Coronal jets are transient narrow features in the solar corona that originate from all regions of the solar disk: active regions, quiet sun, and coronal holes. Recent studies indicate that at least some coronal jets in quiet regions and coronal holes are driven by the eruption of a minifilament (Sterling et al. 2015) following flux cancellation at a magnetic neutral line (Panesar et al. 2016). We have tested the veracity of that view by examining 60 random jets in quiet regions and coronal holes using multithermal (304Å, 171Å, 193Å, and 211Å) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and line-of-sight magnetograms from the SDO/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI). By examining the structure and changes in the magnetic field before, during, and after jet onset, we found that 85% of these jets resulted from a minifilament eruption triggered by flux cancellation at the neutral line. The 60 jets have a mean base diameter of 8800 ± 3100 km and a mean duration of 9 ± 3.6 minutes. These observations confirm that minifilament eruption is the driver and magnetic flux cancellation is the primary trigger mechanism for most coronal hole and quiet region coronal jets.

We present H I spectral line and optical broadband images of the nearby low surface brightness dwarf galaxy KDG 215. The HI images, acquired with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA a ), reveal a dispersion dominated ISM with only weak signatures of coherent rotation. The HI gas reaches a peak mass surface density of 6 M ⊙ pc −2 at the location of the peak surface brightness in the optical and the UV. Although KDG 215 is gas-rich, the Hα non-detection implies a very low current massive star formation rate. In order to investigate the recent evolution of this system, we have derived the recent and lifetime star formation histories from archival Hubble Space Telescope images. The recent star formation history shows a peak star formation rate ∼1 Gyr ago, followed by a decreasing star formation rate to the present day quiescent state. The cumulative star formation history indicates that a significant fraction of the stellar mass assembly in KDG 215 has occurred within the last 1.25 Gyr. KDG 215 is one of only a few known galaxies which demonstrates such a delayed star formation history. While the ancient stellar population (predominantly red giants) is prominent, the look-back time by which 50% of the mass of all stars ever formed had been created is among the youngest of any known galaxy.

We successfully observed 191 near-Earth asteroids using the Arecibo Observatory’s S-band planetary radar system from 2017 December through 2019 December. We present radar cross sections for 167 asteroids; circular-polarization ratios for 112 asteroids based on Doppler-echo-power spectra measurements; and radar albedos, constraints on size and spin periods, and surface-feature and shape evaluation for 37 selected asteroids using delay-Doppler radar images with a range resolution of 75 m or finer. Out of 33 asteroids with an estimated effective diameter of at least 200 m and sufficient image quality to give clues of the shape, at least 4 (∼12%) are binary asteroids, including 1 equal-mass binary asteroid, 2017 YE5, and at least 10 (∼30%) are contact-binary asteroids. For 5 out of 112 asteroids with reliable measurements in both circular polarizations, we measured circular-polarization ratios greater than 1.0, which could indicate that they are E-type asteroids, while the mean and the 1σ standard deviation were 0.37 ± 0.23. Further, we find a mean opposite-sense circular-polarization radar albedo of 0.21 ± 0.11 for 41 asteroids (0.19 ± 0.06 for 11 S-complex asteroids). We identified two asteroids, 2011 WN15 and (505657) 2014 SR339, as possible metal-rich objects based on their unusually high radar albedos, and discuss possible evidence of water ice in 2017 YE5.

The northern (NPLD) and southern (SPLD) polar layered deposits of Mars contain stratigraphic sequences of ice and dust that have been extensively studied as paleoclimate records (see review in Byrne, 2009). It has been hypothesized for decades that these records are controlled by Mars' orbital and rotational variations (e.g., Cutts

We report observations of the Apollo-class potentially hazardous asteroid 1981 Midas, which passed 0.090 au from Earth (35 lunar distances) on 2018 March 21. During this close approach, Midas was observed by radar both from the Arecibo Observatory on March 21 through 25 (five nights) and from NASA’s Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex on March 19 and 21. Optical lightcurves were obtained by other observers during four apparitions (1987, 1992, 2004, and 2018), which showed a rotation period of 5.22 hr. By combining the lightcurves and radar data, we have constructed a shape model for Midas. This model shows that Midas has two lobes separated by a neck, which, at its thinnest point, is about 60% of the width of the largest lobe. We also confirm the lightcurve-derived rotation period and show that Midas has a pole direction within 6° of ecliptic longitude and latitude (λ, β) = (39°, −60°) and dimensions of (3.41 ± 9%) × (1.90 ± 11%) × (1.27 ± 29%) km. Analysis of gravitational slopes on Midas indicates that nearly all of the surface has a slope less than the typical angle of repose for granular materials, so it does not require cohesion to maintain its shape. In addition, we measured a circular polarization ratio of 0.83 ± 0.04 at Arecibo’s 13 cm wavelength, which is the highest seen to date for any near-Earth asteroid with visible and near-infrared spectral type V.