A review of recent results from the Franco-Soviet SIGNE gamma-burst experiments

The three-satellite SIGNE network has observed 26 confirmed gamma-ray bursts in the period September 1978–June 1979. Burst time histories may be used to define several classes of events, with a strong resemblance between events in a given class, but different arrival directions. The spectra of two gamma-ray bursts have been found to evolve from shapes which turn over at low energy during the start of the event, to near power law spectra at the end of the event.Paper presented at the Symposium on Cosmic Gamma-Ray Bursts held at Toulouse, France, 26–29 November, 1979.     

Algorithm for localization of a gamma-burst source using three satellites

A new method of determination of the coordinates of gamma-burst sources is proposed. This method permits to construct the region of localization using redundant number of the time delays.Paper presented at the Symposium on Cosmic Gamma-Ray Bursts, held at Toulouse, France, 26–29 November, 1979.     

The distribution of space velocities of pulsars

Using reasonable assumptions, we derive the distribution function of pulsar space velocities from the distribution of pulsar heights above the Galactic plane. We find that for 137 pulsars of the north Galactic hemisphere, the space velocity distribution is discrete, and forms two separate groups. We estimate the velocity ranges and the mean pulsar velocity of each group.Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 245–254, April–June, 1994.     

The space distribution and orbital resonances of asteroids

We have made a detailed numerical analysis of the various orbital resonances of the asteroids and examined the variation in the distribution of trajectories near the equilibrium points in the phase plane, and hence arrived at a preliminary explanation of the features (gaps and clusters) in their distribution in space.     

On the space distribution of Ap,Am stars

Some questions concerning the space distribution of Ap and Am stars have been discussed on the basis of the Abastumani Catalogue containing the data in the two-dimensional MK classification for stars in Kapteyn Areas Nos 2–43. Ap and Am stars do not show the high concentration towards the galactic plane as normal stars of the same spectral interval. Moreover, Ap stars occur at distances up to about 200 pc from the galactic plane, Am stars up to about 400 pc.     

Cepheid space distribution and the structure of the galaxy

On the basis of the PLC relation (1) or the PL relation by Van den Bergh (2) and the PC relation by Deanet al. (1978), the distances of 284 galactic cepheids with photoelectric observations have been derived. The space distribution of these cepheids with 111 additional ones without photoelectric observations, is studied. In spite of the strong influence of the absorption matter, which makes a great number of distant cepheids unknown (Figure 4), a conclusion is drawn that the cepheids do not trace spiral arms with only one possible exception: the Carina arm. The cepheidz-coordinate distribution confirms the finding of Fernie (1968) that the cepheid layer is inclined towards the formal galactic plane. On the basis of cepheid space density, a number of vast star complexes (Table I) are identified in which other young objects, together with cepheids fall. The existence of these complexes is explained by star formation in giant molecular clouds. The cepheid mean period increase towards the galactic centre is most probably connected with the existence of a ring between the Sun and the centre of the Galaxy, with the highest density of hydrogen and the highest rate of star formation.     

Properties of space and time distribution of solar coronal holes

The space and time distribution properties of solar coronal holes (CH) are investigated. The data of the catalogue UAG-102, supplemented up to 1995, and synoptic H-charts of Solar Geophysical Data are used. It was found that both the polar and equatorial CH can be divided into two subclasses. The properties of time classes are discerned. Statistical weights of the recurrent CH are accounted, which allow to determine the character of rotation of the different classes of CH with more accuracy. It was shown that the equatorial CH with long lifetimes possess differential rotation that is similar to sunspot groups, and the long-living polar CH rotate as a rigid body. A conclusion about the existence of two types of large-scale solar magnetic fields is made.     

The space density distribution of late-type giants in the solar neighbourhood

We have analysed the data of 2.7 m Equatorial Infrared Catalogue-1 (EIC-1) to study the space density distribution ofK andM type giants in the solar neighbourhood by attempting to fit the EIC-1 data with the models of Mikami and Ishida (1981) for space density distribution of late-type giants.We present the results of our analysis.     

Numerical modeling of the formation,orbital evolution,and distribution of fragments of space debris in near-Earth space

This paper describes the numerical models designed by the authors to investigate the formation, orbital evolution, and spatial distribution of fragments of space debris emerging in orbits as a result of space-craft fragmentation. It cites the results of the testing of the models and the data of their use.     

Mesonic stiff fluid distribution in five dimensional Bianchi type space time

In this paper, we have constructed mesonic stiff fluid cosmological models in five dimensional LRS Bianchi type-I and Bianchi type-VI₀ space times in general theory of relativity. Some physical and geometrical properties of the models are discussed.     

Statistical investigation of the space distribution of quasars and of their association with galaxies

Three distinct and representative sources of quasar data are used in this paper: 1) the Revised Optical Catalog of QSOs, 2) the quasars in the ?40° CTIO Curtis Schmidt Survey, and 3) the quasars in the Virgo Cluster region. Their redshift and magnitude distributions on various scales and their possible association with galaxies are analysed statistically.The preliminary conclusions are as follows. 1) The redshift and magnitude distributions on various scales are non-uniform. 2) The non-uniformity appears to be greater in the two local samples. 3) There is no evidence of a general association of quasars with field galaxies. 4) A general association of quasars with brighter cluster galaxies is statistically significant. 5) It seems likely that not all quasars have the same origin, some being local, some cosmological.     

Nonlinear kinetic Alfven waves in space plasmas with generalized ($$) distribution

In this paper, we have investigated linear and nonlinear propagation of kinetic Alfven waves in which the electrons have been assumed to follow generalized (\(r,q\)) distribution. We have shown that (\(r,q\)) distribution gives us most of the distributions observed in space plasmas. We have varied the flatness parameter \(r\) and the tail parameter \(q\) to explore the linear and nonlinear propagation characteristics of kinetic Alfven waves. We have also discussed the limiting cases. It has been shown that our results agree well with Fast and Freja observations of the nonlinear kinetic Alfven waves. An important feature of our study is the formation of rarefactive solitary structures. It has been shown that this result cannot be obtained with Maxwellian distribution and that it agrees well with the observations of Fast and Freja satellites.     

Anisotropy of the space orientation of radio sources. II: The axis distribution function

An analysis of the position angles distribution of 10461 extended radio sources shows that the spatial orientation of the axes of these objects is anisotropic: they avoid the direction towards the Celestial Pole and are mostly oriented in the equatorial direction. The ratio of the probability densities of the orientation in these two directions is 0.68. The probability that the sky distribution of axes is isotropic is less than 0.00004. This conclusion is consistent with the results of the analyses of spatial distribution of galactic normals orientation in the galaxies from the UGC, ESO, and FGC catalogs.     

HIDDRA: a highly independent data distribution and retrieval architecture for space observation missions

Institutions such as NASA, ESA or JAXA find solutions to distribute data from their missions to the scientific community, and their long term archives. This is a complex problem, as it includes a vast amount of data, several geographically distributed archives, heterogeneous architectures with heterogeneous networks, and users spread around the world. We propose a novel architecture that solves this problem aiming to fulfill the requirements of the final user. Our architecture is a modular system that provides a highly efficient parallel multiprotocol download engine, using a publisher/subscriber policy which helps the final user to obtain data of interest transparently. We have evaluated a first prototype, in collaboration with the ESAC centre in Villafranca del Castillo (Spain) that shows a high scalability and performance, opening a wide spectrum of opportunities.     

Fragmentation of Leonids in space and a model of spatial distribution of meteoroids within the Leonid stream

The contribution presents an analysis of the Leonids 1999 HDTV Leonid MAC data. The observed grouping of the Leonids over a random level is explained by progressive fragmentation of meteoroids in space. The observed data are compared with a spatial distribution model. Possible fragmentation processes of meteoroids in space are presented and discussed.     

Hierarchical star formation from the time–space distribution of star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud

The average age difference between pairs of star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) increases with their separation as the ∼ 0.35 power. This suggests that star formation is hierarchical in space and in time. Small regions form stars quickly and large regions, which often contain the small regions, form stars over a longer period. A similar result found previously for Cepheid variables is statistically less certain than the cluster result.     

Critical density solitary waves structures in a hot dusty plasma with vortex-like ion distribution in phase space

The nonlinear properties of solitary waves structure in a hot dusty plasma consisting of isothermal hot electrons, non isothermal ions and high negatively charged massive dust grains, are reported. A modified Korteweg-de Vries equation (modified KdV), which admits a solitary waves solution for small but finite amplitude, is derived using a reductive perturbation theory. A nonisothermal ions distribution provides the possibility of coexistence of amplitude rarefactive as well as compressive solitary waves. On the other hand, consideration of a critical ions density gives a stationary solution of solitary waves and the dynamics of small but finite amplitude of solitary waves is governed by Korteweg-de Vries equation (KdV). The properties of solitary waves in the two cases are discussed.