Applications of laser-created dense e<Superscript>+</Superscript>e<Superscript>−</Superscript> pairs

We review the recent developments of laser pair creation in the laboratory and their potential applications to astrophysics and other frontiers. Many astrophysical phenomena involving e⁺e⁻ plasmas may be systematically investigated in the laboratory setting. We also discuss potential applications of dense positronium gas.     

A runaway binary star escaping from the Θ<Superscript>1</Superscript> ori system

A runaway binary star escaping in runaway from the multiple system Θ¹ Ori C is studied. The radial velocities of both components are measured and radial velocity curves are constructed and solved for them. The physical parameters and chemical compositions of the stars are determined.     

Deep 7.6 cm RATAN-600 sky surveys at the declination of SS 433 during the 1980–1999 period. Catalog of radio sources in the right-ascension interval 2<Superscript>h</Superscript> ≤ RA &lt; 7<Superscript>h</Superscript>

We present a catalog of radio sources extending the RCR (RATAN Cold Refined) catalog to the right-ascension interval 2^h ≤ RA < 7^h. The list of objects was obtained in the process of a reprocessing of the observations of the “Cold” experiment conducted in 1980–1981 on RATAN-600 radio telescope at the declination of SS433, and the reduction of the 1987–1999 surveys of the same experiment.We report the right ascensions and integrated flux densities for 237 sources found at 7.6 cm (3.94 GHz) and their spectral exponents at 3.94 and 0.5 GHz. Twenty-nine sources of the list, which are mostly weaker than 30 mJy at 3.94 GHz, have available data only at two frequencies—1.4 and 3.94 Hz.We approximated the spectra of the sources using all catalogs available in the CATS and VizieR databases that meet the survey strip, and, in some cases, using the flux densities estimates from VLSSr,GLEAM, TGSS, and GB6 survey maps.We constructed the histograms of the spectral indices of the sources and verified the reliability of the identifications of sources found in the scans by comparing the coordinates and integrated flux densities with the corresponding parameters listed in the NVSS catalog. In the right ascension interval considered we found no objects at the 10–15 mJy level lacking in decimeter-wave catalogs.     

Composition of Cosmic Rays with <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis><Superscript>0</Superscript> ⩾ 10<Superscript>17</Superscript> eV Based on Data from the Ground Scintillation Detectors of the Yakutsk EAS Array

The lateral distribution of cascade particles in extensive air showers from cosmic rays with energy E⁰ ? 10¹⁷ eV has been studied at the Yakutsk array by the ground scintillation detectors over the period of continuous observations 1977–2017. The experimental data are compared with those computed with various models for the development of extensive air showers from the CORSIKA software package. The best agreement between the theory and experiment is observed for the QGSjet-01-d model. In the energy range (1?20)× 10¹⁷ eV there is a change in the cosmic-raymass composition from 〈lnA〉 ≈ 2.5 to the proton one.     

Search for the radial magnetic-field gradient in the CP star <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis><Superscript>2</Superscript> CVn

The possibility of investigating the vertical structure of the magnetic field in chemically peculiar main-sequence stars is discussed. The nonuniform distribution of chemical elements over the surface complicates the problem substantially. The most efficient measurements are shown to be those of the longitudinal field components based on spectral lines with wavelengths longer and shorter than 3646 Å (shortward and longward of the Balmer jump), which form at different optical depths in the atmosphere. Various methodological problems are addressed that must be overcome in order to accomplish the task. The brightest magnetic star α ² CVn is observed with the echelle spectrometer equipped with an Uppsala CCD chip. New observations corroborate our previous result: the longitudinal component of the magnetic field B _e of the α ² CVn star increases with depth by about 30% over the atmosphere thickness scale.     

Occultations of stars brighter than 15<Superscript>m</Superscript> by the largest trans-Neptunian objects in 2004–2014

We computed the occultations of stars brighter than 15^m by the largest trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) for the next ten years. In our search, we used the following catalogs: Hipparcos; Tycho2 with the coordinates of 2838666 stars taken from UCAC2 (Herald 2003); and UCAC2 (Zacharias et al. 2003) with 16356096 stars between \(12\mathop .\limits^m 00\) and \(14\mathop .\limits^m 99\) north of ?45° declination. We predicted the occultations of stars by the seventeen largest numbered TNOs, the recently discovered 2004 DW, and four known binary Kuiper Belt objects. We selected 64 events at solar elongations of no less than 30°, including the extremely rare occultation of a \(6\mathop .\limits^m 5\) star by the double asteroid (66652) 1999 RZ₂₅₃ on October 4, 2007. Observations of these events by all available means are extremely important, since they can provide unique information about the sizes of TNOs and improve our knowledge of their orbits dramatically.     

The Maunder Minimum and the Sun as the Possible Source of Particles Creating Increased Abundance of the <Superscript>14</Superscript>C Carbon Isotope

The Maunder Minimum was the time during the second part of the 17th century, nominally from 1645 to 1717 AD, when unusually low numbers of sunspots were observed. On the basis of numerous recorded observations of auroras in the early 18th century, the end of the Minimum could be regarded as around 1700, but details of sunspot observations by Jan Heweliusz (Heweliusz, Machina Coelestis, 1679), John Flamsteed and Philippe de La Hire in 1684 allow us to interpret the Maunder Minimum as the period without a significant cessation of activity. This Minimum was also recognized in ¹⁴C data from trees which grew during the second part of 17th century. The variation in the production rate of radioactive carbon isotope ¹⁴C is due to modulation of the cosmic ray flux producing it by the changing level of solar activity and solar magnetic flux. Stronger magnetic fields in the solar wind make it more difficult for cosmic rays to reach the Earth, causing a drop in the production rate of ¹⁴C. However, more detailed analyses of ¹⁴C data indicate that the highest isotope abundances do not occur at the time of sunspot minima, as would be expected on the basis of modulation of the cosmic ray flux by the solar magnetic field, but two years after the sunspot number maximum. This time difference (or phase delay) can be accounted for if in fact there are both solar and non-solar cosmic ray contributions. Solar flares could also contribute high-energy particles and produce ¹⁴C and are generally not most frequent at the time of the highest sunspot numbers in the cycle.     

A preliminary radial-velocity curve for the star <Emphasis Type="Italic">θ</Emphasis><Superscript>1</Superscript> Ori D

We measured the radial velocity of the star θ¹ Ori D from IUE spectra and used published observations. Based on these data, we determined the period of its radial-velocity variations, P=20.2675±0.0010 days, constructed the phase radial-velocity curve, and solved it by least squares. The spectroscopic orbital elements were found to be the following: the epoch of periastron passage E_p=JD 2430826.6±0.1, the system's center-of-mass velocity /Gg=32.4±1.0 km s^?1, K=14.3±1.5 km s^?1, Ω=3.3±0.1 rad, e=0.68±0.09, a₁ sin i = 3 × 10¹⁰ km, and f₁ = 0.0025M_⊙. Twice the period, P=40.528±0.002 days, is also consistent with the observations.     

Erratum to: The Maunder Minimum and the Sun as the Possible Source of Particles Creating Increased Abundance of the <Superscript>14</Superscript>C Carbon Isotope

Solar flares take place in regions of strong magnetic fields and are generally accepted to be the result of a resistive instability leading to magnetic reconnection. When new flux emerges into a pre-existing active region it can act as a flare and coronal mass ejection trigger. In this study we observed active region 10955 after the emergence of small-scale additional flux at the magnetic inversion line. We found that flaring began when additional positive flux levels exceeded 1.38×10²⁰ Mx (maxwell), approximately 7 h after the initial flux emergence. We focussed on the pre-flare activity of one B-class flare that occurred on the following day. The earliest indication of activity was a rise in the non-thermal velocity one hour before the flare. 40 min before flaring began, brightenings and pre-flare flows were observed along two loop systems in the corona, involving the new flux and the pre-existing active region loops. We discuss the possibility that reconnection between the new flux and pre-existing loops before the flare drives the flows by either generating slow mode magnetoacoustic waves or a pressure gradient between the newly reconnected loops. The subsequent B-class flare originated from fast reconnection of the same loop systems as the pre-flare flows.     

Critical Comment on the Article by R. Rek “The Maunder Minimum and the Sun as the Possible Source of Particles Creating Increased Abundance of the <Superscript>14</Superscript>C Carbon Isotope”

Several strong but erroneous statements were made by R. Rek in an article published in this volume of Solar Physics. Here we show that these misleading statements are caused by neglecting the known effects of the carbon cycle and misinterpretation of the data. In particular we show that the claim of the Maunder minimum being “the period without a significant cessation of activity” contradicts the bulk of observational evidence and is caused by the misinterpretation of proxy data.     

Clustering of galaxies on scales of ≤10<Emphasis Type="Italic">h</Emphasis><Superscript>−1</Superscript> based on the coma,bridge, and A1367 clusters

A correlation analysis is made of the spatial distribution of galaxies in the Coma, Bridge, and A1367 clusters, which form the Coma supercluster. The scale of the clustering of galaxies and the variation in their density distribution with the main parameters of the galaxies– luminosity, morphological type, and observed H I deficiency in the 21 cm line– are evaluated. The mass-to-luminosity ratios are computed for the spiral galaxies in the Coma, Bridge, and A1367 clusters. It is suggested that a larger fraction of hypothetical dark matter may be concentrated in the spiral galaxies which predominantly populate the subclusters previously identified by us within these clusters than in the spiral galaxies observed in the peripheral regions of the clusters.     

Study of the anisotropy of cosmic rays with <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis><Subscript>0</Subscript>≥5×10<Superscript>16</Superscript> eV using Yakutsk EAS array data

We present the results of a harmonic analysis of and search for clusters in the arrival directions of cosmic rays with energies E₀≥5×10¹⁶ eV and zenith angles ?≤53° detected at the Yakutsk extensive air shower (EAS) array from 1974 to 2002. We show that the phase of the first harmonic periodically varies greatly and takes on nonrandom values at a confidence level ≥4σ. These phases point to the Supergalactic plane (the Local supercluster of galaxies).     

Families <Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">i</Emphasis> of periodic solutions of the restricted problem for μ = 5 × 10<Superscript>−5</Superscript>

We consider the circular planar restricted three-body problem with the mass parameter μ = 5 × 10^?5. Two families of periodic solutions are calculated: family c, starting from the collinear fixed point L ₁, and the initial part of familyi, which begins by direct circular orbits of an infinitely small radius around the body of bigger mass. The calculated families are very close to the generating ones, which we described earlier. In particular, the existence of the predicted zigzag structure of characteristics of family iis verified. New properties of the planar and vertical traces are discovered.     

Attaining m s<Superscript>−1</Superscript> level intrinsic Doppler precision with RHEA,a low-cost single-mode spectrograph

We present RHEA, a compact and inexpensive single-mode spectrograph which is built to exploit the capabilities of modest-sized telescopes in an economic way. The instrument is fed by up to seven optical waveguides with the aim of achieving an efficient and modal-noise-free unit, suitable for attaining extreme Doppler precision. The cross-dispersed layout features a wavelength coverage from 430–650 nm, with spectral resolution of R ～75,000. When coupled to small telescopes using fast tip/tilt control, our instrument is well-suited to sensitive spectroscopy. Example science cases are accurate radial velocity studies of low to intermediate-mass giant stars with the purpose of searching for giant plants and using asteroseismology to simultaneously measure the host star parameters. In this paper we describe the final instrument design and present first results from testing the internal stability.     

Determination of the combination of cosmological parameters Ω<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">m</Emphasis></Subscript><Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis></Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">σ</Emphasis><Subscript>8</Subscript>

We have obtained new constraints on the cosmological parameters Ω _m and σ ₈ from the peculiar velocities of flat edge-on spiral galaxies from the RFGC catalog. Based on these results presented graphically, we have found the quantitative condition (Ω _m /0.3)^0.37 σ ₈ = 0.92 ± 0.05. The estimates of Ω _m and σ ₈, along with their combinations Ω _m ^α σ ₈ for various α, are compared with the estimates by other authors.     

Investigation of the lines H<Subscript>α</Subscript> and H<Subscript>β</Subscript> in the spectrum of the star HD 206267

The results of investigations of the H_α and H_β lines in the spectrum of the star HD 206267 are presented. Observations were carried out in 2011–2014 at the Cassegrain focus of the 2-m telescope of the Tusi Shamakhy Astrophysical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan using an echelle spectrometer. The following features have been revealed for the first time: the moving discrete absorption components in the core of the H_α line from the red side to the violet, the stable emission in the violet wing of the H_α line, the antiphase variation of the radial velocities and equivalent widths of the H_α line, and the independence of the changes of the equivalent widths of the H_β line from the phase of the orbital period. No spectral features according to which this star could be considered as a source of X-ray radiation have been found.     

Performance of the Tibet hybrid experiment (YAC-II + Tibet-III + MD) to measure the energy spectra of the light primary cosmic rays at energies 50–10,000 TeV

A new hybrid detector system has been constructed by the Tibet ASγ collaboration at Tibet, China, since 2014 to measure the chemical composition of cosmic rays around the knee in the wide energy range. They consist of an air-shower-core detector-grid (YAC-II) to detect high energy electromagnetic component, the Tibet air-shower array (Tibet-III) and a large underground water-Cherenkov muon-detector array (MD). We have carried out a detailed air-shower Monte Carlo (MC) simulation to study the performance of the hybrid detectors by using CORSIKA (version 6.204), which includes QGSJET01c and SIBYLL2.1 hadronic interaction models. Assumed primary cosmic ray models are based on helium poor, helium rich and Gaisser’s fit compositions around the knee. All detector responses are calculated using Geant4 (version 9.5) according to the real detector configurations and the MC events are reconstructed by the same procedure as the experimental data analysis. The energy determination is made by lateral density fitting (LDF) method using modified NKG function and the separation of the light components (proton, helium) is made by means of the artificial neural network (ANN) method and the random forest (RF) method. The systematic errors of the spectra of proton and helium caused by each steps of the analysis procedure are investigated including the dependence of the MC data on the hadronic interaction models and the primary composition models, and the algorithms for the primary mass identification. The systematic errors of the flux to be obtained by the new experiment are summarized as less than 30% in total. Our results show that the new hybrid experiment is powerful enough to study the chemical composition of the cosmic rays, in particular, to obtain the light-component spectra of the primary cosmic rays in 50–10,000 TeV energy range overlapping to the direct observation data at low energy side and ground-based indirect observations at high energy side. It is possible in this energy range to find the break points of the power indices of proton and helium (the knee of individual component spectrum) which are basically important parameter for the study of the cosmic-ray origin.     

Spacecraft trajectories to the L<Subscript>3</Subscript> point of the Sun–Earth three-body problem

Of the three collinear libration points of the Sun–Earth Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem (CR3BP), L₃ is that located opposite to the Earth with respect to the Sun and approximately at the same heliocentric distance. Whereas several space missions have been launched to the other two collinear equilibrium points, i.e., L₁ and L₂, taking advantage of their dynamical and geometrical characteristics, the region around L₃ is so far unexploited. This is essentially due to the severe communication limitations caused by the distant and permanent opposition to the Earth, and by the gravitational perturbations mainly induced by Jupiter and the close passages of Venus, whose effects are more important than those due to the Earth. However, the adoption of a suitable periodic orbit around L₃ to ensure the necessary communication links with the Earth, or the connection with one or more relay satellites located at L₄ or L₅, and the simultaneous design of an appropriate station keeping-strategy, would make it possible to perform valuable fundamental physics and astrophysics investigations from this location. Such an opportunity leads to the need of studying the ways to transfer a spacecraft (s/c) from the Earth’s vicinity to L₃. In this contribution, we investigate several trajectory design methods to accomplish such a transfer, i.e., various types of two-burn impulsive trajectories in a Sun-s/c two-body model, a patched conics strategy exploiting the gravity assist of the nearby planets, an approach based on traveling on invariant manifolds of periodic orbits in the Sun–Earth CR3BP, and finally a low-thrust transfer. We examine advantages and drawbacks, and we estimate the propellant budget and time of flight requirements of each.     

Comment on “Evaluation of palaeo-oxygenation of the ocean bottom cross the Permian–Triassic boundary” by Kakuwa (2008): Was the Late Permian deep-superocean really oxic?

Nearly 15 years after the proposal of the superanoxia concept (Isozaki, Y., 1994. Superanoxia across the Permo–Triassic boundary: record in accreted deep-sea pelagic chert in Japan. In: Embry, A.F., Beauchamp, B., Glass, D.J. (Eds.), Pangea: Global Environments and Resources. Memoir, Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, 17, pp. 805–812.), it is an appropriate timing to re-evaluate its geological context with the updated dataset. Kakuwa (Kakuwa, Y., 2008. Evaluation of palaeo-oxygenation of the ocean bottom across the Permian–Triassic boundary. Global and Planetary Change 63, 40–56.) lately discussed that the deep-sea anoxia across the Permian–Triassic boundary (P–TB) may have been much shorter than previously proposed, on the basis of ichnofabrics and geochemical data; however, his interpretations of the data do not appear straightforward nor persuading, and thus his claim is likely misled. Here we raise comments to his explanation on the following four issues: 1) invalid application of ichnofabric indices for shallow sea sediments to deep-sea cherts, 2) misinterpretation of Ce anomaly as a redox indicator, 3) improper application of various redox sensitive trace elements, and 4) questionable interpretations of δ³⁴S data of pyrites.     

Positioning and control of the orbital structure of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arktika-M</Emphasis> innovative space system (marking the 50 years of Lavochkin Association’s space activities)

The orbital positioning options and orbital structure control methods are considered for the Arktika-M highly elliptical hydrometeorological space system, which is designed for continuous 24-hour imaging of the Earth’s Arctic region. The purpose of the control is to ensure on-going performance during the entire operational life of the space system given a major spatial and temporal deformation of its orbital structure due to the nonuniform evolution of the orbital parameters. The highly elliptical Molniya orbits are considered. The proposed control procedure is based on the minimization of the spatial and temporal deformation of the orbital structure by means of the differential choice of the initial orbital parameters during the deployment and follow-up of the space system.