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Other Astrophysics and Astronomy Commons™

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1996

Articles 1 - 6 of 6

Full-Text Articles in Other Astrophysics and Astronomy

Bringing The Moon Into The Classroom, Laurence A. Marschall Sep 1996

Bringing The Moon Into The Classroom, Laurence A. Marschall

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Understanding the phases of the Moon is a perennial stumbling block in introductory astronomy classes. In the film, "A Private Universe," for instance, both Harvard graduates and gifted high-school students display serious misconceptions about the Moon's phases, believing, among other things, that the Earth's shadow on the Moon is the cause of it all. Part of the problem may stem from textbook illustrations that show a view of the Moon in orbit around the Earth with the Sun of to one side. Students have trouble converting mentally from this "God's eye" perspective into the "geocentric" perspective we experience as observers …

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Modeling The Effects Of A Phase-Locked Higher Harmonic In Synchronous Sonoluminescence, Aaron Trickey Apr 1996

Modeling The Effects Of A Phase-Locked Higher Harmonic In Synchronous Sonoluminescence, Aaron Trickey

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

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A Simple Model For Nonequilibrium Fluctuations In A Fluid, Alejandro Garcia, F. Baras, M. Malek Mansour Jan 1996

A Simple Model For Nonequilibrium Fluctuations In A Fluid, Alejandro Garcia, F. Baras, M. Malek Mansour

Faculty Publications

Presents a train model that shows the long-range spatial correlations of fluctuations in nonequilibrium fluid systems. Illustration of model through analysis of flat-car trains running on parallel tracks; Simulation of train model in computers; Theoretical analysis for fluctuations in the train model; Relationship between train model and the fluctuating hydrodynamic theory of fluids.

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Rotational Periods And Starspot Activity Of Young Solar-Type Dwarfs In The Open Cluster Ic 4665, S. Allain, C. Prosser, Laurence A. Marschall, Bentley D. Laaksonen Jan 1996

Rotational Periods And Starspot Activity Of Young Solar-Type Dwarfs In The Open Cluster Ic 4665, S. Allain, C. Prosser, Laurence A. Marschall, Bentley D. Laaksonen

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present the results of a V-band photometric monitoring survey of 15 late-type dwarfs in the young open cluster IC 4665. Low-amplitude periodic light variations are found for 8 stars and ascribed to the modulation by starspots that cover typically a few percent of the stellar disk. Periods range from 0.6 to 3.7d, translating to equatorial velocities between 13 and 93 km.s-1. That no period longer than 4d was detected suggests a relative paucity of extremely slow rotators (Veq << 10 km.s-1) among late-type dwarfs in IC 4665. The fractional number of slow rotators in IC 4665 is similar to that of Alpha Per cluster, suggesting that IC 4665 is close in age to Alpha Per (~50 Myr).

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Ion Viscosity Mediated By Tangled Magnetic Fields: An Application To Black Hole Accretion Disks, P. Subramanian, P. A. Becker, Menas Kafatos Jan 1996

Ion Viscosity Mediated By Tangled Magnetic Fields: An Application To Black Hole Accretion Disks, P. Subramanian, P. A. Becker, Menas Kafatos

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

We examine the viscosity associated with the shear stress exerted by ions in the presence of a tangled magnetic field. As an application, we consider the effect of this mechanism on the structure of black hole accretion disks. We do not attempt to include a self-consistent description of the magnetic field. Instead, we assume the existence of a tangled field with coherence length λcob• which is the average distance between the magnetic "kinks" that scatter the particles. For simplicity, we assume that the field is self-similar, and take λcob to be a fixed fraction ξ of the local disk height …

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Basic Astronomy Labs, Terry L. Smith, Michael D. Reynolds, Jay S. Huebner Jan 1996

Basic Astronomy Labs, Terry L. Smith, Michael D. Reynolds, Jay S. Huebner

Physics Faculty Research and Scholarship

Providing the tools and know-how to apply the principles of astronomy first-hand, these 43 laboratory exercises each contain an introduction that clearly shows budding astronomers why the particular topic of that lab is of interest and relevant to astronomy. About one-third of the exercises are devoted solely to observation, and no mathematics is required beyond simple high school algebra and trigonometry.Organizes exercises into six major topics—sky, optics and spectroscopy, celestial mechanics, solar system, stellar properties, and exploration and other topics—providing clear outlines of what is involved in the exercise, its purpose, and what procedures and apparatus are to be used. …

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