STELLA and RoboTel – a prototype for a robotic network?

Robotic telescopes are more and more commonly used in today's astronomical research. In fact, several facilities are spread around the globe, already forming a loose net. A big leap forward would lie in the capabilities to share observations between different telescopes. One gains immediately weather independence and the possibility of continuous observations from a working network. In this paper, the three robotic telescope operated under the hood of the Astrophysical Institute Potsdam are introduced, the potential of a robotic telescope network are sketched out and principle hints on accomplishing such a network are outlined. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Measurements of radial velocities of α and: A spotted HgMn star?

Measurements of radial velocities from the SiII 6347A and 6371Alines and the HeI 6678A line based on observations of 1989–1994 are examined. The variability of the line shapes over the 96.6-day orbital period is analyzed. Evidence for a second component is found from lines in the spectrum of And which correspond to the silicon lines 6347 and 6371A. The preliminary value for the rotational velocity of the secondary component is 100–120 km/sec. Analysis of the variability of the radial velocities of the HeI 6678A line during the night has given the rotational period of the star of P_rot=I^d.012344 and indicates an inhomogeneous distribution either of the helium abundance or of the physical conditions over the surface. Thus, we have the first evidence for the existence of spots on the surface of an HgMn star.Translated fromAstrofizika, Vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 375–384, July–September, 1996.     

Survival of yeast spores in hypervelocity impact events up to velocities of 7.4 km s−1

We report on the survivability in hypervelocity impacts of yeast in spore form, and as mature cultures, at impact velocities from 1 to 7.4 km s^?1, corresponding to an estimated peak shock pressure of ～43 GPa. Spores from a yeast strain (BY4743), deficient in an enzyme required for uracil production, were fired into water (to simulate oceanic impact from space) using a light gas gun. The water was then retrieved and filtered and the resulting retentate and filtrate cultured to determine viability and survival rates of remnant spores. Yeast growth (confirmed as coming from the original sample as it had the same enzyme deficiency) was found in recovered samples at all impact speeds, albeit in smaller quantities at the higher speeds. The survival probabilities were measured as ～50% at 1 km s^?1, falling to ～10^?3% at 7.4 km s^?1. This follows the pattern observed in previous work on survival of microbial life and spores exposed to extreme shock loading, where there is reasonable survival at low peak shock pressures with more severe lethality above a critical shock pressure at the GPa scale (here between 2 and 10 GPa). These results are explained in the context of a general model for survival against extreme shock and are relevant to the hypotheses of panspermia and litho-panspermia, showing that extreme shocks during transfer across space are not necessarily sterilising.     

Overestimating the coronal density and its effect on the velocities derived from Lα Doppler dimming

It is shown that relatively small errors of the order of 10% in the electron densities, for example derived from polarization brightness measurements, might lead to large errors in the velocities inferred from intensity measurements of the L Hi 1216 spectral line in the inner corona. It is demonstrated that in some cases this effect can result in very high velocities close to the coronal base with subsequent small acceleration with heliocentric distance. It is also pointed out that the errors in the deduced velocities can be reduced if simultaneous observations that place constraints on the mass flux are available, and by ensuring that the mass flux computed from the derived velocities and densities is constant.     

Quintessence cosmology with a traversable wormhole,massive decaying gravitons and with varying <Emphasis Type="Italic">G</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Λ</Emphasis>

In this work, we explore many cosmological implications of a four-dimensional cosmology dominated by quintessence with a static traversable wormhole, spatio-temporal varying G and by taking into account a decaying cosmological constant and a decaying graviton mass by means of an additional bimetric tensor in Einstein’s field equations proposed by Visser in 1998.     

Young massive binary θ 1 OriC: Radial velocities of components

We succeeded in separating the absorption lines of both the primary C1 and the secondary C2 component in the spectra of the young massive binary θ ¹ OriC (O6Vp + B0V, mass sum 44 ± 7M _⊙), obtained during the period from November 1995 to February 2013 with different telescopes. These observations allowed us to derive, for the first time, the radial velocities of both components. The orbitalmotion of the secondary star is traced through its weak (the line depth is approximately 0.01–0.02) absorption lines of CII, NII, OII, Si III, which are broadened by fast rotation of the star. Silicon absorptions Si III λλ 4553, 4568, and 4575 are better suited for radial velocity measurements than the other lines. From the velocity curves, we obtained the systemic velocity of the system, γ = 31 ±2 kms^?1, and semi-amplitudes of the C1 and C2 velocities: K ₁ = 15 ± 2 kms^?1, K ₂ = 43 ± 3 kms^?1. This leads to individual component masses of M ₁ = 33 ± 5 M _⊙ and M ₂ = 11 ± 5 M _⊙, based on the adopted mass sum. At present, the combined spectroscopic-interferometric orbital solution cannot be obtained because of the large scatter of velocity measurements caused by chaotic line shifts in the spectrum of the primary star and by the weakness of wide absorptions from the secondary. New spectroscopy with a resolution of R ≥ 30000 and S/N ratio over 200 performed in the period close to the periastron passage in the second half of 2013, as well as additional long-baseline interferometry, will be decisive in refining the parameters of θ ¹ OriC. We expect that as a result of this campaign, masses and luminosities of the components will be determined with an accuracy of 2–3%.     

Oscillations Accompanying a He <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">i</Emphasis> 10830 Å Negative Flare in a Solar Facula

On 21 September 2012, we carried out spectral observations of a solar facula in the Si?i 10827 Å, He?i 10830 Å, and H\(\upalpha\) spectral lines. Later, in the process of analyzing the data, we found a small-scale flare in the middle of the time series. Based on the anomalous increase in the absorption of the He?i 10830 Å line, we identified this flare as a negative flare.The aim of this article is to study the influence of the negative flare on the oscillation characteristics in the facular photosphere and chromosphere.We measured the line-of-sight (LOS) velocity and intensity of all the three lines as well as the half-width of the chromospheric lines. We also used the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) magnetic field data. The flare caused a modulation of all these parameters. In the location of the negative flare, the amplitude of the oscillations increased four times on average. In the adjacent magnetic field local maxima, the chromospheric LOS velocity oscillations appreciably decreased during the flare. The facular region oscillated as a whole with a 5-minute period before the flare, and this synchronicity was disrupted after the flare. The flare changed the spectral composition of the LOS magnetic field oscillations, causing an increase in the low-frequency oscillation power.     

Glass‐bearing inclusions in Shergotty and Chassigny: Consistent samples of a primary trapped melt?

Glass‐bearing inclusions hosted by different mineral phases in SNC meteorites provide important information on the conditions that prevailed during formation of early phases and/or on the composition of the primary trapped liquids/melts of these rocks. Although extensive previous work has been reported on such inclusions, several questions are still unresolved. We performed a chemical and petrographic study of the constituents (glasses and mineral assemblage) of glassy and multiphase inclusions in Shergotty and Chassigny. We focused on obtaining accurate trace element contents of glasses and co‐existing minerals and discussing their highly variable REE contents. Our results reveal an unusual geochemistry of trace element contents that appear to be independent of their major element compositions. Chemical equilibrium between phases inside inclusions as well as between glasses and host minerals could not be established. The LREE contents of glasses in glass inclusions can vary by up to two orders of magnitude. The depletion in trace element abundances shown by glasses seem to be inconsistent with these phases being residual melts. The light lithophile element contents of glasses are highly variable with enrichment in incompatible elements (e.g., Be, Sr, Ba, and LREE) indicating some processes involving percolation of fluids. All of these features are incompatible with glass‐bearing inclusions in the host minerals acting as closed systems preserving unmodified primary liquids/melts. Glass‐bearing inclusions in Shergotty and Chassigny appear to have been altered (as was the rock itself) by different postformational processes (e.g., shock, metamorphism, metasomatic [?] fluids) that affected these meteorites with different degree of intensity. Our results indicate that these inclusions could not preserve a reliable sample of the primary trapped melt.     

Temperature Dependence of Molecular Line Strengths and Fe i 1565 nm Zeeman Splitting in a Sunspot

Spectroscopic observations at 1565 nm were made in the eastern half of the main umbra of NOAA 9885 on 1 April 2002 using the National Solar Observatory McMath-Pierce Telescope at Kitt Peak with a tip-tilt image stabilization system and the California State University Northridge–National Solar Observatory infrared camera. The line depth of the OH blend at 1565.1 nm varies with the observed continuum temperature; the variation fits previous observations except that the continuum temperature is lower by 600 K. The equivalent width of the OH absorption line at 1565.2 nm shows a temperature dependence similar to previously published umbral molecular observations at 640 nm. A simple model of expected OH abundance based upon an ionization analogy to molecular dissociation is produced and agrees well with the temperature variation of the line equivalent width. A CN absorption line at 1564.6 nm shows a very different temperature dependence, likely due to complicated formation and destruction processes. Nonetheless a numerical fit of the temperature variation of the CN equivalent width is presented. Finally a comparison of the Zeeman splitting of the Fei 1564.8 nm line with the sunspot temperature derived from the continuum intensity shows an umbra somewhat cooler for a given magnetic field strength than previous comparisons using this infrared 1564.8 nm line, but consistent with these previous infrared measurements the umbra is hotter for a given magnetic field strength than magnetic and temperature measurements at 630.2 nm would suggest. Differences between the 630.2 nm and 1564.8 nm umbral temperature and magnetic field relations are explained with the different heights of formation of the lines and continua at these wavelengths.     

Kepler’s celestial two-body equation: a second attempt to establish a continuous and integrable solution via the <Emphasis Type="Italic">BPES</Emphasis>: Boubaker Polynomials Expansion Scheme

The propagation of nonlinear waves in warm dusty plasmas with variable dust charge, two-temperature ions, and nonthermal electrons is studied. By using the reductive perturbation theory, the Kadomtsev–Petviashivili (KP) equation is derived. The energy of the soliton has been calculated. By using standard normal modes analysis a linear dispersion relation has been obtained. The effects of variable dust charge on the energy of the soliton and the angular frequency of the linear wave are also discussed. It is shown that the amplitude of solitary waves of the KP equation diverges at the critical values of plasma parameters. We derive solitons of a modified KP equation with finite amplitude in this situation.     

Relative Velocities and Linewidths in a Coronal Hole and Outside

Relative Doppler velocities and spectral linewidths in a coronal hole and in the quiet Sun region outside have been obtained from Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)/Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer (CDS) observations. Five strong emission lines in the CDS wavelength range (namely, O? iii 599 Å, O?v 630 Å, Ne?vi 562.8 Å, He?ii 304 Å, and Mg?ix 368 Å), whose formation temperatures represent different heights in the solar atmosphere from the lower transition region to the inner corona, have been used in the study. As reported earlier, relative velocities in the coronal hole are generally blueshifted with respect to the quiet Sun, and the magnitude of the blueshifts increases with height. It has been found that the polar coronal hole has larger relative velocities than the equatorial extension in the inner corona. Several localized velocity contours have been found mainly on network brightenings and in the vicinity of the coronal hole boundary. The presence of velocity contours on the network may represent network outflows whereas the latter could be due to localized jets probably arising from magnetic reconnection at the boundary. All spectral lines have larger widths in the coronal hole than in the quiet Sun. In O?v 630 Å an extended low-linewidth region is seen in the coronal hole?–?quiet Sun boundary, which may indicate fresh mass transfer across the boundary. Also polar coronal holes have larger linewidths in comparison with the equatorial extension. Together with larger relative velocities, this suggests that the solar wind emanating from polar hole regions is faster than that from equatorial hole regions.     

Convective velocities derived from granule contrast profiles in Fe i λ 6569.2

A new determination of the granular and intergranular velocities is described, based on a new approach. The method involves measurement of the granule/intergranule contrast as a function of wavelength on a sequence of filtergrams taken with the CSIRO computer-controlled 1/8 Å filter in the photospheric line Fe i 6569.2. A procedure based on a simple but realistic morphological model of the granulation pattern is used to correct for spatial smearing. The effects of spectral smearing and of scattered light are also taken into account.The present observations reveal a one hundred per cent correlation between brightness and the sense of the vertical velocity component and thus demonstrate beyond doubt the convective origin of the granulation. The new measurements yield a value of 1.8 km s^–1 for the difference between the upward and downward velocities associated with an average granule. With certain plausible assumptions this leads to granular and intergranular velocities of 0.7 km s^–1 (upward) and 1.1 km s^–1 (downward) respectively.Estimates are also obtained for the (true) central intensities and line broadening parameters of the line profile, separately for the average granule and intergranular lane.     

Inertia and a fifth dimension—special relativity from a new perspective

The phenomenon of inertia is modeled by a new process, which semi-discretely changes the metrical scale of spacetime. This process explains inertia as a curved spacetime phenomenon, since all accelerating trajectories take place on geodesics of general relativity. By this approach inertial reference frames are Minkowskian manifolds imbedded in a five-dimensional space. It would imply a revised interpretation of special relativity, which preserves a universal temporal reference. If acceleration curves spacetime, it would also imply the existence of an energy-momentum tensor with net energy, which under certain conditions could become negative.     

The Landau level-superfluid modified factor and the overal soft X/<Emphasis Type="Italic">γ</Emphasis>-ray efficiency coefficient of a magnetar

As soon as the energies of electrons near the Fermi surface exceed Q, the threshold energy of inverse β-decay, electron capture (EC) dominates inside a neutron star. The high-energy neutrons released by EC will destroy anisotropic ³ P ₂ neutron Cooper pairs in the degenerate superfluid. By colliding with the neutrons produced in the process n+(n↑n↓)→n+n+n, the kinetic energies of the neutrons released by EC will be transformed into thermal energy. A portion of this thermal energy will be transported from the star interior to the star surface by conduction, then converted to a thermal spectrum of soft X-rays and γ-rays. By introducing two important parameters: the Landau level-superfluid modified factor and the overal soft X/γ-ray efficiency coefficient, we compute the theoretical luminosity L _X of a magnetar under our model and plot a diagram of L _X as a function of magnetic field strength B. Numerical calculations based on our model agree well with the observed properties of magnetar candidates.     

Weak ion-acoustic double layers in a plasma with a <Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis>-nonextensive electron velocity distribution

Weak ion-acoustic double-layers (IA-DLs) in a two-component plasma are investigated in the context of the nonextensive statistics proposed by Tsallis. Due to the entropic index q, our plasma model can admit compressive as well as rarefactive IA-DLs. It is shown that the values \frac53 < q < 3\frac{5}{3}q-parameters for the existence of small-DLs. As long as the Mach number M is less than ∼1.42, the only admissible q-values which may lead to IA-DLs are all positive. For −1<q<1 (1<q<5/3), the effect of increasing q is to lower (to shift towards higher values) the critical Mach number M _cr above which only compressive IA-DL are admitted. Beyond q=3, only compressive small-amplitude ion-acoustic double layers are observed. Furthermore, due to the flexibility of the q-parameter, the obtained results bring a possibility to deal with small-DLs with relatively high Mach numbers. Our investigation may be of wide relevance to astronomers and space scientists working on interstellar plasmas.     

Can ε Carinae be a triple system?

We examine the possibility that ε Carinae is a triple system. We show that a stable hierarchical system is possible, although perhaps only marginally.
We outline a speculative scenario for the history of the system, in which the giant outburst of the last century is associated with an interchange of components in a dynamically unstable triple system. We point out that the currently observed spectroscopic 'event' could be used to distinguish among the different possible configurations of the system.     

S 266: a ring nebula around a Galactic B[e] supergiant?

A narrow-band Hα image and high-resolution spectroscopy have been obtained in order to investigate the nature of S 266 and its central star MWC 137. The analysis of the stellar and nebular spectra suggests that MWC 137 is a B[e] supergiant located ≥ 6 kpc away from the Sun and not a Herbig Ae/Be star, as it has been traditionally classified. Moreover, the morphology and other properties of the nebula suggest that S 266 is a ring nebula, probably produced by the interaction of stellar winds with the ambient interstellar medium or unprocessed ejected matter. This result would imply that S 266 is the first ring nebula around a B[e] supergiant known in the Galaxy.