporal and spatial changes in the comet's coma.
From the photometric data obtained with OAO-2, the production rates of OH and H and their dependence on the comet's distance from the sun could be derived. The results confirmed the assumption that the gas production of comets at small solar distances is determined by the evaporation of water from the nucleus. The total loss of water during its passage through the inner solar system has been estimated at 200 million tonnes.
The comet was also observed for the first time by the Orbiting Geophysical Observatory (OGO-5) on April 1 and 2. With a more sensitive photometer than with OAO-2, emissions from hydrogen atoms could be detected up to a distance of several million km from the comet's nucleus. From the measurements, the mass of this hydrogen could be derived at about 2 million tones. After these first successful measurements, it was decided to continue observing the comet with the instruments on board OGO-5 and thus a total of twelve intensity maps of the comet's Lyman-α emission were obtained by April 30. The maps show the evolution of the hydrogen envelope over the course of a month. On April 1, when the comet was about 0.6 AU from the Sun, the hydrogen envelope was 20 million km × 15 million km in size, after which it slowly began to shrink. The derived hydrogen atom production rate was comparable to the value obtained from the OAO-2 observations. In further investigations, attempts were then made to theoretically underpin the measurement results with greater agreement and to provide refined models for the formation of the hydrogen shells.
Visible light
At the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, images of the comet were taken from March 28 to April 18, 1970, with interference filters at different wavelengths in the violet, blue, green, and yellow regions of the spectrum. In particular, the emission lines of CN, C2, CO+ and Na were evaluated. Maps of the comet's coma with lines of the same brightness (isophotes) up to a distance of 150,000 km from the nucleus were created from these and other images taken on April 8 and 9 at the Hamburg Observatory in white light. Similar surveys were also conducted from March 31 to April 27 at the University of Western Ontario's Hume Cronyn Memorial Observatory in Canada. There, too, images of the comet were taken with interference filters at different wavelengths in the violet, blue and green regions of the spectrum. In particular, the emission lines of CN and C2 were measured and their intensity profiles evaluated in parallel and perpendicular directions to the comet's tail and presented in the form of isophotes.
From March 30 to May 7, 1970, spectrographic studies of the comet were made at the Observatory of the University of Toledo in Ohio. In this way, brightness profiles of the emission lines of C2 and CN were obtained up to a distance of 100,000 km from the comet's nucleus. A brightness profile of the "forbidden" emission line of the oxygen atom at 630 nm was also created from images from April 18. It has been suggested that these atoms result from the decay of and that comet Bennett contained in excess of water. The same images were also used to create a brightness profile of the + ion up to a distance of about 100,000 km from the nucleus and to determine its production rate. The results could later be revised through improved processing of the data.
From March 7 to 18, images of the comet were taken at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. The comet's tail showed no noticeable disturbances, only pronounced side rays could be observed. This indicates that relatively quiet interactions between the solar wind and associated magnetic fields and the comet were occurring during this period.
Images taken from late March to late May at the Osservatorio Astrofisico di Asiago in Italy were evaluated for the distribution of gas and dust in Comet Bennett's tail. On the 3/4 April, it was observed that the comet's gas tail had been torn off the coma. Spectra of the neutral gas envelope showed the emission lines of CN, C2, , CH, and Na. The gas tail showed a diurnal variation in intensity and structure, indicating a very erratic production of CO+. In particular, attempts were also made to correlate a prominent kink observed in the comet's gas tail on April 4 with simultaneous measurements of solar activity and solar wind. This was done using measurement data provided around the same time by the OGO-5, Vela 5, HEOS-1 and Pioneer 8 spacecraft, as well as by the ALSEP experiment installed on the lunar surface by Apollo 12. In a first investigation, no events were found in the measured dynamics of the solar wind that could explain the deformations of the comet's tail. However, further investigation concluded that, first, the dynamics of the solar wind measured near Earth were probably different from those near the comet, and second, the monitoring of the solar wind was patchy in terms of location and time, so that the deformations of the comet's tail can probably still be traced back to events in the solar wind.
Three images of the comet in red light, taken May 5–8 at the Thuringian State Observatory in Tautenburg, when the Earth was almost in the comet's orbital plane, showed two anomalous structures in the comet's tail: a radial structure and a short sunward spikes, probably caused by the comet's dust. The later evaluation of these observations provided evidence for the peculiarity of a "neckline structure" (NLS) in the dust tail of a comet, which was only theoretically derived in 1977.
Infrared
Observations of the comet's brightness evolution in the infrared were made in late March to mid-April 1970 at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in Arizona. In addition, on March 31, 1970, observations were made with an infrared telescope on board a Learjet.
On April 4, 1970, Comet Bennett was photometrically measured at the O'Brien Observatory of the University of Minnesota in the near and mid-infrared at 2-20 µm wavelength. In addition to the continuum of a black body of about 500 K at short wavelengths, an emission line could also be detected at 10 µm, which was traced back to silicate grains in the dust of the comet. The measurement result was confirmed by another measurement on April 21 at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona.
Microwaves
With the radio telescope of the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia, an attempt was made over six days in mid-March 1970 to detect the emission of formaldehyde at 4.83 GHz. Likewise, the radio telescope at the United States Naval Research Laboratory in Maryland attempted to detect the emission of water molecules at 22.2 GHz over four days at the end of March 1970. In both cases, no such emissions could be detected.
Apollo 13 attempted photograph
Comet Bennett was intended to be photographed by the crew of Apollo 13 during their journey to the Moon. Their first attempt on April 13, 1970, was unsuccessful. On April 14, 1970, after completing the maneuver to orient the spacecraft for a second attempt, Odysseys service module ruptured, forcing the cancellation of the mission's scientific objectives and touchdown on the lunar surface.
References
External links
Cometography.com
Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Ephemeris
Long-period comets
Great comets
Discoveries by amateur astronomers
Astronomical objects discovered in 1969
1969 in science
1970 in science |
4016150 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home%20Plate%20%28Mars%29 | Home Plate (Mars) | Home Plate is a plateau roughly 90 m across within the Columbia Hills, Mars. It is informally named for its similarity in shape to a baseball home plate. Home Plate is a rocky outcrop that appears to show layered features.
The plateau has been extensively studied by Spirit, one of the Mars Exploration Rovers, since 2006. The rover became stuck in loose granular material alongside the northeast side of the plateau. The rover last communicated with Earth on March 22, 2010.
Exploration
Spirit arrived at Home Plate on sol 744 (February 7, 2006) and has completed a scientific investigation with her robotic arm before moving to Low Ridge Haven due to power concerns. She returned on sol 1126 to resume those studies.
Spirit spent her third Martian winter on Home Plate's north edge.
Origins
Scientists now believe that Home Plate is an explosive volcanic deposit. It is surrounded by deposits of basalt, which are believed to have exploded on contact with water. The presence of brine is further supported by the high concentration of chloride ions in the surrounding rocks. The presence of bomb sags (laminae typically found in beds of volcanish ash) seems to confirm this hypothesis.
A patch of 90% pure opaline silicon dioxide was unearthed by Spirit in the vicinity of Home Plate. The patch is believed to be formed in acidic hydrothermal conditions, which supports the theory that Home Plate is of an explosive volcanic origin. Water is also present as mineral hydrates.
Since 2008, scientists believe that this formation is an example of an eroded, ancient, and extinct fumarole.
Gallery
See also
List of rocks on Mars
References
External links
Nasa's Mars Exploration Program
Current position of the Mars rovers - Home Plate is visible, with Spirits journey around it.
The Planetary Society Weblog: Home, Sweet Home for Spirit
Official Mars Rovers site
Rocks on Mars
Fumaroles
Mars Exploration Rover mission |
4025136 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coqui%20%28NASA%29 | Coqui (NASA) | The Coquí and Coquí II (Coquí Dos and Coquí 2) campaign involved a sequence of sounding rocket launches in order to study the dynamics of the E- and F-region ionosphere and increase scientists' understanding of layering phenomena, such as sporadic E layers. The studies were supported by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and carried out in 1992 and 1998 respectively.
NASA launched sounding rockets from the Puerto Rican coastal town of Vega Baja, about 20 miles west of San Juan. Among the stated goals were to study how the Earth's ionosphere reacts to naturally occurring phenomena by artificially simulating these phenomena using a high-frequency (HF) radar and study the ionospheric response with both the Arecibo Observatory ionospheric radar and with instruments and chemical tracers carried aboard the sounding rockets. The campaign was named for the coqui frog, which is a small frog in the genus Eleutherodactylus native to Puerto Rico.
The launches which took place from the Tortuguero Launch Range, near Tortuguero Lagoon sparked protests.
References
External links
Resource Center of the Americas: NASA Experiments Continue
Long Spark Running: NASA's Coqui Experiments
NASA programs
Sounding rockets of the United States
1992 in spaceflight
1998 in spaceflight |
4027018 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/111P/Helin%E2%80%93Roman%E2%80%93Crockett | 111P/Helin–Roman–Crockett | 111P/Helin–Roman–Crockett is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It was discovered by Eleanor and Ron Helin on 5 January 1989 from images obtained on the 3rd and 4th of that month. It is a Jupiter family comet known for extremely close approaches to Jupiter being a Quasi-Hilda comet. During these approaches, it actually orbits Jupiter. The last such approach was in 1976, the next will be in 2071. The Jovian orbits are highly elliptical and subject to intense Solar perturbation at apojove which eventually pulls the comet out of Jovian orbit for the cycle to begin anew.
Simulations predict such a cycle is unstable, the object will either be captured into an encounter orbit (e.g. Shoemaker-Levy 9) or expelled into a new orbit which does not have periodic approaches. This implies that 111P's orbit is recent within the past few thousand years. It fits the definition of an Encke-type comet with (TJupiter > 3; a < aJupiter).
References
External links
Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
111P/Helin-Roman-Crockett – Seiichi Yoshida @ aerith.net
Elements and Ephemeris for 111P/Helin-Roman-Crockett – Minor Planet Center
111P at Kronk's Cometography
Observations, www.oaa.gr.jp
Periodic comets
Encke-type comets
0111
111P
111P
Comets in 2013
19890105 |
4027106 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/116P/Wild | 116P/Wild | 116P/Wild, also known as Wild 4, is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It fits the definition of an Encke-type comet with (TJupiter > 3; a < aJupiter).
On 4 November 2042 the comet will pass about from Ceres.
References
External links
Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
116P/Wild 4 – Seiichi Yoshida @ aerith.net
116P at Kronk's Cometography
Periodic comets
0116
Encke-type comets
Comets in 2016
19900121 |
4028132 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/117P/Helin%E2%80%93Roman%E2%80%93Alu | 117P/Helin–Roman–Alu | 117P/Helin–Roman–Alu, also known as Helin-Roman-Alu 1, is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It is a Quasi-Hilda comet.
References
External links
Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
117P/Helin-Roman-Alu 1 – Seiichi Yoshida @ aerith.net
Elements and Ephemeris for 117P/Helin-Roman-Alu – Minor Planet Center
117P at Kronk's Cometography
Images of 117P by Roger Groom
Periodic comets
0117
117P
117P
Comets in 2014
19891002 |
4028190 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/119P/Parker%E2%80%93Hartley | 119P/Parker–Hartley | 119P/Parker–Hartley is a periodic comet in the Solar System.
Around 16 March 2161, the comet will pass about from Jupiter.
References
External links
Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
119P/Parker-Hartley – Seiichi Yoshida @ aerith.net
119P at Kronk's Cometography
Periodic comets
0119
Discoveries by Malcolm Hartley
Comets in 2014
19890302 |
4028244 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/120P/Mueller | 120P/Mueller | 120P/Mueller, also known as Mueller 1, is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It last came to perihelion in May 2021 and underwent a 1.4 magnitude outburst in August 2021, ( after perihelion).
References
External links
Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
120P/Mueller 1 – Seiichi Yoshida @ aerith.net
120P at Kronk's Cometography
Periodic comets
0120
120P
Comets in 2013
19871018 |
4029947 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth%20planet%20%28hypothetical%29 | Fifth planet (hypothetical) | In the history of astronomy, a handful of Solar System bodies other than Jupiter have been counted as the fifth planet from the Sun.
Hypotheses
There are three main ideas regarding hypothetical planets between Mars and Jupiter.
Asteroids
During the early 19th century, as asteroids were discovered, they were considered planets. Jupiter became the sixth planet with the discovery of Ceres in 1801. Soon, three more asteroids, Pallas (1802), Juno (1804), and Vesta (1807) were discovered. They were counted as separate planets, despite the fact that they share a single orbital spacing given by Titius–Bode law. Between 1845 and 1851, eleven additional asteroids were discovered and Jupiter had become the twentieth planet. At this point, astronomers began to classify asteroids as minor planets. Following the reclassification of the asteroids in their own group, Jupiter became the fifth planet once again. With the redefinition of the term planet in August 2006, Ceres is now considered a dwarf planet.
Disruption theory
The disruption theory suggests that a planet which was positioned between Mars and Jupiter was destroyed, resulting in the asteroid belt between these planets. Scientists in the 20th century dubbed this hypothetical planet "Phaeton". Today, the Phaeton hypothesis, superseded by the accretion model, has been discarded by the scientific community; however, some fringe scientists regard this theory as credible and even likely.
Planet V theory
Based on simulations, NASA space scientists John Chambers and Jack J. Lissauer have proposed the existence of a planet between Mars and the asteroid belt, going in a successively eccentric and unstable orbit, 4 billion years ago. They connect this planet, which they name Planet V, and its disappearance with the Late Heavy Bombardment episode of the Hadean era. Chambers and Lissauer also claim this Planet V most probably ended up crashing into the Sun. Unlike the disruption theory's fifth planet, "Planet V" is not credited with creating the asteroid belt.
Fifth planet in fiction
The concept of a fifth planet which had been destroyed to make the asteroid belt, as in the Disruption Theory, has been a popular one in fiction.
See also
Disrupted planet
Hypothetical planetary object
Planets beyond Neptune
Trans-Neptunian object
Trans-Neptunian objects in fiction
Notes
References
Ancient astronomy
Early scientific cosmologies
Hypothetical bodies of the Solar System
Hypothetical planets
Ceres (dwarf planet) |
4030732 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/121P/Shoemaker%E2%80%93Holt | 121P/Shoemaker–Holt | 121P/Shoemaker–Holt, also known as Shoemaker-Holt 2, is a periodic comet in the Solar System.
References
External links
Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
121P/Shoemaker-Holt 2 – Seiichi Yoshida @ aerith.net
121P at Kronk's Cometography
Periodic comets
0121
121P
121P
121P
Comets in 2013
19890309 |
4031078 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr.%20Goldfoot%20and%20the%20Bikini%20Machine | Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine | Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine is a 1965 Pathécolor comedy film directed by Norman Taurog and distributed by American International Pictures. Starring Vincent Price, Frankie Avalon, Dwayne Hickman, Susan Hart and Jack Mullaney, and featuring Fred Clark, the film is a parody of the then-popular spy trend (the title is a spoof of two James Bond films: the 1962 film Dr. No and the 1964 hit Goldfinger), made using actors from AIP's beach party and Edgar Allan Poe films. The film was retitled Dr G. and the Bikini Machine in England due to a threatened lawsuit from Eon, holder of the rights to the James Bond series.
Despite its low production values, the film has achieved a certain cult status for the appearance of horror legend Price and AIP's beach party film alumni, its in-jokes and over-the-top sexuality, the claymation title sequence designed by Art Clokey, and a title song performed by The Supremes. Its success led to a sequel, produced in 1966, entitled Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs.
Plot
Price plays the titular mad scientist who, with the questionable assistance of his resurrected flunky Igor, builds a gang of female robots who are then dispatched to seduce and rob wealthy men. Avalon and Hickman play the bumbling heroes who attempt to thwart Goldfoot's scheme. The film's climax is an extended chase through the streets of San Francisco.
Cast
Vincent Price as Dr. Goldfoot
Frankie Avalon as Craig Gamble
Dwayne Hickman as Todd Armstrong
Susan Hart as Diane
Jack Mullaney as Igor
Fred Clark as D. J. Pevney
Alberta Nelson as Reject No. 12
Milton Frome as Motorcycle cop
Hal Riddle as Newsvendor
Joe Ploski as Cook
Robots
Patti Chandler
Mary Hughes
Salli Sachse
Luree Holmes
Sue Hamilton
Laura Nicholson
Marianne Gaba
China Lee
Issa Arnal
Deanna Lund
Pamela Rodgers
Leslie Summers
Sally Frei
Kay Michaels
Jan Watson
Arlene Charles
Cameos
Harvey Lembeck
Deborah Walley
Aron Kincaid
Annette Funicello
Cast notes
Frankie Avalon and Dwayne Hickman play the same characters they did in the previous year's Ski Party, except that the characters' names were swapped.
Annette Funicello makes a brief cameo appearance as a girl locked in medieval stocks in Dr. Goldfoot's lair. Frankie Avalon lifts her head, then looks at the camera and says, "It can't be!" Pregnant with her first child at the time, Funicello was placed in the stocks in order to hide her stomach.
Harvey Lembeck also makes a cameo appearance as his Eric Von Zipper character, enchained along with his motorcycle in Goldfoot's lair. Lembeck also appeared as Goldfoot's assistant, Hugo, in the TV special The Wild Weird World of Dr. Goldfoot.
Among the girls who play Goldfoot's robots are Deanna Lund, three years before joining the cast of Irwin Allen's science fiction series Land of the Giants; China Lee, a former Playboy Playmate married to Mort Sahl; Luree Holmes and Laura Nicholson, the daughters of James H. Nicholson; and Alberta Nelson, who was also in all seven of AIP's Beach Party films as a member of Eric Von Zipper's motorcycle gang, The Rat Pack.
Production
Development
The original idea for this motion picture came from James H. Nicholson, the President of American International Pictures, who wanted to showcase the versatile talents of AIP contract player Susan Hart. Nicholson provided the story, and is credited as "James Hartford". He hired Robert Kaufman to write the first draft. Director Norman Taurog hired Elwood Ullman to do a rewrite, and Taurog remained intimately involved with the content. Deke Heyward later claimed, without substantiation, that he completely rewrote Robert Kaufman's script.
The original title was announced as Dr Goldfoot and the Sex Machine, and the film was to be directed by William Asher. Taurog shortly thereafter assumed the helm as director, and Dwayne Hickman joined the cast. Filming began in late summer 1965, with one of AIP's largest-ever budgets. It was the first AIP movie to cost over a million dollars.
Vincent Price stated in a 1987 interview with David Del Valle that the original script was a camp musical, comparing it to Little Shop of Horrors. Price stated, "It could have been fun, but they cut all the music out", though it is not clear whether the footage was actually shot or the idea was abandoned during production. According to Susan Hart:
One of the best scenes I've seen on film was Vincent Price singing about the bikini machine – it was excellent. And I was told it was taken out because Sam Arkoff thought that Vincent Price looked too fey. But his character was fey! By taking that particular scene out, I believe they took the explanation and the meat out of that picture... It was a really unique explanatory scene and Vincent Price was beautiful in it, right on the money.
According to Norman Taurog's biographer:
The original plan had been to follow the AIP formula and have songs integrated throughout the film, but Norman brought in Elwood Ullman to do a rewrite ... and the final script read like a good-natured spoof on the James Bond films with no songs. This apparently disappointed Vincent Price, who had been looking forward to singing.
Shooting
The film is notable for its scenic photography of San Francisco. The streetcar scene was filmed at the West Portal tunnel. Filming went for over 30 days, taking place on location in San Francisco and on the backlots at the Producers Studio and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. The day after the company returned from San Francisco, rioting broke out in Watts in South Los Angeles. On August 30, the unit moved to MGM Studios Lot 2 to shoot on their "New York Street" set for a couple of days before returning to the Producers Studio.
The climactic chase sequence was filmed in the Bay Area. The stuntmen included Carey Loftin, Paul Stader, Troy Melton, Jerry Summers, Ronnie Ron-dell, Bob Harris, Louis Elias, David Sharpe, Harvey Parry, and Bill Hickman.
When designing Goldfoot's lair, Daniel Haller re-used some of his designs from 1961's The Pit and the Pendulum. Stock footage of battleships from another AIP release, Godzilla vs. The Thing appears during the climax.
Susan Hart's hair was done by Jon Peters.
Accident
During filming in Los Angeles, the city was gripped by a heatwave. Sometimes temperatures on one of the sound stages reached over by mid-afternoon. On the afternoon of August 15, 1965, the company was returning from lunch when one of the electricians, Roy Hicks, passed out from the heat and fell to his death from a catwalk.
Theme song
The theme song was recorded by The Supremes as a single-sided unreleased promotional single.
Reception
The film had its premiere at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco, where Nicholson had been a manager. The key cast members embarked on a 30-day tour of 18 cities in 13 countries to promote the film.
Box office
According to Norman Taurog's biographer, the film "was a moderate success in the United States, but did quite well in Europe, particularly in Italy".
Critical response
The Los Angeles Times said the film "has enough fresh, amusing gags to make it entertaining... Price is splendid".
Sequel
AIP Television produced a musical TV special episode promoting Doctor Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine that appeared for one night in temporary place of the ABC scheduled show Shindig! This show, called The Wild Weird World of Dr. Goldfoot, starred Vincent Price, Tommy Kirk and Susan Hart, and featured many songs that may have been cut from the cinema release. Louis M. Heyward and Stanley Ross wrote the 30-minute short comedy musical TV special which aired November 18, 1965 on the ABC network.
In July 1965, a sequel was announced to be made the following year called Dr. Goldfoot for President, to begin filming on May 14, 1966, for a September 14 release. Vincent Price returned for the 1966 sequel, Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs, directed by Mario Bava.
See also
List of American films of 1965
References
Notes
External links
Dr Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine at Brian's Drive-in Theatre
1965 films
1960s science fiction comedy films
1960s spy comedy films
American robot films
American science fiction comedy films
1960s teen films
1960s parody films
American International Pictures films
1960s English-language films
Films directed by Norman Taurog
Films scored by Les Baxter
Films set in San Francisco
Mad scientist films
American teen comedy films
Bikinis
Beach party films
Parody films based on James Bond films
1965 comedy films
Films shot in San Francisco
1960s American films |
4041499 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper%20Gangetic%20Plains%20moist%20deciduous%20forests | Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests | The Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests ecoregion of northern India.
Geography
It lies on the alluvial plain of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, with an area of , covering most of the state of Uttar Pradesh and adjacent portions of Uttarakhand, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar; as well as a minuscule adjacent portion of southern Nepal.
The ecoregion is bounded on the north by the Himalayan subtropical pine forests, Terai-Duar savannas and grasslands and Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests of the Himalaya foothills, to the west by the drier Northwestern thorn scrub forests and Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests, on the south by the Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests of the Malwa and Bundelkhand uplands, and on the east by the more humid Lower Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests.
The ecoregion is home to several large cities, including Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Gwalior, and Varanasi.
Climate
The ecoregion has a subtropical climate. Rainfall is highly seasonal, falling mainly during the June-to-September southwest monsoon.
Flora
In ancient times the region was mostly covered with moist deciduous forests, with trees that lose their leaves during the winter dry season. sal (Shorea robusta) is predominant tree. Mature trees form a canopy 25 to 35 metres. Other trees include Terminalia tomentosa, Terminalia belerica, Lagerstroemia parviflora, Adina cordifolia, Dillenia pentagyna, Stereospermum suaveolens, and Ficus spp.
Where the land has been disturbed by flood, fire, or livestock grazing there are areas of grassland or savanna, with the grasses Saccharum spontaneum, Saccharum narenga, Saccharum benghalense, and Vetiveria zizanioides.
Fauna
There are 79 known species of mammals in the ecoregion. Large mammals, including tiger (Panthera tigris), Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee), chousingha (Tetracerus quadricornis), swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii), and sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), once roamed the ecoregion. Habitat destruction has mostly extirpated them from the ecoregion. Small populations of tiger, Asian elephant, sloth bear, and chousingha persist in the few remaining forested areas at the foot of the Himalayas.
There are over 290 species of birds, including the great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), lesser florican (Sypheotides indicus), Indian grey hornbill (Ocyceros birostris), and Oriental pied hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris).
Wetlands along the Ganges River and its tributaries support communities of resident and migrant waterfowl, along with mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) and gharial (Gavialis gangeticus). The ecoregion's large rivers are home to the endangered Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica gangetica).
Conservation
The ecoregion is currently densely populated, and the fertile plains have largely been converted to intensive agriculture, with only a few enclaves of forest remaining.
A 2017 assessment found that 3,544 km², or 1%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Protected areas in the ecoregion include:
Jim Corbett National Park
National Chambal Sanctuary
Rajaji National Park
Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary
Karera Wildlife Sanctuary
Ranipur Sanctuary
Ken Gharial Sanctuary
Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary
Sohagi Barwa Wildlife Sanctuary
See also
Ecoregions of India
References
External links
Ecoregions of India
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Forests of India
Environment of Uttar Pradesh
Environment of Bihar
Environment of Haryana
Environment of Madhya Pradesh
Environment of Uttarakhand
Indomalayan ecoregions |
4041693 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayan%20subtropical%20pine%20forests | Himalayan subtropical pine forests | The Himalayan subtropical pine forests are a large subtropical coniferous forest ecoregion covering portions of Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Geography
This huge pine forest stretches for 3000 km across the lower elevations of the great Himalaya range for almost its entire length including parts of Pakistan's Punjab Province in the west through Azad Kashmir, the northern Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim, Nepal and Bhutan, which is the eastern extent of the pine forest. Like so many Himalayan ecosystems the pine forests are split by the deep Kali Gandaki Gorge in Nepal, to the west of which the forest is slightly drier while it is wetter and thicker to the east where the monsoon rains coming off the Bay of Bengal bring more moisture.
Flora
The predominant flora of the ecoregion is a thin woodland of drought-resistant Pinus roxburghii trees with a ground cover of thick grass, as regular fires do not allow a shrubby undergrowth to establish itself. The ground cover consists of Arundinella setosa, cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica) and Themeda anathera.
Pine forest mainly grows on south-facing slopes although in western Nepal there are areas facing in other directions. Some of the larger areas can be found in the lower elevations of Kangra and Una Districts of Himachal Pradesh and in Bhutan. It occurs in smaller patches in eastern Himachal Pradesh and lower Uttarakhand, in the more thinly populated western Nepal, and on the lower elevations (between 1,000 and 2,000m) of the Sivalik and Himachal ranges.
Fauna
Although there is not a rich variety of wildlife here when compared to tropical rainforest for example the region is important habitat, especially for birds. Wildlife includes tigers and leopards although in smaller numbers than in the lowland areas where herds of grazing antelopes provide food for them, whereas these slopes do not sustain grazing in large numbers. More typical animals of the pine forest are langurs and other animals of the Himalayas. Birds include the chestnut-breasted partridge and cheer pheasants that hide in the lush grass.
Conservation
These habitats are vulnerable to logging for firewood or conversion to grazing or farmland and more than half the area has been cleared or degraded which then allows the mountain water to wash away the soil quickly. The most profound changes can be seen in central and eastern Nepal, where the forest has been cleared for terrace farming. The protected areas of pine forest are small but include part of the larger Jim Corbett National Park.
See also
List of ecoregions in India
References
External links
Himalayan forests
Ecoregions of the Himalayas
Ecoregions of Bhutan
Ecoregions of India
Ecoregions of Nepal
Ecoregions of Pakistan
.
.
Forests of India
Indomalayan ecoregions
Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests
Forests of Nepal |
4041855 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus%20Valley%20Desert | Indus Valley Desert | The Indus Valley Desert is an almost uninhabited desert ecoregion of northern Pakistan.
Location and description
The Indus Valley desert covers an area of in northwestern Punjab Province between the Chenab and Indus rivers. The Indus Valley Desert is drier and less hospitable than the northwestern thorn scrub forests that surround it with temperatures ranging from freezing in winter to extremely hot (more than ) in summer with only of rainfall per year.
Biodiversity
Flora
The desert vegetation is quite varied due to the variety of temperatures with Khejri shrubs being the characteristic species.
Fauna
The desert is home to five large mammals: Indian wolf, striped hyena, caracal, Indian leopard and the urial (Ovis orientalis punjabensis) along with many rodents and other mammals. Meanwhile, the 190 species of bird in the desert include the red-necked falcon.
Threats and preservation
Like the nearby Thar Desert the Indus Valley desert has little farming or grazing due to its hard climate and therefore the natural habitats are almost intact. However hunting still goes on and is a threat to caracals, wolves and other mammals.
References
Deserts of Pakistan
Deserts and xeric shrublands
Ecoregions of Pakistan
Geography of Punjab, Pakistan
Indomalayan ecoregions |
4041866 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/128P/Shoemaker%E2%80%93Holt | 128P/Shoemaker–Holt | 128P/Shoemaker–Holt, also known as Shoemaker-Holt 1, is a periodic comet in the Solar System. The comet passed close to Jupiter in 1982 and was discovered in 1987. The comet was last observed in March 2018.
The nucleus was split into two pieces (A+B) during the 1997 apparition. Fragment A was last observed in 1996 and only has a 79-day observation arc. Fragment B is estimated to be 4.6 km in diameter.
References
External links
Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
128P/Shoemaker-Holt 1 – Seiichi Yoshida @ aerith.net
128P at Kronk's Cometography
Periodic comets
0128
Split comets
128P
128P
128P
Comets in 2017
19871018 |
4042018 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/129P/Shoemaker%E2%80%93Levy | 129P/Shoemaker–Levy | 129P/Shoemaker–Levy, also known as Shoemaker–Levy 3, is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It fits the definition of an Encke-type comet with (TJupiter > 3; a < aJupiter), and is a quasi-Hilda comet.
This comet should not be confused with Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 (D/1993 F2), which spectacularly crashed into Jupiter in 1994.
References
External links
Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
129P/Shoemaker-Levy 3 – Seiichi Yoshida @ aerith.net
Elements and Ephemeris for 129P/Shoemaker-Levy – Minor Planet Center
129P at Kronk's Cometography
Periodic comets
Encke-type comets
0129
Discoveries by Carolyn S. Shoemaker
Discoveries by Eugene Merle Shoemaker
Discoveries by David H. Levy
Comets in 2014
19910207 |
4042119 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/130P/McNaught%E2%80%93Hughes | 130P/McNaught–Hughes | 130P/McNaught–Hughes is a periodic comet in the Solar System. It takes 6.65 years to orbit the Sun and is 4.2 km in diameter.
References
External links
Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
130P at Kronk's Cometography
130P/McNaught-Hughes – Seiichi Yoshida @ aerith.net
Lightcurve (Artyom Novichonok)
Periodic comets
0130
Comets in 2011
Comets in 2018
19910930 |