The angular size-redshift relation and the unified scheme for radio-loud quasars

The unified scheme in which the observed differences in the radio properties of the two classes of radio-loud quasars; the core- and lobe-dominated quasars (CDQs and LDQs) arise because they are seen at different angles to the line of sight has been investigated using the observed median angular size-redshift (-z) relation for two well defined samples. It is shown that the median angular size of LDQs exceeded that of CDQs by a factor of3 in any given redshift bin. This is qualitatively in agreement with the unified scheme in which the radio axes of CDQs are closer to the line of sight than those of LDQs.     

Hamilton-like vectors for a class of Kepler problems with a force proportional to the velocity

The Kepler problem for the resistive force r/r ² is known to have a conserved vector which is the analogue to Hamilton's vector for the standar Kepler problem. In this note it is shown in a very elementary way that many similar force laws display the same property. The orbit equation can be obtained easily in such cases.     

Spectroscopic investigation of a birefringent Lyot-filter for Hα

The instrumental profile of a Lyot-filter with 0.5 Å pass-band for H has been determined from photographic spectra obtained with a large grating spectrograph and a continuous light source.After fine adjustment of the filter, the transmission profile in parallel light agrees closely with the theoretical profile as given by crystal optics. The peak transmission has been found to be 12% of the incident unpolarized radiation.Convolving the measured instrumental profile with the average solar spectral distribution near H, it can be shown that the parasitic light (transmission outside the main pass-band) contributes 10% to the total light flux with the filter centered on the line. At wavelength shifts of 0.5 and 0.8Å, the parasitic light contribution is 25% and 40%, respectively.The deformation of the line-profile of various solar phenomena (faculae, filaments, flares) by the instrumental profile is discussed quantitatively.Mitteilungen aus dem Fraunhofer Institut Nr. 82.     

Universal birefringent filter with a new double passband mode

This article describes the universal birefringent filter (UBF) which will be mounted at Taiwan. The UBF permits observations of solar images, vector magnetic fields and/or line-of-sight velocity fields in any Fraunhofer line in the wavelength region from 4000 to 7000 with half width from 0.05 to 0.14 . We have tested it at ten Fraunhofer lines under a spectral telescope in Huairou Station of Beijing Astronomical Observatory and obtained the passband profiles. The principles of magnetic field and velocity field measurement with the UBF are also described.     

观测天体光谱的纤维光学方法及2.16m望远镜实用系统

本文描述了近年来广泛发展起来的天体物理实测技术中的一项重要进展——纤维光学分光技术方法在天体光谱观测中的应用及2.16m望远镜实用系统的特点和初步应用结果     

A hybrid mode of diffuse and specular reflector for computation of the emergent radiation by the adding method

A method of computing the diffuse reflection and transmission radiation from an inhomogenous, plane-parallel planetary atmosphere bounded by the hybrid surface of a diffuse and specular reflector is discussed by using the addition method. If the atmosphere is simulated by a number of homogeneous sublayers, the radiation diffusely reflected and transmitted by the atmosphere can be expressed in terms of the diffuse reflection and transmission matrices of radiation of sublayers (Laciset al., 1974; Takashima, 1973, 1975). With this method (Takashima, 1975), the troublesome treatment due to the effect of polarity of radiation is overcome. Moreover, if the surface reflects radiation in accordance with the Lambert law as well as a quite arbitrary phase matrix (Takashima, 1974), the addition method can be easily extended. It is shown in this paper that the addition method is suitable for numerical computation even if the surface reflects light according to the hybrid mode of the diffuse and specular law (Uenoet al., 1974; Mukai, 1976).On leave from the Meterological Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.     

Isophotal photometry and morphological changes in the flares

We report measurements made on the brightness in H of all parts of the flare photographed through a birefringent filter centered on H, using a scanning isodensitometer. From obtained isophotes of the flares we derived some information on the morphological changes in the flare and estimated the total energy in H of the flare.     

An analysis of Martian satellite photographic observations of 1967

Photographic observations of the Martian satellites were made at the opposition of 1967 with the Naval Observatory's 61-inch astrometric reflector. A small partially transparent metallic film filter was used to diminish the light from Mars in order that a measurable image for the planetary disk as well as for the satellites could be obtained. The plates were reduced by the method of plate constants using positions for the faint background stars determined from astrographic field plates. The random mean error of these observations was estimated to be not greater than ±0″.10.The main result of the orbital adjustment is a +2° correction to the zero of mean longitude for Phobos. This confirms the findings of Wilkins (1970) and is compatible with the results of the Mariner 9 observations. The scale of the orbits of both satellites gave accordant values for the mass of Mars and the combined value of 30 99 500 ± 2800 (m.e.) is in good agreement with modern determinations.The mean error for Deimos derived from the residuals after solution is ±0″.11, which agrees well with the observational error and indicates no large systematic error in either the theory or the observations. For Phobos, however, the residual error, ±0″.19, is twice the expected observational error. The implications of this discrepancy are discussed.     

The horizontal component of spicule motion

In movies of H spectra taken with the slit tangential to the solar limb we can observe motion of spicules both parallel to the slit and along the line of sight. We find strong evidence that, although most motion is along the axis of the spicule, some features move at right angles to their axes. Several cases were observed of features separating into two widely-split components. A power spectrum of the changes of Doppler shifts with time shows the 1/frequency characteristics of random motion.     

Astrometric investigation with the Tautenburg Schmidt telescope

The observations and the plate reduction technique for the determination of positions and absolute proper motions which is used in Potsdam are described. Recent results have shown that an accuracy of about 0 _. 1 for positions and 0 _. ⁷ cent _. ^–1 for proper motions can be achieved both for bright (8^m–12^m) and faint (16^m–18^m) stars. Three astrometric programmes using the Tautenburg plates are presented.     

Apsidal Motion in Binaries: Rotation of the Components

A sample of 51 separated binary systems with measured apsidal periods and rotational velocities of the components is examined. The ranges of the angles of inclination of the equatorial planes of the components to the orbital plane are estimated for these systems. The observed apsidal velocities can be explained by assuming that the axes of rotation of the stars are nonorthogonal to the orbital plane in roughly 47% of the systems (24 of the 51) and the rotation of the components is not synchronized with the orbital motion in roughly 59% of the systems (30 of 51). Nonorthogonality and nonsynchrony are defined as deviations from 90° and a synchronized angular velocity, respectively, at levels of 1 or more.     

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.     

The solar filigree

As a birefringent filter is tuned from the center of H to the continuum the H bright mottles appear to break up into a network of grains. The name filigree is suggested for this bright network. Its size, shape, contrast and time evolution is described as well as its relation to the abnormal granulation, magnetic field and spicules.On leave from The University of Hawaii.     

Catalog of the Photographic Survey of the Northern Sky (FON-2.0) built up from the scanning of astroplates: a new version

Astroplates acquired in the course of the Photographic Survey of the Northern Sky project (abbreviated as FON) were scanned at the Main Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (MAO NASU). For this, the Microtek ScanMaker 9800XL TMA and Epson Expression 10000XL scanners were used. From 1600 plates of the total amount, the rectangular coordinates of stars were obtained. After the astrometric reduction, a catalog of the equatorial coordinates and brightness for more than 15 million stars was built up. The mean-squared errors in positions and B magnitudes of the stars in the catalog (from–2° to 90° by declination) mainly depend on the position in a plate, the overlapping multiplicity (that may reach 8), and the stellar magnitude. These errors estimated by internal convergence are within the limits of 0.1′′–0.4′′ and 0.05–0.2 ^m for the coordinates and stellar magnitudes, respectively.     

The variations of the scaling parameters of the structure functions in solar active regions at the pre-flare stage

A series of subflares in active region NOAA 9077 (July 2000) and in the activity complex NOAA 0039 + NOAA 0050 were investigated. The structure functions and their characteristics for sets of images of active regions in the hydrogen-alpha line (H-line) were calculated. The ranges of the spatial scales of different scaling behavior of the structure functions were revealed. The existence of intermittent turbulence (multi-fractal structure) in active regions of the chromosphere is shown. Peculiarities of the scaling parameters variations of the structure functions at pre-flare stage are investigated. It was found that on average 20 min before a subflare onset considerable deviation of these variations from the mean occurs, which may be of importance for predictions. It was discovered that maximum variations of scaling parameters with an accuracy to 15 min (on average), in a number of cases coincide with variations of the elongated chromospheric structures in an active-region area. We used H_ filtergrams obtained with the chromospheric telescope of the Baikal observatory operated by ISTP SD RAS. The telescope is coupled with a Halle birefringent filter with a 0.05 nm bandpass, and a Princeton Instruments 2048 × 2048 pixel CCD camera with 16-bit amplitude resolution.     

Periodic orbits in a resonant dynamical system

We study the periodic orbits in a two dimensional dynamical system, symmetric with respect to both axes, with two equal or nearly equal frequencies. It is shown that the periodic orbits can be found directly from the equations of motion. The form of these orbits depends on the value of the coupling parameter . We verify the theoretical results by numerical calculations.     

Unsteady hydromagnetic flow through a porous medium between two infinite parallel porous plates with time-varying suction

Unsteady two-dimensional flow of a viscous incompressible and electrical-conducting fluid through a porous medium bounded by two infinite parallel plates under the action of a transverse magnetic field is presented when there is time-varying suction at the plates. The lower plate is at rest while the upper plate is oscillating in its own plane about a constant mean velocity. Expressions for the velocity, fluctuating parts of the velocity, amplitude, and phase of the skin-friction are obtained. The flow phenomenon has been characterized by the parametersK (permeability of the porous medium),N(magnetic parameter) (frequency parameter), andA(variable suction parameter) and the role of these parameters on the flow characteristics has been studied.     

Fresnel zone plate telescopes for X-ray imaging II: numerical simulations with parallel and diverging beams

We present the results of simulations of shadows cast by a zone plate telescope which may have one to four pairs of zone plates. From the shadows we reconstruct the images under various circumstances. We discuss physical basis of the resolution of the telescope and demonstrate this by our simulations. We allow the source to be at a finite distance (diverging beam) as well as at an infinite distance (parallel beam) and show that the resolution is worsened when the source is nearby. By reconstructing the zone plates in a way that both the zone plates subtend the same solid angles at the source, we obtain back high resolution even for sources at a finite distance. We present simulated results for the observation of the galactic center and show that the sources of varying intensities may be reconstructed with accuracy. Results of these simulations would be of immense use in interpreting the X-ray images from recently launched CORONAS-PHOTON satellite.     

The pre-onset morphology of the 5 September 1973 flare

Simultaneous visible, EUV, and X-ray observations of magnetic structures before and during the onset of the flare of 5 September 1973 are co-registered and interpreted. Ninety minutes before the flare, intense EUV knots fluctuate near the loops which subsequently flare. The pre-flare loop is observed in O IV 554, but not in X-rays, which show instead a parallel structure which is related either to a darkening filament or the subsequent flare kernels. As the full disk X-ray emission increases, first the EUV flare loop appears, then X-ray kernels form at the feet of two EUV loops, one of which overlies the activated filament. The flaring, at any given time, is confined to a single loop (or bundle of loops) whose long axis (barely) crosses the neutral line. As time progresses, the flaring moves to other (probably higher) loops sharing the off-band H footpoints but whose axes are rotated relative to the earlier loops by angles of about 30°. Previous interpretations of single-telescope observations are revised in this joint investigation.     

Automated astrographic plates measuring process

The astrographic plates measuring process applied at the Astronomical Observatory of Valencia has been described.The measure of astrographic plates of our minor planets observation programme has been carried out by means of a binocular microscope with a photometer, held by a personal computer through an interface. The process of measure in each position of the plate holder is automated, once two stars are selected and the sequence of the objects to be measured is defined.The process will be improved in the next future, by the substitution of the searching device (a photometer) by a CCD camera plus a digitizer board.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.