Anomalies of some tidal waves of UT1

Summary. The M _f and M _m waves of UT1 have been analysed from the BIH data during the period 1967.0 to 1984.0 in order to derive the Love number k .
These analyses performed during successive intervals of this period show some anomalies in the values of the Love number k derived from the M _f wave. Large variations with time of the amplitude and the phase appear for this wave while the values derived from the M _m wave present a good stability during the whole period.
The spectrum of the UT1-residuals (as obtained by removing the theoretical zonal tidal UT1 terms) shows the existence of a perturbation wave near the M _f period. This wave lies in the range 13.5–13.9 day according to the analysed interval; it could be related with the perturbation wave noticed by some authors near the M _f gravimetric wave.     

Results of Photometric and Polarimetric Observations of the Fuor V1057 Cyg from the Time of an Outburst to the Present

Observations of the brightness, color, and polarization of the fuor V1057 Cyg over more than 30 years are presented and briefly discussed. Variability of the linear polarization was found.     

Ridge belts: Are they compressional or extensional structures?

Today one of the main questions standing before geology of Venus is comprehension of tectonic style on surface of this planet. The observed ridge belts on the images of the radar surveyors of Venera-15 and -16 are related to one aspect of a solution of this problem. In general there are two views on the origin of the ridge belts on the planet. Some of the investigators consider them as a result of compression while others as extension. These discrepancies are connected with uncertainties of interpretations of the major structures of these belts, i.e., the ridges. This paper represents a review of evidence in favor of extension and compression observed within the ridge belts. Moreover it discusses the major speculative ideas and models of the ridge belts origin. The supporters of a ridge formation by extension suggest that these linear features are results of crust cracking and intruding of magma along these cracks so they propose that the ridge belts on the plains of Venus can represent analogies of the spreading zones on Earth. Other investigators assume that the ridge of belts represent structures of folding and or thrust faulting due to the tectonic compression environment so the ridge belts can be analogies of the orogenic belts and subduction zones on Earth. So the question of the ridge belts' origin remains controversial and for a solution, set one's hope on the Magellan mission.'Geology and Tectonics of Venus', special issue edited by Alexander T. Basilevsky (USSR Acad. of Sci., Moscow), James W. Head (Brown University, Providence), Gordon H. Pettengill (MIT. Cambridge, Massachusetts) and R. S. Saunders (J.P.L., Pasadena).     

Radio wave heating of astrophysical plasmas

The coherent plasma process such as parametric decay instability (PDI) has been applied to a homogeneous and unmagnetized plasma. These instabilities cause anomalous absorption of strong electromagnetic radiation under specific conditions of energy and momentum conservation and thus cause anomalous heating of the plasma. The maximum plasma temperatures reached are functions of luminosity of the radio radiation and plasma parameters. We believe that these processes may be taking place in many astrophysical objects. Here, the conditions in the sources 3C 273, 3C 48 and Crab Nebula are shown to be conducive to the excitation of PDI. These processes also contribute towards the absorption of 21cm radiation     

Stray-light measurements at the Observatorio del Teide

A new procedure to separate the instrumental and atmospheric components of stray light is presented. It is based on the dependence of the aureole's atmospheric component on the air mass and is applied to measurements taken with the Vacuum Newton Telescope (VNT) at the Observatorio del Teide (Tenerife). The resulting instrumental part is independent of the air mass.The variation of both components with wavelength is also studied. The instrumental component shows no dependence on wavelength, in contrast to the atmospheric one which is greater in the blue than in the red.It is concluded that observations with air masses larger than two will probably be strongly affected by stray light.     

Spectrophotometry of comet Levy (1990c)

Two spectrophotometric scans of comet Levy (1990c) have been analysed to estimate Haser model column densities and production rates of CN andC ₂ molecules.     

Fluid production and isograd reactions at contacts of carbonate-rich and carbonate-poor layers during progressive metamorphism

ABSTRACT With increasing temperature during prograde metamorphism reactions will occur first at the lithological contacts of mixed pelite and calcsilicate terranes. At these interfaces, a fluid of lower chemical potential of H₂O and CO₂ than that required to produce a fluid in either layer can be produced whether reaction is caused by fluid infiltration or is initially fluid absent. If the interface region does not allow fluid transport then as temperature increases, a fluid pressure greater than lithostatic can develop. At some degree of over-pressure relative to rock pressure, the fluid hydraulically fractures the rock and a gradient in fluid composition away from the contact can be produced. These phenomena occur at the compositional interfaces whenever univariant reactions in the differing layers cross on a temperature vs. mole fraction of CO₂ diagram with slopes of opposite sign. The first occurrence of these reaction products at lithological contacts delineates an isograd that defines temperature as well as the mole fraction of CO₂ at constant pressure in systems open to fluid transport. These isograds can be contrasted with fluid-producing isograds in closed systems. As an illustration of possible effects, the reactions quartz + clinozoisite + muscovite = anorthite + K-feldspar + H₂O and phlogopite + quartz + calcite = tremolite + K-feldspar + H₂O + CO₂ at 4 kbar are analysed and equations for fluid production and transport are developed.