[1] We propose an approach for estimating the polytropic index in the solar wind. This is an artificially introduced parameter simplifying essentially the gasdynamic or magnetogasdynamic modeling of the interplanetary plasma. The problem in the straightforward utilization of the polytropic equation is to find sufficient homogeneous fragments of the solar wind flow, observed by single spacecraft only, where the application of this polytropic equation is correct. We propose an algorithm for following the plasma data time series to ensure the separation of data segments that belong, with high probability, to the same plasma flow flux tube. A linear regression model between logarithms of plasma density and temperature within such a segment provides an estimate for the polytropic index. Some preliminary applications of the algorithm to real data from spacecraft crossings of different solar wind structures are performed for the Bastille event of 14-16 July 2000.Citation: Kartalev, M., M. Dryer, K. Grigorov, and E. Stoimenova (2006), Solar wind polytropic index estimates based on single spacecraft plasma and interplanetary magnetic field measurements,

Abstract. The Sun was extremely active during the "April Fool's Day" epoch of 2001. We chose this period between a solar flare on 28 March 2001 to a final shock arrival at Earth on 21 April 2001. The activity consisted of two presumed helmet-streamer blowouts, seven M-class flares, and nine Xclass flares, the last of which was behind the west limb. We have been experimenting since February 1997 with real-time, end-to-end forecasting of interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) shock arrival times. Since August 1998, these forecasts have been distributed in real-time by e-mail to a list of interested scientists and operational USAF and NOAA forecasters. They are made using three different solar wind models. We describe here the solar events observed during the April Fool's 2001 epoch, along with the predicted and actual shock arrival times, and the ex post facto correction to the real-time coronal shock speed observations. It appears that the initial estimates of coronal shock speeds from Type II radio burst observations and coronal mass ejections were too high by as much as 30%. We conclude that a 3-dimensional coronal density model should be developed for application to observations of solar flares and their Type II radio burst observations.

Au/GaN and Pt/GaN contacts have been studied with XPS. According to XPS depth profiling, the N signal is weak in the region below the metal contact and the Pt or Au signal decreases much more slowly than expected for a sharp interface. Next, we have performed in situ studies of the formation of Au contacts on GaN. In contrast to the results from depth profiling, we observe 2D growth and little or no chemical interaction between Au and GaN. This suggests that conventional calculations of sputtering yields and ion-beam-induced mixing cannot be applied to the analysis of noble metal/GaN depth profiles. Heating during or after Au deposition results in strong clustering, observed by both XPS and AFM. The Schottky barrier height measured by XPS is 1.15 eV.