High order symplectic integrators for perturbed Hamiltonian systems

A family of symplectic integrators adapted for the integration of perturbed Hamiltonian systems of the form H=A+B was given in (McLachlan, 1995). We give here a constructive proof that for all integer p, such integrator exists, with only positive steps, and with a remainder of order O(^p + ²²), where is the stepsize of the integrator. Moreover, we compute the analytical expressions of the leading terms of the remainders at all orders. We show also that for a large class of systems, a corrector step can be performed such that the remainder becomes O(^p +⁴²). The performances of these integrators are compared for the simple pendulum and the planetary three-body problem of Sun–Jupiter–Saturn.     

Asymptotic solutions in the many-body problem

A small particle moves in the vicinity of two masses, forming a close binary, in orbit about a distant mass. Unique, uniformly valid solutions of this four-body problem are found for motion near both equilateral triangle points of the binary system in terms of a small parameter , where the primaries move in accordance with a uniformly-valid three-body solution. Accuracy is maintained within a constant errorO(⁸), and the solutions are uniformly valid as tends to zero for time intervalsO(^–3). Orbital position errors nearL ₄ andL ₅ of the Earth-Moon system are found to be less than 5% when numerically-generated periodic solutions are used as a standard of comparison.     

A new outlook on the `Differential Theory' of the solar Quadrupole Moment and Oblateness

The modeling of the quadrupole moment J ₂ and of the oblateness , two key solar parameters, derives from the development in successive spherical harmonics of the gravitational potential. These harmonics are representative of the shape of the Sun, by studying the local distortion of the internal layers, under their distribution of mass and velocity. The first aim of this paper is to study, over the radius r and the colatitude , the structure of the internal layers of the Sun through a geometrical approach, considering J ₂ and under a differential form. The second aim is to determine their theoretical values, after integration over r and , taking the best available models of density and rotation into account constrained by helioseismic data. The novelty of our approach lies in the analysis of the profiles of the two above-mentioned solar parameters, under differential form, from the core to the surface. This analysis allows us to comply with the physical processes located in the transition regions, namely the tachocline and maybe a new subsurface layer which could be called the leptocline. The profiles of tildeJ ₂ show two sharp decreases, which are directly connected to the shear layers located at 0.7 R and beneath the surface. The profiles of tilde show five changes of curvature, which seem to be connected to solar processes, such as the matter circulation flows, seismic events or the storage of the magnetic field, phenomena taking place in the transition regions. These sets of profiles allow us to propose a configuration scenario composed of a double layer. Moreover, as a result of the theoretical determination of tildeJ ₂ and tilde, the values at the surface of the quadrupole moment and of the oblateness can be deduced, which are 1.60×10^–7 and 8.77×10^–6, respectively. As a result of an analysis of available data, we may admit J ₂=(2.0±0.4)×10^–7. The theoretical computations of J ₂ and at the surface will be confronted in the near future with the values measured in space by means of the Picard microsatellite. This mission should permit one to measure at the same time both the total solar irradiance and the latitudinal diameters in any position angle (after removing the passing spots or faculae at the limb).     

Line formation in spherical media with partial frequency redistribution

Lines formed in a differentially expanding atmosphere have been calculated by using the angle averaged redistribution functionR _I (Hummer, 1962). We have compared these lines, in a few cases, with those formed by complete redistribution in the observer's frame of reference. We have considered an atmosphere whose ratios of inner to outer radii are 2 and 10, and it is assumed that the gas in the atmosphere is expanding uniformly with a maximum velocity of 3 mean thermal units. We have presented lines formed in spherical symmetry and those obtained by integrating over the apparent disc. Three types of physical situations are considered with a 2-level atom with non-LTE approximation (1) =10^–4, =10^–4, (2) =10^–4, =0 and (3) ==0, where is the probability per scatter that a photon is destroyed by collisional de-excitation, and is the ratioKc/Kl of absorption in the continuum per unit frequency interval to that in the line centre.It is found that there are noticeable differences between the profiles formed by partial redistribution (PRD) and complete redistribution (CRD). The profiles integrated over the stellar disc from the first type of the media are box type with flat top, which are similar to those observed in WC stars and those from the second type of media show emission peaks on red and blue sides with emission on the red side larger than the one on the blue side. The profiles from the third type of media with pure scattering, show some emission on the red side and deep absorption on the blue side. Large geometrical extensions of the atmosphere and higher gas velocities seem to enhance these two effects.     

Effect of perturbations on the stability of triangular points. In the restricted problem of three bodies with variable mass

The effect of small perturbations and in the coriolis and the centrifugal forces respectively on the stability of the triangular points in the restricted problem of three bodies with variable mass has been studied. It is found that the range of stability of triangular points increases or decreases depending upon whether the perturbation point (, ) lies in one or the other of the two parts in which the (, ) plane is divided by the line J₈–J₉=0 where J₈ and J₉ depend upon , the constant due to the variation in mass governed by Jeans' law.     

Effect of perturbations in Coriolis and centrifugal forces on the stability of libration points in the restricted problem

The location and the stability of the libration points in the restricted problem have been studied when small perturbation and are given to the Coriolis and the centrifugal forces respectively. It is seen that the pointsL ₄ andL ₅ form nearly equilateral triangles with the primaries and the pointsL ₁,L ₂,L ₃ remain collinear. It is further observed that for the pointsL ₄ andL ₅, the range of stability increases or decreases depending upon whether the point (, ) lies in one or the other of the two parts in which the (, ) plane is divided by the line 36-19=0 and the stability of the collinear points is not influenced by the perturbations and they remain unstable.     

Model of the expansive nondecelerative universe

The joint article is concerned with derivation of equations of dynamics of the expansive nondecelerative universe and determination of its basic properties, relations, and parameters with the state equationp=–1/3.     

Does Einstein's relationE=mc 2arise from the metric?

In this Letter we propose to consider the four-energy-space whose coordinates are composed as follows: (i) the coordinate ⁰ refers to the internal energy of the body (it is involved as an unknown function of the rest-energy and the kinetic energy of the body), and (ii) the coordinates ¹, ², ³ relate to the presence of gravitational, electromagnetic, and thermal energy at the location of the body respectively. We involve yet the proper energy interval d² by analogy to the four-interval ds ² in general relativity. From such metric field we calculate the Ricci tensor in the simplest case. In addition, we require its form to be the same one as that considered by Schwarzschild. Comparing both solutions we obtain Einstein's relationE=mc ².     

Epsilon Aurigae in eclipse: The light and colour variations

Theuvby andVRI observations of Aur during the ingress and early totality phases obtained at the McDonald Observatory are analysed. The light and colour variations of Aur during the 1982–1984 eclipse are compared with those found during the 1955–1957 eclipse.     

Analytical Development of Rigid Mercury Nutation Series

In this paper, series of a rigid model of Mercury nutations are computed. The method used is based on the calculation of the forces produced by the Sun on Mercury as considered as a rigid body. In order to take into account the indirect effects coming from the orbit perturbations of Mercury, we used the ephemerides VSOP87 (Bretagnon and Francou, 1988). Due to non-negligible difference between the principal moment of inertia A and B in the case of Mercury, we compute also terms due to the triaxiality in addition to the general terms coming from J ₂. With a truncation level of 10 ^–3 mas (milliarcsecond), related to the present-day precision of the Mercury precession constant, 173 terms in longitude ( sin ) and 166 terms in obliquity () are computed. The value of the dynamical flattening used is H _D = (C – A)/C = 2.3 × 10^–4 (Anderson, 1987).     

(Super) cosmological solution for the Kasner model

In the theory of supergravity (N=1), the supersymmetric version of general relativity, and for the Kasner cosmological model (Bianchi type I) we find a non-trivial solution (for the metric and spinor-vector) under the most simple assumption =₁₁ + ₂₂; ₁₂+₂₁=0 and for a special choosed gaugeN=1,N ^j=0, ₀=0. This method could be also applied to other cosmological metrics and extended to enlarged Grassmann basis.O. Obregón was partially supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung.     

Stimulated comption effect in very compact radio sources

Expressions for the stimulated Compton effect are derived that are complete to order /ge/, where is the photon energy in the laboratory system, and =m ₀ C ² is the electron energy. Explicit formulas are given for the energy flow between a relativistic electron and a radiation field that obeys a power law so that the number of photons is proportional to ^–m–1. The amount of energy gained by an electron per second is then numerically calculated for conditions suggested by very compact radio sources as a function of the width of the spectrum, the spectral index, and the electron energy.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

On the stability of equilibria of Hamiltonian systems near the main resonances

The equilibrium point O of an autonomous Hamiltonian system of two degrees of freedom is considered for small-oscillation frequencies related as ₂=2₁+. If under the precise resonance (=0) the equilibrium is unstable, the inner diameter () of the domain of stability containing the point O is estimated. It is shown that for the normalized variables ()/b where b is the corresponding resonance coefficient. The estimates () for other main resonances are reported.     

Estimation of the clear sky and the ground emissivity in Bahrain

The clear sky emissivity ₀ and the ground emissivity _g in Bahrain is studied. The study reveals that the annual value of ₀ is 0.88 ± 0.039 relating to the maximum and the minimum values in August and February, respectively. Meanwhile, the annual value of _g is 0.338 ± 0.228, where the maximum and the minimum values are in July and January, respectively. These two parameters are related to the transmittance factor .     

C18O in the Chamaeleon I dark cloud

The Cha I dark cloud is a nearby (140 pc) site of low-mass star formation. Due to its high galactic latitude (b=–16°) it is an observationally favourable object for study at radio as well as other wavelengths. We have mapped the central part of the cloud in the C¹⁸O (1–0) line using both the 1.2-m Columbia Southern Millimeter-Wave Telescope at Cerro Tololo and the 15-m Swedish-ESO Submillimetre Telescope (SEST).Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.     

Dependence of the meridional motions of sunspot groups on life spans and age of the groups,and on the phase of the solar cycle

We have analyzed data on sunspot groups compiled during 1874–1981 and investigated the following: (i) dependence of the `initial' meridional motion (v <sub>ini</sub>()) of sunspot groups on the life span () of the groups in the range 2–12 days, (ii) dependence of the meridional motion (v(t)) of sunspot groups of life spans 10–12 days on the age (t) of the spot groups, and (iii) variations in the mean meridional motion of spot groups of life span 2–12 days during the solar cycle. In each of the latitude intervals 0°–10°, 10°–20° and 20°–30°, the values of both v <sub>ini</sub>() and v(t) often differ significantly from zero. In the latitude interval 20°–30°, the forms of v <sub>ini</sub>() and v(t) are largely systematic and mutually similar in both the north and south hemispheres. The form of v(t) suggests existence of periodic variation in the solar meridional motion with period of 4 days and amplitude 10–20 m s<sup>–1</sup>. Using the anchoring depths of magnetic structures for spot groups of different and testimated earlier, (Javaraiah and Gokhale, 1997), we suggest that the forms of v <sub>ini</sub>() and v(t) may represent radial variation of meridional flow in the Sun's convection zone, rather than temporal variation of the flow. The meridional flows (v <sub>e</sub>(t)) determined from the data during the last few days (i.e., age t: 10–12 days) of spot groups of life spans of 10–12 days are found to have magnitudes (10–20 m s<sup>–1</sup>) and directions (poleward) similar to the those of the surface meridional plasma flows determined from the Dopplergrams and magnetograms. The mean meridional velocity of sunspot groups living 2–12 days seems to vary during the solar cycle. The velocity is not significantly different from zero during the rising phase of the cycle and there is a suggestion of equatorward motion (a few m s<sup>–1</sup>at lower latitudes and 10 m s<sup>–1</sup>at higher latitudes) during the declining phase (last few years) of the cycle. The variation during the odd numbered cycles seems to anticorrelate with the variation during the even numbered cycles, suggesting existence of 22-year periodicity in the solar meridional flow. The amplitude of the anticorrelation seems to be depending on latitude and the cycle phase. In the latitude interval 20°–30° the `surface plasma meridional motion', v _e(t), is found to be poleward during maximum years (v _e(t) 20 m s^–1at 4th year) and equatorward during ending years of the cycle (v _e(t) –17 m s^–1at 10th year).     

Periodic Modulation of X-Ray Intensity from Coronal Loops – Heating by Resonant Absorption?

We have applied time-series analysis to sequences of coronal loop images obtained with the Yohkoh soft X-ray telescope (SXT). Using images obtained in fast-cadence mode ( t = 4 s), we have generated X-ray light curves and power spectra for multiple subregions of a number of coronal loops. Our analysis indicates that out of 544 spectra of loops which range in length L from 40 Mm to 150 Mm, there are 16 cases where the X-ray brightness is modulated periodically with 99.5% confidence. The periods range from 9.6 s to 61.6 s, and the amplitudes range from 0.4% to 1.8%. Our result is statistically significant at the 8 level.The observed periods can hardly be due to fluctuations in gas pressure: temperatures estimated from image ratios indicate sound speeds of 200–280 km s^-1, with loop crossing times of hundreds of seconds. On the other hand, the ratio 2 L/ yields velocities of 2–14 Mm s^-1: these overlap with published estimates of Alfvén speeds v _A in coronal loops, 3.5–37 Mm s^-1 (Schmelz et al., 1994). Now, in the context of coronal loop heating by resonant absorption of MHD waves, the period _g 2L/v _A plays a key role: loops which are oscillating in their global mode (with period _g) are maximally efficient at absorbing energy (Steinolfson and Davila, 1993). We suggest that the loops which we have found to be modulated periodically are oscillating in their global mode. With this interpretation, we find that the plasma beta in the loops lies in the range _p = 0.001–0.045. According to the oscillating loop model of Zaitsev and Stepanov (1989), loops with such _p values should be modulated with amplitudes of 1.1% or less: our data are consistent with at least the upper limit of this prediction.     

Interaction between attitude libration and orbital motion of a rigid body in a near keplerian orbit of low eccentricity

Interaction between orbital motion and attitude libration dynamics of an arbitrary rigid body moving in a central Newtonian field is considered to second order. Advantage is taken of the decoupling between inplane-pitch and roll-yaw out-of-plane motion to restrict the motion to the orbital plane by an appropriate choice ofinitial conditions. An averaged solution to the nonlinear inplane-pitch equations whose accuracy is determined by ignoring terms of order {·G3²/a ², ²,²,G3²/a ²} and higher is presented. The results show that the near-resonant motion is characterized by a periodic interchange of energy between the attitude and orbital motion.Associate Professor, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.     

Line formation in spherical media with partial frequency redistribution

The effects of partial redistribution of frequency on the formation of spectral lines in a static and spherically symmetric media have been investigated. The partial redistribution functionsR _I andR _II (Hummer, 1962) have been employed to calculate the lines for a two-level atom in non-LTE in a spherically symmetric medium with homogenous physical characteristics whose ratiosB/A (of outer to inner radii) are equal to 2 and 10. These results are compared with those formed in a plane-parallel medium withB/A=1. Two types of atmosphere are treated: (1) a pure scattering medium with =0 and =0, and (2) an atmosphere with a constant source of emission =10^–4 and =0, where is the probability per scatter that a photon will be destroyed by collisional de-excitation and is the ratioK _c/K _l of opacity due to continuous absorption per unit interval of frequency to that in the line. Lines formed in complete redistribution also have been calculated for the sake of comparison, and the total optical depth in all cases has been taken to be 10³ at the line centre.Vast differences have been found between the lines formed by complete and partial redistribution functions (which, for the sake of simplicity, we shall hereafter refer to as CRD and PRD, respectively). In the case of a purely scattering medium, a small amount of emission is observed in the wings for all cases of scattering functions in the spherical medium as a result of the combined effects of curvature and physical scattering. In the scattering medium, more photons are scattered into the cores of the lines by PRD than in the case of CRD. The lines formed in the medium with internal sources show emission in all cases with small absorption in the cores, except those lines formed by the angle-dependent PRD functions which again depend on the geometrical extension of the medium.     

Masses of macroscopic quark configurations in metric and dynamic theories of gravitation

Within the bounds of the general relativity and in gravidynamics, spherically-symmetric configurations are considered with the limit equation of state (P = ( - 4B)/3) and with the density increasing to the center. It is shown that unlike GR, where the existence of strange stars only is permissible (u-, d-, s-quarks), in the consistent dynamic theory of gravitation the existence ofstable configuration withr ^–2 (quark star) is possible with a bag out of quark-gluon plasma which includes all possible quark flavors (u, d, s, c, b, t, .. .). The total mass of such a compact object with the bag of the radius of 10 km (whose surface consists of the strange self-bound matter) must be 6 - 7M .