Laser action in stellar envelopes

Model calculations for laser action in Hei are carried out, when helium plasma is rapidly cooled by expansion. Results are presented for four transitions, two of which, 3¹ S2¹ P ⁰ (7281) and 3¹ D2¹ P ⁰ (6678), show strong population inversion. Available observational evidence for possible laser action in these two lines in Wolf-Rayet and emission-line stars is summarized and discussed.     

A carbon-14 depth profile in the L5 chondrite Knyahinya

Abstract We report on a series of measurements of ¹⁴C in samples of the L-chondrite Knyahinya, as a function of depth. The results show ¹⁴C concentrations ranging from 37 to 58 dpm/kg. These measurements are compared to the levels of ²¹Ne, ¹⁰Be and noble-gas ratios in this meteorite reported by Graf et al (1990). We also compare the ¹⁴C data to the expected profile based on two sets of model calculations. The behavior of this radioisotope with depth is similar to that expected from the models, and good agreement with the profiles of other nuclides is also observed.     

BVRI CCD-Photometry of Comparison Stars in the Neighborhoods of Galaxies with Active Nuclei. II

Results are presented from CCD BVRI-observations of 145 comparison stars in the neighborhoods of 14 Seyfert galaxies, 3 quasars, and 5 BL Lac objects with right ascensions of 12 to 24 hours. The magnitudes of the observed stars ranged from V=11 to V=17. The typical photometric error for stars brighter V=14 is 0^m.01. The B, V, Rc, and Ic magnitudes of most of these stars were not known previously. 14′ x 14′ finding charts are provided. These results can be used for differential photometry of the nuclei of active galaxies in the B, V, Rc, and Ic bands.__________Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 365–379 (August 2005).     

Identification of some diffuse interstellar features

Twenty-eight of the thirty-nine diffuse interstellar bands identified by Herbig (1975) are shown to constitute three vibronic systems with origins at 14 321, 15 153, and 15 343 cm^–1 (vac). Structure within these three systems arises from the excitation of vibrational modes withv ₁=275 cm^–1,v ₂=445.5 cm^–1, andv ₃=793 cm^–1. The electronic origins at 14 321 and 15 343 cm^–1 correspond to narrow lines observed in the spectrum of Cr³⁺ ions at cubic sites in MgO solids while the 15 153 cm^–1 origin arises in Mn⁴⁺ : MgO. Hence, many of the diffuse bands in the visible likely are due to small MgO particles containing these ions. This observation is compatible with recent experimental data showing broad bands at 160 nm and 220 nm from finely divided MgO solids that match features in the interstellar extinction curve.     

Authors' Reply

Abstract— Jull et al. propose an alternative interpretation of our depth vs. ¹⁴C data measured on a peat core from the central Tunguska impact site (Rasmussen et al., 1999). We find that the proposed alternative is untenable.     

Photoelectric observations of the flare star BD + 55° 1823

A light variation in Johnson'sV-band of flare star EV Lac has been registered by Pettersen (1980). The cycle length was 4 _. ^d 378 with amplitude about 0 _. ^m 07. A Fourier analysis programme has been applied on our measured data of the flare star BD+55°1823 in Johnson'sV andB bands. A period of 16^d and amplitude of 0 _. ^m 14 have been detected in theV-band.     

A Population II main sequence

Results of calculations of main sequence stellar models for metal poor star are presented. A fictitious pre-main sequence evolution was computed in order to give the distribution of the primary elements H, He³, He⁴, C¹², N¹⁴ and O¹⁶ in the stellar interior. The selected initial chemical composition wasX=.9,Z=.001.Comparison with previous results indicates a life-time of the main sequence phase shorter than it was believed before.     

Structure of clusters with bimodal distribution of radial velocities of galaxies. IV: A1569

We report the results of study of the A1569 cluster (12 ^h 36^m.3, +16°35′) and the neighboring A1589 cluster (12 ^h 41^m.3, +18°34′), making up a pair (a supercluster) with a projected size of about 10Mpc. This study is done within the framework of our program for investigating the galaxy clusters with bimodal velocity distributions (i.e., clusters where the velocities of subsystems differ by more than Δcz ∼ 3000 km/s). In the A1569 cluster we have identified two subsystems: A1569A (cz = 20613 km/s) and A1569B (cz = 23783 km/s). These subsystems have the line-of-sight velocity dispersions of 484 km/s and 493 km/s, and dynamic masses within the R ₂₀₀ radius equal to 1.8 × 10¹⁴ and 2.0 × 10¹⁴ M _⊙, respectively. We directly estimate the distances to these subsystems using three methods applied to earlytype galaxies: the Kormendy relation, photometric plane, and fundamental plane. To this end, we use the results of our observations made with the 1-m telescope of the SAO RAS and the data adopted from the SDSS DR7 catalog. We found that A1569 consists of two independent clusters. The A1569B cluster is located at the Hubble distance corresponding to its radial velocity. The A1569A cluster has a peculiar velocity of −1290 ± 630 km/s, which can be explained by the effect of the more massive A1589 cluster (with a mass of 7.9 × 10¹⁴ M _⊙) and of the supercluster where it resides. In all the four bimodal clusters that we studied within the framework of our program, A1035, A1775, A1831, and A1569, the subsystems are independent clusters lying close to the Hubble relation between redshift and distance.     

The proton-proton reaction and related reactions in an intense magnetic field

The reaction rates for the proton-proton reaction and the related electron capture reaction in a strongly magnetized relativistic electron gas of arbitrary degree of degeneracy are computed. The proton-proton reaction rates are unaffected by the presence of the magnetic field for field strengths up to the critical valueH _q =m ² c ³/e=4.414×10¹³G. For fields greater thanH _q , the proton-proton reaction rates are enhanced linearly with (=H/H _q ).The PeP reaction is investigated in detail for a wide range of temperatures, densities and magnetic field strengths that are of interest. The main results are as follows: In the non-degenerate regime the reaction rates are significantly reduced for high temperatures (T ₉5) and low fields (1). For instance, _pep(H)=0.04 _pep(O) at =10^–3,T ₉=10. For relatively high fields (>1) and low temperatures (T ₉2), the reaction rates are enhanced approximately linearly with . In the complete degenerate regime the reaction rates are reduced up to one-third of the field-free value for moderate densities (₆/_e10). At high densities (₆/_e10) the reaction rates are unaffected by the magnetic field.     

Electron densities derived from line intensity ratios: Beryllium isoelectronic sequence

A direct method for determining electron densities from emission line intensities of ions in the beryllium isoelectronic sequence is described and then applied to the analysis of extreme ultraviolet Ciii and Ov spectra from both quiet and active areas in the solar transition region. The results are consistent with a value of N _e T _e = 6 × 10¹⁴ cm^-3K for the quiet Sun at temperatures of 5 × 10⁴ to 3 × 10⁵K. Electron densities are approximately five times greater in active regions than in the quiet Sun.     

Photometric reductions and the lightcurve of (51) Nemausa

The lightcurve of (51) Nemausa is determined by 1779 photoelectric observations in B and V and reduction by a rigorous least-squares method is discussed. For the lost (1026) Ingrid is obtained B(1,0) = 14^m.7.     

Ubv(Ri)C Photometry of the Contact W Uma Binary Bd + 14∘5016

New UBV(RI)_C observations and radial velocities of the W UMa-type system BD + 14^∘5016 were collected. Changes of the properties of a hot spot, located on the surface of the primary component, have been noticed.     

Spectra of the ammonium radical: the schüler bands

The main bands of the Schüler system of ND₄ and NH₄ have been observed at high resolution. On the basis of these spectra, Watson, in a separate paper, has analysed the ND₄ main band showing that it represents a²F₂ → ² A₁ transition of a tetrahedral molecule. The observed wavenumber data for both ND₄ and NH₄ are presented; the latter have not yet been analysed. Isotopic bands for¹⁵ND₄,¹⁴ND₃H,¹⁴ND₂H₂,¹⁴NDH₃ have also been obtained and as previously pointed out confirm the assumed carrier of the spectrum. The much weaker bands accompanying the main Schüler band on the short and long wavelength sides are photographed at medium resolution. The interpretation of these bands in terms of the vibrational levels of upper and lower states is briefly discussed.     

A family of physically realizable perfect fluid spheres representing a quark–stars in general relativity

In the present article, a family of static spherical symmetric well behaved interior solutions is derived by considering the metric potential g ₄₄=B(1−Cr ²)⁻ⁿ for the various values of n, such that (1+n)/(1−n) is positive integer. The solutions so obtained are utilised to construct the heavenly bodies’ like quasi-black holes such as white dwarfs, neutron stars, quarks etc., by taking the surface density 2×10¹⁴ gm/cm³. The red shifts at the centre and on the surface are also computed for the different star models. Moreover the adiabatic index is calculated in each case. In this process the authors come across the quarks star only. Least and maximum mass are fond to be 3.4348M _Θ and 4.410454M _Θ along with the radii 21.0932 km and 23.7245 km respectively.     

The irregular galaxy Cassiopeia 1 – a new member of the Local group

A photometry in the V, R, I (Cousins) system has been performed for stars in the galaxy Cassiopeia 1. The resulting colour-agnitude (CM) diagram of Cas 1 reveals the existence of blue stars and the absence of red ones. From an analysis of the CM diagram of the galaxy it is concluded that A_v = 4.0 mag, and the distance modulus (m – M)_o = 24.5 mag, corresponding to a distance of 790 kpc. The visual magnitude of the galaxy is V = 14^m.62 (M_v = −13^m.8) and the colour index (V – R) = 0.89 mag. From the distance determination the galaxy Cassiopeia 1 is a member of the Local group.     

Observations of coronal disturbances from 1 to 9 R ⊙

Observations of a coronal disturbance on 1973 January 11 commencing at 18^h01^m UT are described. The event is homologous with an earlier disturbance from the same region of the corona. The observations suggest that a cloud of coronal gas containing 4 × 10³⁹ electrons propagated outwards to 5 R behind a piston-driven shock wave travelling at a velocity of 800 to 1200 km s^–1.On leave from Division of Radiophysics, CSIRO, Sydney, Australia.     

A review of East Asian reports of aurorae and comets circa AD 775

Given that a strong ¹⁴C variation in AD 775 has recently been suggested to be due to the largest solar flare ever recorded in history, it is relevant to investigate whether celestial events observed around that time may have been aurorae, possibly even very strong aurorae, or otherwise related to the ¹⁴C variation (e.g. a suggested comet impact with Earth's atmosphere). We critically review several celestial observations from AD 757 to the end of the 770s, most of which were previously considered to be true, and in some cases, strong aurorae; we discuss in detail the East Asian records and their wording. We conclude that probably none among the events after AD 770 was actually an aurora, including the event in AD 776 Jan, which was misdated for AD 774 or 775; the observed white qi phenomenon that happened above the moon in the south‐east was most probably a halo effect near the full Moon – too late in any case to be related to the ¹⁴C variation in AD 774/5. There is another report of a similar (or identical) white qi phenomenon above the moon, reported just before a comet observation and dated to AD 776 Jan; the reported comet observed by the Chinese was misdated to AD 776, but actually sighted in AD 767. Our critical review of East Asian reports of aurorae circa AD 775 shows some very likely true Chinese auroral displays observed and reported for AD 762; there were also several events prior to AD 771 that may have been aurorae but are questionable. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Comment on “Evidence for a very high carbon/iridium ratio in the Tunguska impactor” by K. L. Rasmussen,H. J. F. Olsen,R. Gwozdz and E. M. Kolesnikov

Abstract— We discuss possible evidence for a dilution of ¹⁴C caused by the Tunguska impact event, proposed by Rasmussen et al. (1999). The results presented in that paper and other available information do not support this hypothesis.     

A class of well behaved charged analogues of Vaidya–Tikekar type super-dense star

In the present article a model of well behaved charged superdense star with surface density 2×10¹⁴ gm/cm³ is constructed by considering a static spherically symmetric metric with t=const hypersurfaces as hyperboloid. So far well behaved model described by such metric could not be obtained. Maximum mass of the star is found to be 0.343457M _⊙ and the corresponding radius is 9.57459 km. The red shift at the centre and on the surface are given as 0.068887 and 0.031726 respectively.     

On possibility of detection of variable sources using the data of “Cold” surveys carried out on RATAN-600

In this study we attempt to assess the possibility of detection of variable sources using the data of the 7.6-cm wavelength surveys carried out on the RATAN-600 radio telescope in the period from 1980 through 1994. Objects selected according to certain criteria from the RCR catalog are used to construct the calibration curves and to estimate the accuracy of the resulting calibration curves and determine the r.m.s. errors for the measured source flux densities. To check the calibration sources for the presence of variable objects, quantitative estimates are performed for a number of parameters that characterize variability, in particular, for the long-term variability index V and the χ ² (chi-square) probability p. The long-term variability index was found to be positive for 14 out of approximately 80 calibration sources, possibly indicating that these sources are variable. The most likely candidate variables are the three sources with the χ ² probability p > 0.95. Five sources have χ ² probabilities in the 0.85 < p < 0.95 interval, and the remaining six in the 0.6 < p < 0.8 interval. Nine out of 14 objects are possibly variable in the optical range. The light curves and spectra are determined for possible variable sources and a number of “non-variable” objects. We plan to use the results of this study in our future searches for variable radio sources using the data of the “Cold” surveys.