Digging Foundations for the ‘Royal Road’

H.N. Russell and Z. Kopal both liked the metaphor of the “Royal Road” to scientific discovery; I discuss which one used it first. I present some personal reminiscences of Professor Kopal and then consider his attitude to the determination of the elements of eclipsing binaries from their observed light changes, comparing it with that of Russell. This leads me to discuss Kopal’s work on the evolution of binary stars and his opposition to the prevailing belief in the importance of mass transfer between the components. Kopal’s attitudes on these matters puzzle me, but I suggest that at least part of his motivation was to act as a critic of “normal science” within the paradigm that most of us have accepted.     

Radio Interferometric Observations of the Sun Using Commercial Dish TV Antennas

This memoir is a summary of my early childhood, education, and research career at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, DC. I describe my early interest in astronomy and how I wound up working in the fields of solar physics and X-ray-UV spectroscopy of high temperature plasmas. I describe some of my home life and other interests, my education at the University of Pittsburgh, and the various projects and management activities that I have been fortunate to work on at NRL. I have been blessed with being able to work at a first-class research laboratory populated by outstanding scientists. I am particularly blessed to have worked with my many friends and colleagues in the NRL Space Science Division. Perhaps I am most blessed by having had wonderful parents that gave me the interests I have in life and the passion to pursue them, and an outstanding wife that has been my partner through good and bad times for over 50 years. I am now retired but for three years I was a participant in the NRL Voluntary Emeritus Program (VEP). However, this memoir is a personal account, and not work done as a VEP.

     

Reminiscence of my Sixty-five year Voyage in Astronomy

I returned to China from the United Kingdom in 1953,then worked in Purple Mountain Observatory.It was the early days of new China.The elder generation of astronomers was undertaking an effort of "repairing broken and filling defect" during those post-war years,and started planning and laying the foundation of modern astronomy.Under their leadership,I started a journey of astronomy whose main task was construction.The journey has been full of twists and turns.As a result of the "Great Leap Forward" in 1958 and the 1966 launch of the decade-long "Cultural Revolution" period,the situation of construction in astronomy was similar to that in other sciences,suffering bad effects.Not until the "Reform and Opening up" period after those events was construction able to continue,and various disciplines and international connections began to open.A "passage" had gradually developed.In this new circumstance,I kept pursuing the pioneers to explore a forward direction.Looking back today,this journey has been three periods of a four generation relay.This article is divided into three sections that describe my research work in these times that I recall:(1) Looking back at the beginning of the return and tracing the footprints of the founders.(2) Recalling my radio astronomy tour.(3) Retrospection and expectation of LAMOST.     

How the space astronomy has extended the horizon of astronomy

On the basis of my experience in the X-ray astronomy, and on some typical highlights of multi-wavelength observations, I emphasize the importance of collaboration between space astronomy and ground-based astronomy.Paper presented at the Symposium on the JNLT and Related Engineering Developments, Tokyo, November 29–December 2, 1988.     

Rr CrB and Algol – The First and Last Star in Zdeněk Kopal’s Life with Binaries

Several important turning points appeared in the personal life and scientific career of Zdeněk Kopal, every time, when he entered a new field of research. Four particular periods of his life will be commented in the present paper: the studies in Prague and early observations in the variable star programme of the Czech Astronomical Society; the first lectures on close binaries at Harvard; the intermezzo of lunar research; and the last period after 1989, when Zdeněk Kopal returned several times to Prague University.     

Future technologies for optical and infrared telescopes and instruments

The theme of this conference is the evolution of telescopes over the last 400 years. I present my view on what the major leaps of technology have been, and attempt to predict what new technologies could come along in the next 50 years to change the way we do astronomy and help us make new discoveries. Are we approaching a peak of innovation and discovery, and will this be followed by a slow decline? Or are there prospects for even further technology leaps and consequent new discoveries? Will global resource and financial crises bring an end to our great ambitions, or will we continue with bigger telescopes and more ambitious space observatories?     

Convection,helioseismology and solar energy:personal reminiscence

This article is a brief history of my life from childhood and describes how I became interested in astronomy. Starting from researches using radiative transfer as a main tool,I gradually expanded my research field to hydrodynamics(particularly convection,turbulence,pulsation,waves and helioseismology),magnetohydrodynamics and chaotic systems. My recent interest is to develop a sustainable society using solar energy.     

The Leonard Medal Address

Abstract— The science of nucleosynthesis was substantially inspired by chemical analyses of meteorites. As if in repayment, that theory now imbues meteoritics with enlarged meaning. I recount the emergence of four great issues for nucleosynthesis—issues that received decades of my own attention; and I describe unexpected abundance patterns within meteorites that were suggested by the resolution of those issues. The latter have altered the information content of meteoritic science. The issues are: 1. a quantitative s-process theory 2. cosmoradiogenic chronology 3. explosive nucleosynthesis and gamma-ray astronomy 4. cosmic chemical memory Starting from historical origins for each issue, I comment upon both the broad cultural canvas in which they lie and my own work in their establishment. Examples of predicted (or rationalized) meteoritic measurements illustrate our surprised delight at the expansion of the range and power of meteoritic science.     

The Knorre astronomers' dynasty

We attempt to throw light upon the poorly known astronomical dynasty of Knorre and describe its contribution to astronomy. The founder of the dynasty, Ernst Christoph Friedrich Knorre (1759–1810), was born in Germany in 1759, and since 1802 he was a Professor of Mathematics at the Tartu University, and observer at its temporary observatory. He determined the first coordinates of Tartu by stellar observations. Karl Friedrich Knorre (1801–1883) was the first director of the Naval Observatory in Nikolaev since the age of 20, provided the Black Sea navy with accurate time and charts, trained mariners in astronomical navigation, and certified navigation equipment. He compiled star maps and catalogues, and determined positions of comets and planets. He also participated in Bessel's project of the Academic Star Charts, and was responsible for Hora 4, published by the Berlin Academy of Sciences. This sheet permitted to discover two minor planets, Astraea and Flora. Viktor Knorre (1840–1919) was born in Nikolaev. In 1862 he left for Berlin to study astronomy. After defending his thesis for a doctor's degree, he went to Pulkovo as an astronomical calculator in 1867. Since 1873 Viktor worked as an observer of the Berlin Observatory Fraunhofer refractor. His main research focussed on minor planets, comets and binary stars. He discovered the minor planets Koronis, Oenone, Hypatia and Penthesilea. Viktor Knorre also worked on improving astronomical instrumentation, e.g. the Knorre & Heele equatorial telescope mounting (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Cooperation in astronomy between Indonesia and Japan

The cooperation programme in astronomy between Indonesia and Japan is presented as an example of a well-coordinated bilateral cooperation between Asian countries. This cooperation has started in 1979, in the fields of galactic astronomy and stellar physics. The form of the cooperation is principally the exchange of persons between both countries for the purposes of collaborative works in some specific fields, the training of young astronomers, and technical cooperation. The main subjects of collaborative works are: (1) survey of red giants in the galactic center region, (2) survey of H-emission stars in some areas of the sky, (3) theoretical study of the dynamical evolution of stellar systems, (4) photoelectric observations of southern close binaries, (5) X-ray binaries and pulsars, (6) Be stars, and (7) other topics. The organization and main results of these works are presented, along with a future aspect of the cooperation.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984.     

Research career of an astronomer who has studied celestial mechanics

Celestial mechanics has been a classical field of astronomy. Only a few astronomers were in this field and not so many papers on this subject had been published during the first half of the 20 thcentury.However, as the beauty of classical dynamics and celestial mechanics attracted me very much, I decided to take celestial mechanics as my research subject and entered university, where a very famous professor of celestial mechanics was a member of the faculty. Then as artificial satellites were launched starting from October 1958, new topics were investigated in the field of celestial mechanics. Moreover, planetary rings,asteroids with moderate values of eccentricity, inclination and so on have become new fields of celestial mechanics. In fact I have tried to solve such problems in an analytical way. Finally, to understand what gravitation is I joined the TAMA300 gravitational wave detector group.     

Self-similar solutions in the theory of flare-ups in novae,I

The aim of this paper will be to present the geometrical elements of a group of totally-eclipsing close binary systems of W UMa-type, evaluated in the frequency-domain by a method developed recently by one of us (Kopal, 1982a, b) which takes account of photometric effects caused by mutual distortion of the components within eclipses. The outcome discloses that the geometry of such systems conforms more closely to that of a pair of contact configurations of the respective mass-ratio than that previously deduced from the same photometric evidence by more elementary methods; and strengthens our earlier surmise (Kopal, 1955) that the components of such systems are not actually separated from each other by any significant gap.     

Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel (1784–1846)

May I first express my warmest thanks to the organizers of the Conference for having invited me to present a brief bibliographic report on the great astronomer F. W. Bessel. You have given me a welcome opportunity to express an appreciation of Bessel's work which has marked the beginning of research on the motion of stars and which was pioneer work on astrometric binaries and on the determination of stellar distances. Bessel has established the first celestial coordinate system which approximates an inertial system, and my colleagues and I at Heidelberg in establishing an improved fundamental reference system, the FK5, have had to review again some of Bessel's pioneer contributions to this field, and such contributions shall be mentioned later. My talk shall be divided into the following parts: (1) Bessel's course of life and family; (2) Education in astronomy in Bremen; (3) Fundamenta Astronomiae; (4) Fundamental observations at the Königsberg Observatory (or according to S. Newcomb (1906): the German School of Astrometry); (5) 61 Cygni; (6) Bibliography of Bessel's original works.Communication presented at the International Conference on Astrometric Binaries, held on 13–15 June, 1984, at the Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, Germany, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel (1784–1846).     

Vibrational stability of the components of close binary systems

The aim of the present paper will be to extend our previous investigation of the vibrational stability of rotating configurations (Kopal, 1981) to a similar investigation of the stability of the components of close binary systems which not only rotate, but also distort each other by tidal action. To this end, differential equations which govern first-order oscillations of arbitrary spherical-harmonic symmetry will be set up in Clairaut coordinates in which the radial coordinate is replaced by the potential which remains constant over level surfaces of equilibrium configurations; introduced by us in an earlier paper (Kopal, 1980), and their form detailed for surface distorted by second-, third-, and fourth-harmonic tides raised by the external mass; and their boundary conditions established. A solution of such differential boundary-value problems arising in connection with the stars of arbitrary structure remains, of course, a task for automatic computers. It may only be added that the tide-generating potential Ψ _T established in this paper should enable us to study, by the same method, not only free, but also forced oscillations of the components of close binary systems, arising from orbital eccentricity of the respective couples, dynamical tides, or other causes likely to be operative in such systems.     

The evolution of adopted values for precession

A survey of values of the speed of general precession in longitude is presented from the time of Bessel to the adoption of the new value by the IAU in 1976 for use in the FK5 and the J2000 reference system. The important contributions of Walter Fricke to this area of fundamental astronomy are outlined.Dedicated to Walter Fricke on the occasion of his 70th birthday and of his retirement as director of the Astronomisches Rechen-Institut in Heidelberg in appreciation of the insight he has given us and in anticipation of his continued research in fundamental astronomy.     

Periodic perturbations in close binary systems due to tidal distortion (non-lagging tides)

In a previous paper (Zafiropoulos and Kopal, 1982; hereafter referred to as Paper I) we have studies the effects of rotational distortion on the orbital elements. The aim of the present paper is to investigate the secular and periodic perturbations of the orbital elements due to tidal distortion. For tidal distortion when tides do not lag, the Gaussian form of Lagrange's planetary equations has been employed to yield the first- and second-order approximations. The results obtained include the effects produced by the second, third and fourth harmonic distortions. The first order approximation for non-lagging tides has been expressed by means of Hansen coefficients.     

The Roche Coordinates in three dimensions and their application to problems of double-star astronomy

In a preceding paper (Kopal, 1969; in what follows referred to as Paper I) we introduced a new system of curvilinear coordinates-hereafter referred to as Roche Coordinates — in which spheres of constant radius in spherical polars have been replaced by surfaces of constant potential of a rotating gravitational dipole; while the angular coordinates are orthogonal to the equipotentials. In Paper I we established an explicit form of such a transformation, and related the Roche coordinates with polar coordinates (with which they coalesce in the immediate neighbourhood of each one of the two finite mass-points) in the plane case. The aim of the present investigation will be to generalize the definition of the Roche coordinates to three dimensions.The opening Section 1 of this paper will contain a general outline of the proposed three-dimensional transformation; and in Section 2 details of this transformation will be explicitly worked out correctly to quantities of first order in superficial distortion — an approximation which should prove adequate in regions surrounding the two finite masses; while in Section 3 we shall evaluate (to this degree of accuracy) the metric coefficients of the respective transformation, and its direction cosines, in both polar and curvilinear coordinates. Section 4 will then contain a formulation of the fundamental equations of hydrodynamics in terms of the three-dimensional Roche coordinates; and their advantages for a treatment of certain classes of dynamical problems encountered in doublestar astronomy will be illustrated in the concluding Section 5 by an investigation of the vibrational stability of the Roche model. We shall show that this model is capable of performing free radial oscillations which remain barotropic only if its equilibrium form is spherical (i.e., in the absence of any external mass in the neighbourhood); but not if it is distorted to any extent by rotation or tides.     

Frederick C. Leonard: A history and personal recollections

As a child Frederick C. Leonard displayed such a precocious aptitude for astronomy that he became known as “Chicago's Boy Astronomer.” But within a decade after receiving his Ph.D., his interests had turned to meteorites. He persuaded Harvey Nininger to help him found the Society for Research on Meteorites, later renamed The Meteoritical Society, in 1933—a time when the study of meteorites was not considered a worthy pursuit of serious scientists. He nurtured the Society and held it together through the Great Depression, World War II, a destructive feud, and a significant personal and family crisis. He obtained legitimacy and affiliation for the Society with mainstream scientific organizations. He was its first President, and he was Editor of its publications from the Society's founding until a year before his death in 1960. Through it all he was a persistent advocate for the importance of the study of meteorites and the legitimacy of meteoritics as a valuable field of science.     

光污染和光学天文台址保护

讨论了天光背景对光学天文台的背景，综述了造成光污染的主要途径，介绍了防止光污染的几个主要国际组织和国际上对天文台址的保护立法，提出了减少污染的主要措施。为国内进行光学天文台址保护采取措施以至（国家的或者地方的）立法提供参考。     

Present and future of astronomical science at Gadjah Mada University,Central Java,Indonesia

Reasons for the growth of interest in astrophysics and astronomy are discussed. The two main reasons are firstly the solar eclipse of June 1983 and secondly publicity given to the regular N.A.S.A. shuttle flights. However, radioastronomy will develop much faster than optical astronomy because the site requirements are much less stringent than for optical astronomy and the technical infrastructure is readily available.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984.