Kim Malville

University of Colorado, Boulder, Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, Emeritus

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I am an astronomer who started out investigating the aurora australis in the antarctic during the International Geophysical Year. I wrote my PhD dissertation on solar radio astronomy concentrating on solar flares and type III radio bursts in which particles move through the corona close to the speed of light. My first teaching position was at the University of Michigan where I branched out into broader issues in astrophysics such as the interplanetary medium and atomic physics. Later, I joined the High Altitude Observatory in Boulder working primarily on solar flares, solar magnetic fields, the corona, and prominences. Wishing to do more teaching, I migrated to the University of Colorado, where I continued working in solar physics for another 15 years. While engaged in research on the corona during a number of total solar eclipses I became fascinated by the indigenous astronomy in remote parts of the world where we had eclipse expeditions, and I gradually migrated into the field of archaeoastronomy. Since then I've worked extensively in India, the American southwest, Egypt, and Peru.

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A feather for Daedalus

A feather for Daedalus., by Malville, K.. Menlo Park …, 1975

Interview of J. McKim Malville by Brian Shoemaker

Key Individuals Mentioned Brown, John, scientist, pp. 15, 31 Chamberlain, Dr. Joseph, auroral phy... more Key Individuals Mentioned Brown, John, scientist, pp. 15, 31 Chamberlain, Dr. Joseph, auroral physicist, pp. 4-5 Crary, Bert, p. 51 Dufek, Admiral, pp. 26, 51 McCorda, Dan, Captain of the Wyandot, pp. 9-10, 12 Newberg, Hugo, glaciologist, pp. 18-19, 26, 31 Ronne, Finn, celebrated Antarctic explorer, mentioned throughout Skidmore, Don, ionospheric physicist, pp. 15, 39-40, 44 Thiel, Ed, pp. 21, 26, 31 Tuve, Merle, p. 50 Walker, Paul, p. 26 Wexler, Harry, p. 50

Traversing the Magnetosphere During the IGY: Aurora, Van Allen Belts adn Whistlers

Pre-1958 Theories of the Aurora before 1958 Van Allen Belt and Solar Wind 1958 High Red Ray

The Enigma of Minor Standstills

Journal of Skyscape Archaeology, 2016

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Transition probabilities in highly ionized p2 and p4 configurations

Planetary and Space Science, 1965

Line strengths of magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole transitions in the configurations 2pps,... more Line strengths of magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole transitions in the configurations 2pps, 2~". 3ps and 3p4 are calculated using interpolated values of spin-orbit interaction parameters and unperturbed energies of the levels. Probabilities of the important ground state transitions are tabulated in the four isoelectronic sequences through the following net charges: 17(2pa), 13(2p4), 15(3p*), 13(3p4). We present the results of calculations of probabilities of magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole transitions for high members of the carbon, oxygen, silicon and sulphur isoelectronic sequences. The computations are based on interpolations of the form

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People, Planets and the Sun: Surya Puja in Tamil Nadu, South India

Culture and Cosmos, 1998

This paper analyzes architectural alignments and reports the results of interviews with priests a... more This paper analyzes architectural alignments and reports the results of interviews with priests and lay persons at those temples in the Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu in which sunlight of the rising or setting sun enters the sanctum, primarily near equinox. The event, known as Surya puja, occurs most frequently in Shaivite temples and is most often understood to be a case of the sun worshipping Lord Shiva. At some temples it is believed the sun suffers from leprosy, which may be associated with an outbreak of sunspots in the late 11th century. Many of today's Surya puja rituals have strong astrological dimensions, which have probably grown in intensity since the temples were built.

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Investigation of Solstice Horizon Interactions at Chacoan Monumental Architecture

Culture and Cosmos, 2017

Multiple monumental structures built during the ninth through the twelfth centuries CE at Chaco C... more Multiple monumental structures built during the ninth through the twelfth centuries CE at Chaco Canyon, NM, are in locations where solstice sunrise or sunset visually interacts with horizon foresights. We report on the results of field survey and photo-confirmation of seven solstice foresight interactions at Chacoan Great Houses. These include two ‘Early Bonito phase’ (850–1040 CE) sites. A June solstice sunset (JSSS) horizon foresight is visible from Pueblo Bonito, including early (ninth century) portions of the structure. December solstice sunrise (DSSR) interacts with a foresight visible from Hungo Pavi kiva A. We also confirm solstice horizon foresights at five additional ‘Late Bonito phase’ (1100– 1140 CE) Great Houses. These include DSSR at Kin Sabe, DSSR at the Peñasco Blanco McElmo unit, DSSR at the proposed Chetro Ketl McElmo unit (west room block), December solstice sunset (DSSS) at Hillside Ruin, and June solstice sunrise (JSSR) at Rabbit Ruin. Hillside Ruin, the Chetro K...

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Animism, Reciprocity And Entanglement

Sir Edward Tylor defined animism as the belief that features of the natural world, such as rock, ... more Sir Edward Tylor defined animism as the belief that features of the natural world, such as rock, trees, rivers, and mountains have souls or spirit. Within cultural anthropology animism was eventually abandoned as a useful analytic tool partly because of his condescending description of animistic societies as primitive and childish. As a consequence, the well of animism had been poisoned for several decades. However, ethnography has now shown that indigenous life may be organized around the existence of persons, many of whom are not human. This contemporary understanding of animism involves a belief that communication, cooperation, and reciprocal social obligations may be established between human and features of the material world, who may be animals, plants, rocks, flowing water, and mountains. Often such communication and reciprocity involves the hunter and prey, the fisherman and his catch, cutting the earth such as plowing, requesting water from melting snowfields, carving rocks...

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Pilgrimage and Periodic Festivals as Processes of Social Integration in Chaco Canyon

KIVA, 2001

... to suggest interpretations for certain features of the Chaco landscape. ... FESTIVALS The ess... more

The Eclipse Expeditions of the Lick Observatory and the Dawn of Astrophysics

Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry

Between the years 1898 to 1932, Lick Observatory organized a series of 17 solar eclipse expeditio... more Between the years 1898 to 1932, Lick Observatory organized a series of 17 solar eclipse expeditions, many to remote regions of the world. The science of these expeditions involved three issues of major significance in the development of astrophysics during the first three decades of the 20th century: (1) testing of General Relativity; (2) the physics of non-equilibrium stellar atmospheres; and (3) the role of magnetic fields in solar physics. The responses to these issues provide intriguing insights about the dynamics of paradigm change within astronomical culture, as well as culture in general.

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On the Solar Corona Petroglyph in Chaco Canyon

Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry

Piedra del Sol is a free-standing rock in Chaco Canyon that marks June solstice sunrise. The petr... more Piedra del Sol is a free-standing rock in Chaco Canyon that marks June solstice sunrise. The petroglyph on the south face of Piedra del Sol in Chaco Canyon may depict the solar corona observed during the total solar eclipse of July 11, 1097 CE The southwest area of the rock contains features consisted with a sun watching station and faces December solstics sunset. During the 19th century, coronal mass ejection appears to have been observed during two total solar eclipses. The petroglyph on the south face appears to show a configuration of the solar corona that is consistent with a coronal mass eject-ion (CME). The hypothesis that a CME is depicted at Piedra del Sol is testable and can be disproven if the maximum of solar activity did not occur near 1097 CE. Recent studies indicate that 1097 CE was inded close to solar maximum. Miyahara et al. (2010) locate the maximum in 1098 CE based upon cosmogenic-isotopes. Vaquero and Trigo (2012) also found that 1098 CE was a maximum of solar c...

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Inca Royal Estates in the Sacred Valley

Handbook of Archaeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy, 2014

Rivista di Storia delle Religioni 11 | 2017 Varia L'emprise des sens. La ritualisation du pouvoir... more

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Astronomy at Nabta Playa, Southern Egypt

Handbook of Archaeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy, 2014

Pre-Inca Astronomy in Peru

Handbook of Archaeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy, 2014

ABSTRACT Huacas (shrines) and ushnus (ceremonial platforms) are ever-present elements of millenni... more ABSTRACT Huacas (shrines) and ushnus (ceremonial platforms) are ever-present elements of millennia-old Andean cosmology extending backward to 3100 BCE. Major themes of Pan-Andean cosmology include sacred mountains, the power of water, the solstice sun, as well as shamanic-like movement across the three worlds of the cosmos. Common features of many pre-Inca sites are monumental platforms and sunken circular plazas, and stairways with axes established by bi-lateral symmetries oriented along solstice lines. This style of ritual architecture first appeared in Chupacigarro/Caral, other sites in the Norte Chico area, and Sechin Bajo in the Casma Valley. Ceremonial plazas provided opportunities for public viewing of ritual ceremonies on the tops of platforms, which may have been understood as sacred mountains. Mounds and temples of the Casma Valley, such as Sechin Alto, Sechin Bajo, and Chankillo, developed an explicit astronomy associated with June and December solstices. The ritualistic use of water, which is typically associated with visual astronomy at Inca sites, appeared at Chavin de Huantar and later in Tiwanaku.

Astronomy and ceremony at Chankillo: an Andean perspective

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, 2011

The towers, plazas, and fortified temple of Chankillo are analyzed within the context of Central ... more The towers, plazas, and fortified temple of Chankillo are analyzed within the context of Central Andean culture. Throughout the cultural area, staircases were apparently the scenes of ritual procession, perhaps mimicking shamanic-like movement between the three worlds. The double stairways of the thirteen towers of Chankillo may have been designed for ritual movement. The gradual rotation of the successively higher towers suggests shamanic ascent between the terrestrial and solar realms. The major astronomical feature of Chankillo is its solar axis, oriented to December solstice sunrise and June solstice sunset. Along this axis, to the east and west of the towers, there are prominent plazas in which public ceremonies may have been staged, particularly at the time of June solstice sunset. Celebrants who reached the highest tower on sunset of June solstice would have been silhouetted by the setting sun as viewed by spectators in the eastern plaza just below the tower. In the large plaza west of the towers, a similar public ceremony could have been associated with setting of the June solstice sun over the Temple of the Pillars to the west of the towers. The thirteen towers may have been stations of the moon for public ceremonies during the bright half of the lunar cycle. The presence of Spondylus shells suggests lunar ritual. The duality of private/public ritual, evident at Chavín and elsewhere, may have been present at Chankillo where public ceremonies may been observed from the plazas, while more restricted ceremonies may have occurred behind the walls of the fortified temple. If a horizon calendar had been developed using the profiles of the thirteen towers, it appears to have been an unintended consequence of the initial design of the towers. The monumental size of the towers is incommensurate with the small putative observing stations. The June solstice sun misses the lowest tower by 7 solar diameters, which would have been an unacceptable error if the tower had been built originally to mark June solstice. Another unsatisfactory feature would have been the equal spacing of the towers. If a meaningful calendar had been desired that marked divisions of the year perhaps based upon the moon, it would have involve variable spacing of the towers, with the largest spacing around equinox.

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Abundance of Metastable Hydrogen Molecules in the Interstellar Medium

Astrophysical Journal, 1964

Equilibrium abundances of the ground and metastable, c/sup 3/II, states of molecular hydrogen are... more Equilibrium abundances of the ground and metastable, c/sup 3/II, states of molecular hydrogen are calculated for a variety of conditions in the interstellar medium. The effects of trapping H/sub 2/ on interstellar grains are discussed. It appears unlikely that conditions exist in the interstellar medium where the abundance of the metastable molecular hydrogen is sufficient to account for the observed equivalent width of lambda 4430. (auth)

Choquequirao, Topa Inca's Machu Picchu: a royal estate and ceremonial center

Proceedings of the International …, 2011

We provide a history and description of the Inca archaeological complex of Choquequirao, located ... more We provide a history and description of the Inca archaeological complex of Choquequirao, located high on a narrow ridge above the Apurimac River in a remote region of the Vilcabamba of Peru. We suggest that Choquequirao was built as a royal estate during the late 15th century by the Inca ruler, Topa Inca Yupanki, modeled after Machu Picchu. It was built in part by workers imported from Cachapoyas in Northern Peru. The site has alignments with the June and December solstices suggesting a strong solar focus and year-round ceremonial activities. A large truncated hill served as a ceremonial platform or ushnu. The platform was accessed through a double-jamb entranceway, indicating that passage was probably limited to those of high status. We suspect Choquequirao functioned as a ceremonial center. It shares with Machu Picchu the remoteness, 'other worldliness', and liminality that are found in many pilgrimage centers of the world. Though Choquequirao, high above the Apurimac River, has a location that is equally as dramatic as Machu Picchu, it lacks the formable geological material required to create imperial-style monumental structures and shaped stone huacas. Choquequirao was occupied during the early colonial years by the Neo-Inca, and was abandoned sometime after the death of the last Inca in 1572. It is a fascinating puzzle that Spanish travelers of the time apparently never reached or described this major Inca complex, which was the most impressive in the Vilcabamba. Somehow, the Inca managed to keep it secret although relatives and others journeyed back and forth to colonial Cusco.

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Excitation of helium in the aurora

Journal of Atmospheric and Terrestrial Physics, 1961

The populations of the exited levels of a helium atom traversing the atmosphere with an original ... more The populations of the exited levels of a helium atom traversing the atmosphere with an original energy of 256 keV are calculated using the method of statistical equilibrium. Because of the present inadequate knowledge of helium cross-sections, the calculations are only an exploratory approach toward the problem of helium in aurorae. It is estimated that each 2% keV helium particle produces 450 photons of 110830 and 40 photons of 15876 during its passage through t)he atmosphere. The profile and luminosity curve of 1.5876 and Al0830 are predicted. Observational data of helium emissions are discussed.

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Traversing the Magnetosphere

This object may be copyright-protected. Permission to reuse, publish or reproduce the object beyo... more

Sketch of Evolutionary Model for Prominences

IAU Colloq. 44: Physics of Solar Prominences, 1979

Kim Malville

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