Fran Ridge |
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Anomalous Phenomenon on Sirsalis crater(possible TLP)LOA by Giuseppe Sorrentino
Abstract:IntroductionCrater Imaging
Fig.1 colongitude 65.38, The boxed area is Sirsalis crater. (G. Sorrentino on january, 30, 1999 at 1.00 UT SCT 200 mm f/10). At this time the corresponding selenographic parameters were: colongitude was 65.38 °, longitude and
latitude selenographic was 3.89 and 3.75 °
respectively. The solar altitude on Sirsalis was
4,788°. The Moon's age is corresponding to
12,38 days (% frac. Illuminated 0.967) and phase
angle was 21.5°. ------------ -------- N3
N4-N7
N8
N9-11 --------- N12
N13 Fig.2- The sequence Probably , in frame N13 the shot (angle of view) is shifted. However the floor of Sirsali is dark from N3 to N8 and it is clear from N12 to N13. The difference between N8 and N12 was about 8 minutes. This change is shown in one typical animation in figure 3.
Fig.3 Animation model. It
is visible an change of the shadow in the floor
of Sirsalis. Frames obtained in the next days were not affecting by deformations and/or pixel alterations. Observations (visual and CCD) conducted in the past (and same conditions) no showed anomalies. In the CCD image obtained by Higashida (Japan) is visible the expected floor of Sirsalis (Figure 4). Fig.4- Sirsalis crater recorded by M. Higashida (Japan). When the Eyedropper is selected, the MSH values of the pixel under the Eyedropper are displayed. The values obtained give an adequate definition of the several pixels. The boxed area has been analysed to produce the corresponding values of the pixels.
Fig.5- Sirsalis, on the right is reported the values of shadow, midtone and highlight
A histogram is a graph of the distribution
of luminance values in an image. The values
appear on the horizontal axis from dark to light
(left to right). The vertical axis indicates the
number of pixels of the value at each point. At a
point where there are many pixels of a value, the
corresponding line spikes; where there are no
pixels, it lies at the bottom of the graph. Fig 8- Relative spectra (contour traces) in Sirsalis frames. In one profile the absorption bands (contour traces) was deeper. It is correspond , principally, to distribution of midtone. Fig 9- Comparison of the contour traces corresponding to frame N8 and N12. In the imaging session there are turbolent conditions but the change observed is clearly in the surface and not part of an atmospheric related events. The our elaboration of the marked area (fig 11) can be compared with the image 12 used as control. This comparison shows a different illumination of the crater. The zone sited to north west (IAU), on the left box in fig 11, also shows an anomalous change of albedo. Furthermore the frame N12 shows a faint change of albedo for the craters F and J.
Fig 12- Elaboration of the Higashida's image in blu filter as a control frame (Lena R.). The image is corresponding to Sorrentino's frames. On the right of Sirsalis there are the small craters F and J. On the left the presence of craters B and C is evident (see Rukl chart 39). Lena, Salimbeni and Santacana have
studied the frames and the relative histograms
that show the change in the light conditions.
Several images were analized in order to determine
the presence of specific features which
might serve as efficient reflectors under
different altitude of sun. However Lena and
Salimbeni concluded that if a high albedo feature
was imaged at a moment of high clarity it cannot
give a similar flash in a large area (about 40
Km). The random effect of the turbolence is
possible but also the intense variation must be
considered. It seems to be a brightening
event. No data concerning TLP events in Sirsalis
were obtained in literature. Conclusion
Rome 16 april 1999 Francis Ridge
Coordinator, The Lunascan Project |