An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
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The energy radiated from an object in the form of → electromagnetic waves as a result of its → temperature. Thermal radiation ranges in → wavelength from the longest → infrared radiation through the → visible light spectrum to the shortest → ultraviolet rays. In opposition, → non-thermal radiation is caused by energetic particles.

→ thermal; → radiation.

1) The process by which a system reaches → thermal equilibrium. Thermalization results from energy exchange between the components constituting the system and their exchange with the outside medium. In a gas at a given temperature, molecules move with different velocities. The gas temperature corresponds to the mean velocity of the molecules, but individual molecules may deviate largely from the mean velocity. Some move very fast others slowly and change velocity upon collisions. Collisions reduce the energy of fast moving molecules and increase that of slow ones. In the process of thermalization → matter and → radiation are in constant interaction such that their → temperatures become identical. The process goes on until energy distribution reaches → equilibrium. The system is said to be → thermalized.
2) The condition where in an → atomic or → molecular → transition the → Boltzmann factor for the two → levels of transition takes on the value it would have in → thermodynamic equilibrium.

Verbal noun of → thermalize.

An electron that has been emitted from a heated body such as the hot cathode of an electron tube.

From therm- variant of → thermo- before a vowel + → ion.

Electrons gaining enough thermal energy to escape spontaneously from the cathode or dynodes and mimic photoelectrons.

thermion; → emission.

An instability in the ocean water that occurs when a layer of warm salt water is above a layer of fresh cold water of slightly higher density. In this process the hot salt water cools off and then, after having reached a higher density than the fresh water, sinks down even in the presence of stabilizing temperature gradients. This phenomenon explains the large-scale water movements in the oceans called themohaline circulation. First discussed by Melvin E. Stern (1960, Tellus 12, 172). → thermohaline mixing.

Thermohaline, from → thermo- + haline, from Gk. hals (genitive halos) "salt, sea;" cf. L. sal; O.Ir. salann; Welsh halen; O.C.S. sali "salt;" O.E. sealt; cf. O.N., O.Fris., Goth. salt, Du. zout, Ger. Salz from PIE *sal- "salt."

Garmâšur, from garmâ-→ thermo- + šur "salty" (Mid.Pers. šôr "salty," šorag "salt land;" cf. Skt. ksurá- "razor, sharp knife;" Gk. ksuron "razor;" PIE base *kseu- "to rub, whet").

A nuclear reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei fuse into a single heavier nucleus by a collision of the interacting particles at extremely high temperatures. Chains of thermonuclear reactions, such as the → proton-proton chain and the → CNO cycle, account for the energy radiated from the Sun and more massive stars.

→ thermo- + → nuclear; → reaction.

A fundamental system for the classification of → asteroids based on → albedo and → spectral characteristics. The Tholen scheme includes 14 types with the majority of asteroids falling into one of three broad categories, and several smaller types. → C-type asteroid, → M-type asteroid, → S-type asteroid.

David J. Tholen (1984) Ph.D. thesis, University of Arizona; → classification.

The → cross section involved the → Thomson scattering of electromagnetic waves by a free electron. It is defined by: σ_T = 8πr_e²/3, where r_e is the classical → electron radius. Its value is 0.665 245 x 10^-28 m².

→ Thomson; → cross; → section.

A flow whose parameters (velocity, pressure, and so on) vary in all three coordinate directions. Considerable simplification in analysis may often be achieved, however, by selecting the coordinate directions so that appreciable variation of the parameters occurs in only two directions, or even only one (B. Massey, Mechanics of Fluids, Taylor & Francis, 2006).

→ three; → dimensional; → flow.

The minimum energy, for an incident particle or photon, below which a particular reaction does not occur.

→ threshold; → reaction.

The disruption of an extended astronomical object under the action of the → tidal forces exerted by another nearby object.

→ tidal; → disruption.

The process in which a star is torn apart by the → tidal forces of a → supermassive black hole. About 50% of the star's mass is eventually → accreted by the → black hole, generating a flare, which, in extreme cases of very high (→ super-Eddington) mass → accretion rates, can result in a → relativistic jet. TDEs have been proposed as sources of → ultra-high-energy cosmic rays and suggested as sources of high energy astrophysical → neutrinos (W. Winter and C. Lunardini, 2021, Nature Astronomy, arXiv:2005.06097 and references therein).

→ tidal; → disruption; → event.

A luminosity enhancement in the → light curve of a galaxy observed in X-rays or ultraviolet surveys supposed to be associated with the → tidal disruption of a star that has passed close to a → supermassive black hole in the core of a → host galaxy. An → accretion disk forms after the tidal disruption. The flare event marks the beginning of the accretion process onto the black hole.

→ tidal; → disruption; → flare.

The → friction exerted on a → primary body (Earth) because of the → phase lag between the → tides and the → gravitational attraction of the → secondary body (Moon). The Earth's → rotation is faster than the Moon's orbital motion; therefore the Earth's → tidal bulges lead the Moon on its orbit. This has two important effects: The Earth is being pulled slightly "back" from its sense of rotation. So the Earth's rotation slows (by about 1 second every 50,000 years). Moreover, the Moon is being pulled slightly "forward" on its orbit. So it is harder for the Earth to hold it in place, and it moves further away from the Earth (by about 3-4 cm per yr). Tidal friction tends to synchronize the rotation period of a close-in companion with the period of its orbital motion around the primary. → tidal coupling.

→ tidal; → friction.

The assignment of telescope time by an expert panel to proposals after evaluating the merits of the observation projects.

→ time; → allocation.

A phenomenon related to special and general relativity.
1) In → special relativity, the apparent shortening of time that occurs at speeds approaching that of light. A clock moving relative to a stationary observer will appear to slow down by a factor √(1- v²/c²), where v is the velocity and c the speed of light. → twins paradox.
2) In → general relativity, a clock in a stronger gravitational field runs more slowly. The dilation factor is given by: √(1- 2GM/rc²), where G is the gravitational constant, M the mass of the object creating the gravitational field, r a radial coordinate of the observer, which is analogous to the classical distance from the center of the object, and c the speed of light.

→ time; dilation, verbal noun of dilate, from M.E. dilaten, from O.Fr. dilater, from L. dilatare "make wider, enlarge," from → dis- "apart" + latus "wide."

Farâxeš, → dilation; zamân, → time.

Same → temporal resolution.

→ time; → resolution.

A criterion for the stability of the disk of a → spiral galaxy. It is expressed by the → Toomre parameter.

→ Toomre criterion; → criterion.

A cosmological model of → structure formation in which larger structures, such as galaxy → superclusters or perhaps even the vast → filaments and → voids, form earlier and then they fragment into smaller structures such as individual galaxies. Opposite of → bottom-up structure formation.

→ top; → down; → structure; → formation.

A function whose value is defined for all possible input values.

→ total; → function.