IR photometry of the symbiotic star BF Cyg: Detection of the red giant’s ellipsoidal brightness variability

We present the results of our IR photometric observations of the classical symbiotic star BF Cyg acquired in 1978–2003. The variability range in the J and K bands was ～0.2^m. A periodic component in the cool star’s brightness variations is clearly visible, its period being half the orbital one and its J amplitude being ～0.15^m. This component is associated with the ellipsoidal shape of the red giant, which model calculations show fills its Roche lobe. This is required in order to reproduce ellipsoidal brightness variability with such a large amplitude: the calculated amplitude for a red giant filling 90% of its Roche lobe is half the observed value. At the same time, it was not possible to confidently chose the optimum component-mass ratio, q = M _giant /M_hot, and orbital inclination, i, from possible values in the ranges q = 2–4, i = 70°–90°. Including the contribution from the hot radiation sources (the hot component and ionized envelope), which vary with a period equal to the orbital period, has a considerable influence on the estimated parameters associated with the red giant’s ellipsoidal brightness variations, and this contribution cannot be neglected. The deviations of the observed from the calculated light curve are irregular, with the rms deviation being σ(O-C) ≈ 0.04^m.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">WBVR</Emphasis> observations of the X-ray star V1341 Cyg = Cyg X-2 in 1986–1992

We present the results of WBVR observations of the low-mass X-ray binary V1341 Cyg = Cyg X-2. Our observations include a total of 2375 individual measurements in four bands on 478 nights in 1986–1992. We tied the comparison and check stars used for the binary to the WBVR catalog using their JHK magnitudes. The uncertainty of this procedure was 3% in the B and V bands and 8%–10% for the W and R bands. In quiescence, the amplitude of the periodic component in the binary’s B brightness variations is within 0.265 ^m –0.278 ^m (0.290 ^m –0.320 ^m in W); this is due to the ellipsoidal shape of the optical component, which is distorted with gravitational forces from the X-ray component. Some of the system’s active states (long flares) may be due to instabilities in the accretion disk, and possibly to instabilities of gas flows and other accretion structures. The binary possesses a low-luminosity accretion disk. The light curves reveal no indications of an eclipse near the phases of the upper and lower conjunctions in quiescence or in active states during the observed intervals. We conclude that the optical star in the close binary V1341 Cyg = Cyg X-2 is a red giant rather than a blue straggler. We studied the longterm variability of the binary during the seven years covered by our observations. The optical observations presented in this study are compared to X-ray data from the Ginga observatory for the same time intervals.     

Spectroscopic monitoring of V1357 Cyg = Cyg X-1 in 2002–2004

We discuss the results of optical spectroscopic monitoring of Cyg X-1 = HDE 226868/V1357 Cyg in 2002–2004. Our spectroscopy was carried out at the Terskol Observatory (Kabarda-Balkaria, Russia; the resolving power was R = 45 000 and 13 000) and at the Bohyunsan Optical Astronomy Observatory (BOAO, Korea, R = 30 000 and 44 000). Each spectrum covers most of the optical range. We obtained a total of 75 echelle spectra on 33 nights, during both “soft” and “hard” X-ray states of Cyg X-1. We study the influence of the X-rays on spectral-line profiles using RXTE/ASM X-ray data. We find that the X-ray flare of June 13, 2003 resulted in strong variations of the emission profiles of the H_α and Hellλ4686 Å lines within a night. This behavior is due to variations of the ionization state of the gas in the system. We also analyzed line-profile variations with orbital phase. A spectral atlas of Cyg X-1 was created, and the lines it contains identified. A total of 172 stellar lines and blends belonging to 12 chemical elements (H, He, C, N, O, Ne, Mg, Al, Si, S, Fe, Zn) were identified. The spectral classification of HDE 226868 as an ON star is confirmed.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">UBVJHKLM</Emphasis> photometry of the symbiotic Mira V407 Cyg in 1998–2002

New results of UBV JHKLM photometry of the symbiotic Mira V407 Cyg performed in 1998–2002 are reported. In 2002, these observations were supplemented with RI observations and a search for rapid variability in the V band. The hot component of V407 Cyg experienced a strong flare in 1998, which was the second in the history of photometric observations of this star; this flare is still continuing. During the flare, the spectral energy distribution of the hot component can be approximated by blackbody radiation with a temperature of ～7200 K. At the maximum brightness, the bolometric flux from the hot component did not exceed 3% of the Mira's mean bolometric flux, while its bolometric luminosity was ～400L_⊙. Appreciable variations of the star's BV brightness \((\tilde0\mathop m\limits_. 7)\) on a timescale of several days have been observed. These variations are not correlated with variations of B-V. Flickering on a timescale of several minutes with an amplitude of \(\tilde0\mathop m\limits_. 2\) has been detected in the V band. The observations suggest that the hot component can be in three qualitatively different states. In a model with a rapidly rotating white dwarf, these states can be associated with (i) the quiescent state of the white dwarf (with a very low accretion rate), (ii) an ejection state, and (iii) an accretion state. The Mira pulsation period P is \( \approx 762\mathop d\limits_. 9\), with its infrared maximum occurring ～0.15P after the visual maximum. A “step” is observed on the ascending branch of the Mira infrared light curves. In 1998, the gradual increase of the mean K brightness of the Mira that had been observed since 1984 was interrupted by an unusually deep minimum, after which the mean level of the K brightness considerably decreased.     

Formation of the disk structure and jets in the symbiotic system Z and during periods of activity in 2006–2010

We present an analysis of spectrophotometric observations of the latest cycle of activity of the symbiotic binary Z And from 2006 to 2010. We estimate the temperature of the hot component of Z And to be ≈150 000−170 000 K at minimum brightness, decreasing to ≈90 000 K at the brightness maximum. Our estimate of the electron density in the gaseous nebula is N _e = 10¹⁰−10¹² cm⁻³ in the region of formation of lines of neutral helium and N _e = 10⁶−10⁷ cm⁻³ in the region of formation of the [OIII] and [NeIII] nebular lines. A trend for the gas density derived from helium lines to increase and the gas density derived from [OIII] and [NeIII] lines to simultaneously decrease with increasing brightness of the system was observed. Our estimates show that the ratios of the theoretical and observed fluxes in the [OIII] and [NeIII] lines agree best when the O/Ne ratio is similar to its value for planetary nebulae. The model spectral energy distribution showed that, in addition to a cool component and gaseous nebula, a relatively cool pseudophotosphere (5250–11 500 K) is present in the system. The simultaneous presence of a relatively cool pseudophotosphere and high-ionization spectral lines is probably related to a disk-like structure of the pseudophotosphere. The pseudophotosphere formed very rapidly—over several weeks—during a period of increasing brightness of Z And. We infer that in 2009, as in 2006, the activity of the system was accompanied by a collimated bipolar ejection of matter (jets). In contrast to the situation in 2006, the jets were detected even before the system reached its maximum brightness. Moreover, components with velocities close to 1200 km/s disappeared at the maximum, while those with velocities close to 1800 km/s appeared.     

Long-term tendencies in the electoral behavior and the geography of voting in St. Petersburg: 1989–1995

This paper studies the basis and nature of the long-term factors that may have influenced the electoral behavior of St. Petersburgers between 1989 and 1995 from the perspective of geography. Our analysis shows two distinct periods in St. Petersburgs recent electoral history marked by differing behavioral motivations of voters in the city. The first period was marked by only one ideological cleavage between marketers and hard-liners. In 1993 protest motivation managed to erode the predominance of ideology as the determining variable in voting behavior, and began to act as a new independent variable. This marked the beginning of the second period. Four major groupings of St. Petersburg electorate are described in terms of the basic ideological cleavages, party affiliations and geographical gravity centers.     

Evolution of the dust envelope of Sakurai’s star (V4334 Sgr) in 1997–1999

We have studied the structural evolution of the dust envelope of V4334 Sgr, starting with the onset of its condensation in 1997. A model with complete cloud cover, with the optical depth growing until the end of 1999, gives the best fit to the photometric data in the optical and IR. The inner radius of the dust layer remained virtually constant, whereas its thickness increased due to expansion. The deep minimum in the visual light curve of V4334 Sgr in October 1998 is attributed to the arrival at the dust-grain condensation zone of a density discontinuity in the circumstellar envelope. The discontinuity was probably formed early in 1997 due to an increase in the mass-loss rate by a factor of about four, possibly associated with an increase in the luminosity of V4334 Sgr during its transformation into a carbon star. After this luminosity increase, the mass-loss rate was $\dot M \approx 2 \times 10^{ - 6} M_ \odot /yr$ . In the summer of 1999, the mass of the dust envelope was $M_{dust} \approx 2 \times 10^{ - 7} M_ \odot (M_{gas} \approx 4 \times 10^{ - 6} M_ \odot)$ . In the complete-cloud-cover model, the envelope consists of graphite grains with a _gr=0.05 µm, to ～85% per cent in terms of the number of grains. The remaining ～15 per cent of the grains have sizes a _gr=0.1 and 0.25 µm. To reproduce the small hump in the spectral energy distribution of V4334 Sgr near 11 µm, some silicon carbide grains must be added to the graphite mixture. Their contribution to the V optical depth is ≤4%. The first deep minimum in the visual light curve could also be reproduced using a model in which the dust cloud has condensed along the line of sight, but a detailed analysis of the resulting characteristics of the cloud and envelope indicates that this model is improbable.     

Parameters of V404 Cyg—A black-hole binary

We present the results of spectroscopic observations of the X-ray binary V404 Cyg obtained on the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory in 2001–2002. We have used a statistical approach to interpret the radial-velocity curve of V404 Cyg. We derived the dependence of the mass of the X-ray emitting component m_x on the mass of the optical component m_v via an analysis of the radial-velocity curve based on profiles of the CaI 6439.075 Å absorption line synthesized in a Roche model. Using the orbital inclination estimated from the ellipticity of the optical component, i=54°–64°, and the component-mass ratio q=m_x/m_v=16.7 found from the rotational broadening of the spectral lines, we obtain m _s =10.65±1.95M_⊙ for the mass of the black hole.     

Analysis of archive UV observations of the symbiotic nova PU Vul during its nebular stage and brightness minimum in 1993–1994

We present an analysis of the poorly studied UV spectra of the symbiotic Nova PU Vul taken in 1991–1996. The continuum spectral energy distribution during that period (the nebular phase) can be reproduced by the standard model, which includes radiation from the hot component and nebula, in contrast to spectra observed in the 1980s, when the hot component of PU Vul was in its “supergiant” stage. The hot component’s temperature gradually increased from74 000 K (1991) to 100 000 K (1996), and the evolution of this component reflected by the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram corresponds to theoretical models describing the evolution of a thermonuclear outburst in the envelope of a white dwarf. Based on our analysis of UV observations of the eclipse in 1993–1994, we estimate the size of the cool component to have been at least 285R⊙. This confirms earlier suggestions that the cool component of PU Vul belongs to luminosity class II (bright giants) or I (supergiants), rather than class III (normal giants). Our analysis of Rayleigh scattering of the hot component’s radiation on atomic hydrogen in the extended atmosphere of the cool component suggests that the mass-loss rate of the cool component of PU Vul is variable.     

A photometric study of the polar MT draconis in 2005–2009

We have obtained data on various brightness states of the polar MT Dra over five years of observations, including the first multicolor photometry for this close binary. We confirm the known orbital period, which has remained constant over 17 years, which is unusual for cataclysmic binaries. Our observations in October 2006 demonstrated a transition of the polar to its low brightness state within one day.     

Seasonal and long-term trends in the water quality of Florida Bay (1989–1997)

Analysis of 6 yr of monthly water quality data was performed on three distinct zones of Florida Bay: the eastern bay, central bay, and western bay. Each zone was analyzed for trends at intra-annual (seasonal), interannual (oscillation), and long-term (monotonic) scales. the variables TON, TOC, temperature, and TN∶TP ratio had seasonal maxima in the summer rainy season; APA and Chla, indicators of the size and activity of the microplankton tended to have maxima in the fall. In contrast, NO₃ ⁻, NO₂ ⁻, NH₄ ⁺, turbidity, and DO_sat, were highest in the winter dry season. There were large changes in some of the water quality variables of Florida Bay over the study period. Salinity and TP concentrations declined baywide while turbidity increased dramatically. Salinity declined in the eastern, central, and western Florida Bay by 13.6‰, 11.6‰, and 5.6‰, respectively. Some of the decrease in the eastern bay could be accounted for by increased freshwater flows from the Everglades. In contrast to most other estuarine systems, increased runoff may have been partially responsible for the decrease in TP concentrations as input concentrations were 0.3–0.5 μM. Turbidity in the eastern bay increased twofold from 1991 to 1996, while in the central and western bays it increased by factors of 20 and 4, respectively. Chla concentrations were particularly dynamic and spatially heterogeneous. In the eastern bay, which makes up roughly half of the surface area of Florida Bay, Chla declined by 0.9 μg l⁻¹ (63%). The hydrographically isolated central bay zone underwent a fivefold increase in phytoplankton biomass from 1989 to 1994, then rapidly declined to previous levels by 1996. In western Florida Bay there was a significant increase in Chla, yet median concentrations of Chla in the water column remained modest (∼2 μg l⁻¹) by most estuarine standards. Only in the central bay did the DIN pool increase substantially (threefold to sixfold). Notably, these changes in turbidity and phytoplankton biomass occurred after the poorly-understood seagrass die-off in 1987. It is likely the death and decomposition of large amounts of seagrass biomass can at least partially explain some of the changes in water quality of Florida Bay, but the connections are temporally disjoint and the process indirect and not well understood.     

A Metamorphosed Au–Ag Deposit in the Precambrian of the Fennoscandian Shield: A New Conceptual Model

Doklady Earth Sciences - The Oleninskoe gold deposit is located in the northwestern part of the Kolmozero–Voron’ya greenstone belt (Kola Peninsula), in a sequence of amphibolite with...     

A Tectonic Model of the Transform Fault of the Verkhoyansk–Chukotka Mesozoids

Doklady Earth Sciences - In this work we considered the origin of the Verkhoyansk–Kolyma, Chukotka, and Southern Anyui belts, which are part of the Verkhoyansk–Chukotka folded area. It...     

Heavy metal contamination in the vicinity of the Daduk Au–Ag–Pb–Zn mine in Korea

The heavy metal contamination and seasonal variation of the metals in soils, plants and waters in the vicinity of an abandoned metalliferous mine in Korea were studied. Elevated levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were found in tailings with averages of 8.57, 481, 4,450 and 753 mg/kg, respectively. These metals are continuously dispersed downstream and downslope from the tailings by clastic movement through wind and water. Thus, significant levels of the elements in waters and sediments were found up to 3.3 km downstream from the mining site, especially for Cd and Zn. Enriched concentrations of heavy metals were also found in various plants grown in the vicinity of the mining area, and the metal concentrations in plants increased with those in soils. In a study of seasonal variation on the heavy metals in paddy fields, relatively high concentrations of heavy metals were found in rice leaves and stalks grown under oxidizing conditions rather than a reducing environment (P<0.05).     

A micro–macro investigation of the capillary strengthening effect in wet granular materials

Wet granular materials are three-dimensionally simulated by the discrete element method with water bridges incorporated between particles. The water bridges are simplified as toroidal shapes, and the matric suction is constantly maintained in the material. A comparison with experimental tests in the literature indicates that the toroidal shape approximation may be one of the best choices with high practicability and decent accuracy. Mechanical behaviours of wet granular materials are studied by triaxial tests. Effects of particle size distributions and void ratios are investigated systematically in this study. The hydraulic limit of the pendular state is also discussed. It gives the capillary cohesion function which is not only determined by the degree of saturation but also positively correlated to relative density and particle size polydispersity and inversely proportional to mean particle size. Furthermore, the capillary strengthening effect is also analysed microscopically in aid of the Stress–Force–Fabric relationship, mainly in fabric anisotropy, coordination number and stress transmission pattern, which revealed the micro-mechanisms of the additional effective stress induced by capillary effect.     

A comparison study of the C–A and S–A models with singularity analysis to identify geochemical anomalies in covered areas

Fractal/multifractal modeling of geochemical data is an interesting topic in the field of applied geochemistry. Identification of weak anomalies for mineral exploration in covered areas is one of the most challenging tasks for utilization of geochemical data. In this study, three fractal models, consisting of the concentration–area (C–A), spectrum–area (S–A) and singularity index models were applied to identify geochemical anomalies in the covered area located in the Chaobuleng Fe polymetallic district, Inner Mongolia (China). The results show that (1) the grassland cover weakens the concentrations of geochemical elements; (2) the C–A model has a limitation to identify weak anomalies in covered areas; (3) the S–A model is a powerful tool to decompose mixed geochemical patterns into a geochemical anomaly map and a varied geochemical background map but suffers edge effects in an irregular shaped study area; and (4) the singularity index is a useful tool to identify weak geochemical anomalies.     

Wolfgang Schott (1905–1989): the founder of quantitative paleoceanography

Wolfgang Schott is the pioneer in paleoceanography and has established this research field within marine geology. His papers from the first half of the twentieth century are all published in German; therefore, the most inspiring results are given here as original quotes in English, since they paved the ground for all scientific discussions on climate stratigraphy, past ocean currents, and glacial interglacial cycles.