Meteoroid Stream Searching: The Use of the Vectorial Elements

In this initial study, we propose a new distance function D _V involving heliocentric vectorial orbital elements. The function measures differences between: the orbital energies, the angular momentums vectors and the Laplace vectors. In comparison with the widely used D _SH criterion of Southworth and Hawkins, D _D criterion of Drummond and their hybrid D _H by Jopek, the new function contains one invariant with respect to the principal secular perturbation: the orbital energy. The new function proved to be useful in the classification amongst the IAU2003 meteoroids which we searched for streams by D _V function and also using D _SH and D _N -function given by Valsecchi et al. For major streams, the results agree very well. For minor, and near-ecliptical streams the results sometimes differ markedly.     

New period study of the eclipsing binary V865 Cygni

Several new precise times of minima, based on CCD observations, have been secured for the relatively seldom studied eclipsing binary V865 Cyg (P=0^d.365 days). Its O–C diagram was analysed and new light elements are given. We showed that there is probably no parabolic period increase in V865 Cyg. Instead, a single abrupt period increase can be distinguished in the O–C diagram.     

A new dynamical spectrum for galactic potentials

We investigate the properties of motion, using the distribution of the values of a new dynamical parameter, in two different galactic potentials. The first is a potential made up of harmonic oscillators while the second is a logarithmic potential. We call the distribution functions of the new parameter the S(r) dynamical spectrum. A comparison between the spectrum of stretching numbers S(α) and the new spectrum is made. The results of our numerical calculations suggest that the S(r) spectrum is a better discriminant between different types of orbits while requiring considerable less computation time. An application of the new dynamical spectrum to barred galaxy models is also presented.     

The science behind the vision for U.S. space exploration: the value of a human–robotic partnership

The Vision for U.S. Space Exploration offers new opportunities for aggressively increasing the pace of scientific discoveries across the Solar System by empowering an on-site partnership between humans and robotics, enhanced by new technology-enabled capabilities. In particular, the early emphasis of this new Vision will be on development of new scientific activities on the Moon, and later on Mars. Integration of in situ traditional science activities with creative new types of applied scientific research on the Moon and Mars is a key ingredient in the US Vision. The Apollo era record of achievement involving human exploration is particularly informative, as it demonstrates the accelerated pace of scientific discovery and understanding that resulted from human “on site” activities, however briefly, on planetary surfaces. An example of how integrated human and robotic exploration can enable breakthrough science on the planet Mars is provided in order to illustrate these points. The scientific opportunities associated with the Vision for US Space Exploration are many, and with the incorporation of human-based capabilities on the Moon and Mars, an accelerated pace of discovery and understanding will be possible.     

Cosmological evolution and?statefinder diagnostic for?new holographic dark energy model in?non?flat universe

In this paper, the holographic dark energy model with new infrared cut-off proposed by Granda and Oliveros has been investigated in spatially non flat universe. The dependency of the evolution of equation of state, deceleration parameter and cosmological evolution of Hubble parameter on the parameters of new HDE model are calculated. Also, the statefinder parameters r and s in this model are derived and the evolutionary trajectories in s−r plane are plotted. We show that the evolutionary trajectories are dependent on the model parameters of new HDE model. Eventually, in the light of SNe + BAO + OHD + CMB observational data, we plot the evolutionary trajectories in s−r and q−r planes for best fit values of the parameters of new HDE model.     

Light curves analysis of AB Andromedae

The new B and V light curves of the eclipsing variable AB And obtained during 1979 are analysed. Frequency Domain techniques is used and new geometric and photometric elements are given.     

New agegraphic dark energy in <Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>) gravity

In this paper, we study a cosmological application of the new agegraphic dark energy density in the f(R) gravity framework. We employ the new agegraphic model of dark energy to obtain the equation of state for the new agegraphic energy density in a spatially flat universe. Our calculations show, taking n<0, that it is possible to have w _Λ crossing −1. This implies that one can generate a phantom-like equation of state from a new agegraphic dark energy model in a flat universe in the modified gravity cosmology framework. Also, we develop a reconstruction scheme for the modified gravity with f(R) action.     

Automated search for star clusters in large multiband surveys: II. Discovery and investigation of open clusters in the galactic plane

Automated search for star clusters in J, H, K _s data from 2MASS catalog has been performed using the method developed by Koposov et al. (2008). We have found and verified 153 new clusters in the interval of the galactic latitude −24° < b < 24°. Color excesses E(B − V), distance moduli and ages were determined for 130 new and 14 yet-unstudied known clusters. In this paper, we publish a catalog of coordinates, diameters, and main parameters of all the clusters under study. A special web-site available at has been developed to facilitate dissemination and scientific usage of the results.     

On Sitnikov-like motions generating new kinds of 3D periodic orbits in the R3BP with prolate primaries

The existence of new equilibrium points is established in the restricted three-body problem with equal prolate primaries. These are located on the Z-axis above and below the inner Eulerian equilibrium point L ₁ and give rise to a new type of straight-line periodic oscillations, different from the well known Sitnikov motions. Using the stability properties of these oscillations, bifurcation points are found at which new types of families of 3D periodic orbits branch out of the Z-axis consisting of orbits located entirely above or below the orbital plane of the primaries. Several of the bifurcating families are continued numerically and typical member orbits are illustrated.     

Recent photometry of symbiotic stars

We present new photometric observations of 15 symbiotic stars covering their last orbital cycle(s) from 2003.9 to 2007.2. We obtained our data by both classical photoelectric and CCD photometry. Main results are: EG And brightened by ∼0.3 mag in U from 2003. A ∼0.5 mag deep primary minimum developed in the U light curve (LC) at the end of 2006. ZAnd continues its recent activity that began during the 2000 autumn. A new small outburst started in summer of 2004 with a peak U magnitude of ∼ 9.2. During the spring of 2006 the star entered a massive outburst. It reached its historical maximum at U ∼ 8.0 in 2006 July. AEAra erupted in 2006 February with Δm_vis ∼ 1.2 mag. BF Cyg entered a new active stage in 2006 August. A brightness maximum (U ∼ 9.4) was measured during 2006 September. CH Cyg persists in a quiescent phase. During 2006 June–December a ∼ 2 mag decline in all colours was measured. CI Cyg started a new active phase during 2006 May–June. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The intriguing orbital period variability of Y Leonis

The orbital period variation of the oEA system Y Leo is revised by taking into account new times of minimum light covering an extended time base of 101.8 yr. A multiperiodic ephemeris was finally established by carefully approaching the problem of periodicity detection for the considered periodic components. A method relying on Monte Carlo simulations was applied. The problem of the long-term behaviour of the O–C curve was taken into account using parabolic, and parabolic + periodic ephemerides. The physical interpretation of the mathematical models describing both long- and short-term behaviour of the O–C curve was performed by considering different mechanisms: the conservative mass transfer, the light-time effect, and the orbital period modulation through the cyclic magnetic activity of the late spectral type secondary component in the system. The consequences of these interpretations are rather intriguing and emphasize the need of new and detailed observational studies on Y Leo.     

Expansions of (r/a)m cos jv and (r/a)m sin jv to high eccentricities

Expansions of the functions (r/a)^cos jv and (r/a)m ^sin jv of the elliptic motion are extended to highly eccentric orbits, 0.6627 ... <e<1. The new expansions are developed in powers of (e–e*), wheree* is a fixed value of the eccentricity. The coefficients of these expansions are expressed in terms of the derivatives of Hansen's coefficients with respect to the eccentricity. The new expansions are convergent for values of the eccentricity such that |e–e*|<(e*), where the radius of convergence (e*) is the same of the extended solution of Kepler's equation. The new expansions are intrinsically related to Lagrange's series.     

Eccentric Eclipsing Binary YY Sagittarii

Seven new precise times of minimum light have been gathered for the triple eccentric eclipsing binary YY Sgr (P = 2^d.63, e = 0.16). Its O--C diagram is presented and improved elements of the apsidal motion and the light-time effect are given. We found a new short period of the third body of about 18.5 years in an eccentric orbit (e ₃ ≃ 0.4).     

The extended phase space formulation of the Vinti problem

The Vinti problem, motion about an oblate spheroid, is formulated using the extended phase space method. The new independent variable, similar to the true anomaly, decouples the radius and latitude equations into two perturbed harmonic oscillators whose solutions toO(J ₂ ⁴ ) are obtained using Lindstedt's method. From these solutions and the solution to the Hamilton-Jacobi equation suitable angle variables, their canonical conjugates and the new Hamiltonian are obtained. The new Hamiltonian, accurate toO(J ₂ ⁴ ) is function of only the momenta.     

Classical Cepheids: a New version of the Baade-Becker-Wesselink method

We propose a new version of the Baade-Becker-Wesselink technique, which allows one to independently determine the color excess and the intrinsic color of a radially pulsating star, in addition to its radius, luminosity, and distance. The method is a generalization of the Balona approach. It also allows the function F(CI ₀) = BC(CI ₀) + 10 × log(T _eff (CI ₀)) for the class of pulsating stars considered to be calibrated. The reddenings of several classical Cepheids with very accurate light and radial-velocity curves and with bona fide membership in open clusters (SZ Tau, CF Cas,USgr, DL Cas,GY Sge) agree well with the reddening estimates of the host open clusters. The new technique can also be applied to other pulsating variables, e.g. RR Lyrae.     

Photoelectric observations of BV Draconis

In this paper the twoB andV light curves of the close eclipsing binaryBV Draconis, obtained with the 48-in reflector of the National Observatory of Athens, are represented and discussed. Also, new period of the system is given.     

The evolution and the secondary maximum of the green line intensity

A new relation has been given in order to calculate the intensity of the green line of the solar corona at 5303 Å as a function of the number of proton events N _P and the R (R) index of solar activity. This relation is available for the 19th and 20th solar cycles. Moreover there is given a theoretical justification of this relationship taking into account as a new parameter the evolution of the coronal magnetic field during the solar cycle.     

Lunisolar effect on the trigger of earthquakes

Dealing with moon theory and tidal dynamics and checking lists of earthquake data one can take the following two observations: 1) The first extreme proxigean spring tide in the new millennium happened on 2005 January 10, in new moon phase, and half a synodic month earlier, when the Moon was full on 2004 December 26, the Christmas Tsunami was triggered in the Indian Ocean. The next extreme tide in new moon phase will occur after one Saros cycle, on 2023 January 21. 2) The second observation is connected with the lunar evection anomaly. The time between the Whitsun Quake in China on 2008 May 12 and the Christmas Tsunami amounts to 1233 days. On the other hand, three lunar evectional cycles take 3 × U_e = 3 × 411.8 = 1235 days. These observations hint at lunisolar structures in the earthquake distribution. In the present treatise we will reveal such structures by composing lunisolar ephemerides and earthquake Tables. In particular, we use Student's t‐test and show that there is a significant relationship between the beat period U_e and the earthquake statistics (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Fast computation of complete elliptic integrals and Jacobian elliptic functions

As a preparation step to compute Jacobian elliptic functions efficiently, we created a fast method to calculate the complete elliptic integral of the first and second kinds, K(m) and E(m), for the standard domain of the elliptic parameter, 0 < m < 1. For the case 0 < m < 0.9, the method utilizes 10 pairs of approximate polynomials of the order of 9–19 obtained by truncating Taylor series expansions of the integrals. Otherwise, the associate integrals, K(1 − m) and E(1 − m), are first computed by a pair of the approximate polynomials and then transformed to K(m) and E(m) by means of Jacobi’s nome, q, and Legendre’s identity relation. In average, the new method runs more-than-twice faster than the existing methods including Cody’s Chebyshev polynomial approximation of Hastings type and Innes’ formulation based on q-series expansions. Next, we invented a fast procedure to compute simultaneously three Jacobian elliptic functions, sn(u|m), cn(u|m), and dn(u|m), by repeated usage of the double argument formulae starting from the Maclaurin series expansions with respect to the elliptic argument, u, after its domain is reduced to the standard range, 0 ≤ u < K(m)/4, with the help of the new method to compute K(m). The new procedure is 25–70% faster than the methods based on the Gauss transformation such as Bulirsch’s algorithm, sncndn, quoted in the Numerical Recipes even if the acceleration of computation of K(m) is not taken into account.     

Photo-electric study of the eclipsing binary RU Eridani

B andV observations of the eclipsing binary RU Eridani made on 23 nights during 1974–76 are reported. An improved period of 0^d.63219951 is derived. After rectification ofB andV light curves, new elements are derived using Russel-Merrill method. The system is classified as semidetached.