Search for pairs of isolated radio pulsars—Components in disrupted binary systems

We have developed a method for analyzing the kinematic association of isolated relativistic objects-possible remnants of disrupted close binary systems. We investigate pairs of fairly young radio pulsars with known proper motions and estimated distances (dispersion measures) that are spaced no more than 2–3 kpc apart. Using a specified radial velocity distribution for these objects, we have constructed 100–300 thousand trajectories of their possible motion in the Galactic gravitational field on a time scale of several million years. The probabilities of their close encounters at epochs consistent with the age of the younger pulsar in the pair are analyzed. When these probabilities exceed considerably their reference values obtained by assuming a purely random encounter between the pulsars under consideration, we conclude that the objects may have been gravitationally bound in the past. As a result, we have detected six pulsar pairs (J0543+2329/J0528+2200, J1453-6413/J1430-6623, J2354+6155/J2321+6024, J1915+1009/J1909+1102, J1832-0827/J1836-1008, and J1917+1353/J1926+1648) that are companions in disrupted binary systems with a high probability. Estimates of their kinematic ages and velocities at binary disruption and at the present epoch are provided.     

‘Swinging dipoles’ inmagnetic close binary stars

The recently discovered phenomena in polars — Magnetic Close Binary Stars (MCBS), are discussed. Asynchronous MCBS are on the propeller stage (which is analogous to the investigated one for neutron stars), and are synchronizing during t_S10³ yr, being during this stage rapidly evolving, mass ejecting systems. The accretion rate is largest when the angle between the magnetic axis and the line of centers is near zero. If 90°, then the magnetic field prevents the plasma flow, and the magnetic valve becomes closed. Near this position the oscillations of the orientation of the white dwarf's magnetic axis may be excited. This model of a swinging dipole has such observational properties: (a) the system's luminosity changes with characteristical times of some years; (b) the phase curves of light, polarization and radial velocities must be cyclically changing with a few year cycle; (c) one would observe the correlation between the phase shift of these curves, and the system's luminosity. The observational data on polars are briefly discussed. All these phenomena are observed in AM Herculis and some other polars, but subsequent studies are needed to investigate the orientation changes of the magnetic axis, and so the structure and evolution of this exotic class of our Galaxy population.Paper presented at the IAU Colloquium No. 93 on Cataclysmic Variables. Recent Multi-Frequency Observations and Theoretical Developments, held at Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, F.R.G., 16–19 June, 1986.     

Observational study of Hα in 31 RS CVn binary systems

90 spectral observations of the Hα regions of 31 RS CVn stars made with Reticon on the 2.1 metre McDonald Reflector in 1984 are reported here. Quantitative measurements were made on the Hα emission and absorption components. Combining with our previous observations in [1], we have now observed 70% of the systems in Hall's catalogue. On the basis of the combined data, a statistical discussion is presented.     

Search for Short-Term Periodicities in the Sun’s Surface Rotation: A Revisit

We have used the daily values of the equatorial rotation rate determined from the Mt. Wilson daily Doppler-velocity measurements during the period 3 December 1985 – 5 March 2007 to search for periodicities in the solar equatorial rotation rate on time scales shorter than 11 years. After the daily values have been binned into 61-day intervals, a cosine fit with a period of one year was applied to the sequence to remove any seasonal trend. The spectral properties of this sequence were then investigated by using standard Fourier analysis, maximum-entropy methods, and a Morlet-wavelet analysis. From the analysis of the Fourier power spectrum we detected peaks with periodicities around 7.6, 2.8, and 1.47 years and 245, 182, and 158 days, but none of them were at a statistically significant level. In the Morlet-wavelet analysis the ≈1.47-year periodicity is detected only for 1990 (i.e., near the maximum of cycle 22) and near the end of cycle 22 in 1995. From the same wavelet analysis we found some evidence for the existence of a 2.8-year periodicity and a 245-day periodicity in the equatorial rotation rate around the years 1990 and 1992, respectively. In the data taken during the period 1996 – 2007, when the Mt. Wilson spectrograph instrumentation was more stable, we were unable to detect any signal from the wavelet analysis. Thus, the detected periodicities during the period before 1996 could be artifacts of frequent changes in the Mt. Wilson spectrograph instrumentation. However, the temporal behavior of most of the activity phenomena during cycles 22 (1986 – 1996) and 23 (after 1997) is considerably different. Therefore, the presence of the aforementioned short-term periodicities during the last cycle and absence of them in the current cycle may, in principle, be real temporal behavior of the solar rotation during these cycles.     

Search for strong galaxy-galaxy lensing in SDSS-Ⅲ BOSS

Strong lensing is one of the most spectacular views in the universe. Many cosmological applications have been proposed, but the number of such lensing systems is still limited. In this work, we applied an improved version of a previously developed spectroscopic lensing search method to the SDSS-Ⅲ BOSS and proposed a list of highly possible candidates. Follow-up CFHT Megacam imaging observations were performed for five systems, and two out of five are probably strong lensing systems with at least one image close to the central galaxy, although no counter images are detected.     

‘Crossing’ method for studying the turbulence in solar and stellar atmospheres

A new crossing method for the study of turbulent velocities in solar and stellar photospheres is considered. The method does not need knowledge of the abundance and oscillator strengths for determining the microturbulent velocity, if the macroturbulent velocity is adopted; or it allows investigation of the micro- and macro-velocities simultaneously, if the abundance and oscillator strengths are known. Using the crossing method for 200 lines of neutral iron we obtain microturbulent velocities for a large range of depths in the solar photosphere. The distribution of macroturbulent velocities with depth is also investigated. The total velocity field calculated from the obtained micro- and macro-velocities agrees with previous results from independent methods. This demonstrates the reliability of using the crossing method for separate determination of the micro- and macroturbulent velocities in solar and stellar atmospheres.     

‘Similar’ coordinate systems and the Roche geometry: application

A new equivalence relation, named relation of ‘similarity’ is defined and applied in the restricted three-body problem. Using this relation, a new class of trajectories (named ‘similar’ trajectories) are obtained; they have the theoretical role to give us new details in the restricted three-body problem. The ‘similar’ coordinate systems allow us in addition to obtain a unitary and an elegant demonstration of some analytical relations in the Roche geometry. As an example, some analytical relations published by Seidov (in Astrophys. J. 603:283, 2004) are demonstrated.     

Particle motions in Maxwell’s ring dynamical systems

The focus of this contribution is an effort to review and report the main results obtained so far, concerning the periodic motions of a small body in the combined gravitational field created by a regular ν-gon arrangement of ν big bodies with equal masses, where ν > 7, and another central primary with different mass. Various types of planar periodic motions are presented and networks of characteristic curves of families are depicted, in order to show their distribution in the space of the initial conditions, as well as the evolution of their members that are also examined under the variation of the parameters of the system. Furthermore, the regions of the allowed three-dimensional motions, as well as their variation, are illustrated by means of the zero-velocity surfaces. All this new material is added to the already existing data, and completes thus the profile of the dynamical behavior of the system.     

Effect of Coriolis force on the shapes of rotating stars and stars in binary systems

In this paper an attempt has been made to determine the effect of Coriolis force on the shapes of Roche equipotential surfaces of rotating stars and stars in binary systems. Equations of Roche equipotential surfaces have been obtained for rotating and binary stars which take into account the effects of Coriolis force besides the centrifugal and gravitational forces. Shapes of Roche equipotentials and values of Roche limits are obtained for different values of angular velocity of rotation for rotating stars and for different values of mass ratios for the binary stars. The obtained results have been compared with the corresponding results in which the effect of Coriolis force has not been considered.     

Regularization of the circular restricted three-body problem using ‘similar’ coordinate systems

The regularization of a new problem, namely the three-body problem, using ‘similar’ coordinate system is proposed. For this purpose we use the relation of ‘similarity’, which has been introduced as an equivalence relation in a previous paper (see Roman in Astrophys. Space Sci. doi:, 2011). First we write the Hamiltonian function, the equations of motion in canonical form, and then using a generating function, we obtain the transformed equations of motion. After the coordinates transformations, we introduce the fictitious time, to regularize the equations of motion. Explicit formulas are given for the regularization in the coordinate systems centered in the more massive and the less massive star of the binary system. The ‘similar’ polar angle’s definition is introduced, in order to analyze the regularization’s geometrical transformation. The effect of Levi-Civita’s transformation is described in a geometrical manner. Using the resulted regularized equations, we analyze and compare these canonical equations numerically, for the Earth-Moon binary system.     

A new distribution function for relativistic counterstreaming plasmas

The particle distribution function that describes two interpenetrating plasma streams is re-investigated. It is shown how, based on the Maxwell–Boltzmann–Jüttner distribution function, which has been derived almost a century ago, a counterstreaming distribution function can be derived that uses velocity space. Such is necessary for various analytical calculations and numerical simulations that are reliant on velocity coordinates rather than momentum space. The application to the electrostatic two-stream instability illustrates the differences caused by the use of the relativistic distribution function.     

Entropy per baryon in a ‘many-worlds’ cosmology

We imagine the universe split into infinitely many branches, or worlds, only one of which we can observe. Our world has an entropy per baryon 10⁹: other worlds can have all possible values of entropy per baryon. High-entropy worlds with >5×10¹¹ do not form galaxies, but only giant black holes. Low entropy worlds with <3×10⁵ do form galaxies, but only metal-poor dwarf galaxies with no planets. Life can evolve only in worlds with entropy per baryon in the range 3×10⁵<<5×10¹¹, and life is abundant only in a much narrower range.     

An apparent ‘even-odd’ cycle distribution in Mt. Wilson ‘numbers of spots’ data

Mt. Wilson numbers of spots data (as defined in Howard et al., 1984) appear to be distributed according to even-odd cycle numbering. Linear fits of annual numbers of spots versus annual sunspot number for even- and odd-numbered cycles have slopes which are statistically different at the 5% level of significance. The existence of an even-odd split in Mt. Wilson numbers of spots data may be due either to a real difference in even- and odd-numbered cycles on the Sun or to a difference in weather at Mt. Wilson (perhaps, related to the 22-yr rhythm of drought in the western United States) during even- and odd-numbered cycles, or both. For cycle 22, an even-numbered cycle, the peak numbers of spots is estimated to be near 2600.     

‘Active Longitudes’ in the Heliomagnetic Reference Frame

A new coordinate system – heliomagnetic reference frame – has been proposed in which the great circle passes through the solar pole and the north pole of the magnetic dipole is considered as the central meridian. It is shown that, in the new coordinate system, the active longitudes are defined much more clearly, are more stable in time, and are interlaced every 11 years.     

Short Gamma Ray Bursts as electromagnetic counterpart of coalescing binary systems

Coalescing binary systems, consisting of two collapsed objects, are among the most promising sources of high frequency gravitational waves signals detectable, in principle, by ground-based interferometers. Binary systems of Neutron Star or Black Hole/Neutron Star mergers should also give rise to short Gamma Ray Bursts, a subclass of Gamma Ray Bursts. Short-hard-Gamma Ray Bursts might thus provide a powerful way to infer the merger rate of two-collapsed object binaries. Under the hypothesis that most short Gamma Ray Bursts originate from binaries of Neutron Star or Black Hole/Neutron Star mergers, we outline here the possibility to associate short Gamma Ray Bursts as electromagnetic counterpart of coalescing binary systems.     

Magnetic flux tubes — nonlinear strings in relativistic magnetohydrodynamics

A special Lagrangian coordinate system is introduced, in which the magnetic flux tube is the main object of investigation. The flux tube is shown to behave as a nonlinear relativistic string in relation to tangential force. General and particular variational principles are also discussed. With the introduction of a Lagrangian coordinate system the relativistic magnetohydrodynamic equation of motion reduces to a set of nonlinear string equations. From these results it follows that a highly conductive plasma with a frozen-in magnetic field can be considered as a gas of nonlinear strings interacting through pressure forces. A method is developed which allows the multi-dimensional nonlinear problems of RMHD (relativistic MHD) with boundary layers to be reduced to a set of two-dimensional problems for flux tubes, i.e., nonlinear strings.     

A Search for the Secular Resonances in the Dynamics of the Numbered Asteroids Passing through the Earth’s Gravity Sphere in the Nearest 200 Years

Solar System Research - The paper presents the results of studying the dynamics of the numbered near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) passing through the Earth’s gravity sphere (256000 km from the...     

Redundant variables for ‘global’ regularization of the three-body problem

It has been shown (Heggie, 1974) that the equations of motion for the three-body problem may be cast into a form which is regular for collisions betweenany pair of bodies. The method proceeds by two stages, namely