Re-Evaluation of the Flare–Type II–CME Association

We have re-evaluated the association of type II solar radio bursts with flares and/or coronal mass ejections (CMEs) using the year 2000 solar maximum data. For this, we consider 52 type II events whose associations with flares or CMEs were absent or not clearly identified and reported. These events are classified as follows; group I: 11 type IIs for which there are no reports of GOES X-ray flares and CMEs; group II: 12 type IIs for which there are no reports of GOES X-ray flares; and group III: 29 type IIs for which the flare locations are not reported. By carefully re-examining their association from GOES X-ray and H, Yohkoh SXT and EIT-EUV data, we attempt to answer the following questions: (i) if there really were no X-ray flares associated with the above 23 type IIs of groups I and II; (ii) whether they can be regarded as backside events whose X-ray emission might have been occulted. From this analysis, we have found that two factors, flare background intensity and flare location, play important roles in the complete reports about flare–type II–CME associations. In the above 23 cases, for more than 50% of the cases in total, the X-ray flares were not noticed and reported, because the background intensity of X-ray flux was high. In the remaining cases, the X-ray intensity might be greatly reduced due to occultation. From the H flare data, Yohkoh SXT data and EIT-EUV data, we found that ten cases out of 23 might be frontside events, and the remaining are backside events. While the flare–type II association is found to be nearly 90%, the type II–CME association is roughly around 75%. This analysis might be useful to reduce some ambiguities regarding the association among type IIs, flares and CMEs.     

A Model of the Circumstellar Envelope of Luminous Blue Variables

The continuum energy distributions of the luminous blue variables R127 and R110 in the outburst phase are fitted with a circumstellar envelope model.Both stars show two peaks in their continuum, one near 1250A and the other in the optical band. We suggest that their UV and optical fluxes may have different origins: the UV flux comes from the central star while the optical flux comes from an expanding circumstellar envelope. We construct a model for LBVs consisting of two LTE atmosphere models with different temperatures, and find it to be in agreement with the observed spectral energy distributions of R127 and R110.According to our numerical experiments, R127‘s continuum is composed of fluxes from a circumstellar envelope of Teff = 8000K, R = 485R⊙, and log g = 1,and from a central star of Tef = 17000K, R = 135R⊙, and log g = 2.5 with a permeating factor f = 0.5; while R110‘s continuum can be fitted by a circumstellar envelope of Teff =7000K, R = 350R⊙, and logg = 0.5, and a central star of Teff =25 000 K, R = 27R⊙, and log g 3.0 with a permeating factor f = 0.65.Both models show that the non-spherically symmetric, optically thick regions are formed surrounding the central star in the outburst phase. The light of the central star is shielded by the circumstellar envelope so that the visual brightness increases with the decrease/increase of the temperature/radius of the optically thick regions.     

A Check on the Cardassian Expansion Model with Type－IaSupernovae Data

We use the magnitude-redshift relation for the type Ia supernova datacompiled by Riess et al. to analyze the Cardassian expansion scenario. This sce-nario assumes the universe to be flat, matter dominated, and accelerating, but contains no vacuum contribution.The best fitting model parameters are H0=65.3kms^-1 Mpc^-1, n= 0.35 and Ω= 0.05. When the highest redshift supernova,SN 1997ck, is excluded, H0 remains the same, but n becomes 0.20 and Ωm, 0.15, and the matter density remains unreasonably low. Our result shows that this particular scenario is strongly disfavoured by the SNeIa data.     

An Exact Anisotropic Quark Star Model

We present an exact analytical solution of the gravitational field equations describing a static spherically symmetric anisotropic quark matter distribution. The radial pressure inside the star is assumed to obey a linear equation of state, while the tangential pressure is a complicated function of the radial coordinate. In order to obtain the general solution of the field equations a particular density profile inside the star is also assumed. The anisotropic pressure distribution leads to an increase in the maximum radius and mass of the quark star, which in the present model is around three solar masses.     

A Model of The 2–4 μm Spectrum of Comet Halley

Recent observations of Halley's Comet show a broad absorption band centred at 3.4 μm and which can be explained on the basis of a bacterial grain model. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Study of Magnetized White Dwarf+Helium Star Binary Evolution to Type Ⅰa Supernovae

The white dwarf(WD)+helium(He)star binary channel plays an important role in the single degenerate scenario for the progenitors of type Ⅰa supernovae(SNe Ⅰa).Pr...     

A Study of Star Formation in BRC18

Using the 13.7m radio telescope at Delingha, the millimeter-wave radio observatory of Purple Mountain Observatory, we made mapping observations in 12CO J = 1 - 0 line towards IRAS 05417+0907, located in the bright-rimmed cloud (BRC) BRC18. We used a 7 × 7 grid with 1' spacing, a finer and larger grid than the one used by Myers et al. Our results show that there is a bipolar outflow near IRAS 05417+0907. Combining with the observations at other wave bands, we find that the star formation process in this region is triggered by radiation-driven implosion. The significant difference between the masses of BRC18 and the cores and the relatively large ratio of associated source bolometric luminosity to the mass show that the star formation in BRC18 may be taking place in a sequence.     

Activity of the Star AB Pic with an Exoplanet from the Young Tuc–Hor Association

Astronomy Letters - Based on highly accurate data from the archive of the TESS space mission, we have studied the photometric variability of the K1-type dwarf AB Pic (HD 44627), which is a member...     

On the Synchronizability of Tayler–Spruit and Babcock–Leighton Type Dynamos

The solar cycle appears to be remarkably synchronized with the gravitational torques exerted by the tidally dominant planets Venus, Earth and Jupiter. Recently, a possible synchronization mechanism was proposed that relies on the intrinsic helicity oscillation of the current-driven Tayler instability which can be stoked by tidal-like perturbations with a period of 11.07 years. Inserted into a simple \(\alpha \)–\(\Omega \) dynamo model these resonantly excited helicity oscillations led to a 22.14 years dynamo cycle. Here, we assess various alternative mechanisms of synchronization. Specifically we study a simple time-delay model of Babcock–Leighton type dynamos and ask whether periodic changes of either the minimal amplitude for rising toroidal flux tubes or the \(\Omega \) effect could eventually lead to synchronization. In contrast to the easy and robust synchronizability of Tayler–Spruit dynamo models, our answer for those Babcock–Leighton type models is less propitious.     

Possible Electromagnetic Phenomena during the Coalescence of Neutron Star–Black Hole Binary Systems

Astronomy Letters - Possible models for the generation of electromagnetic (EM) radiation during the coalescence of neutron star–black hole binaries are considered. The mass of the remnant...     

Near—Infrared Imaging Observations of the Orion A—W Star Forming Region

We carried out near-infrared imaging observations of the Ori A-W region using the Italian 1.5m TIRGO infrared telescope at Gornergrat. A group of infrared objects is visible on the K band image, including an IRAS source (IRS 1). From its IRAS flux density the IRAS luminosity is derived to be 45L⊙, which shows that IRS 1 is a low-mass protostar. By superimposing the position of the VLA H2O maser on the K image, we can identify the less evolved object IRS 1 as the excitation source of the H2O maser, within a projected distance of 470AU. This would be evidence that the maser effect is associated with the youngest phase of stellar evolution. The first probable HH object candidate in the Ori A-W region is discovered from the H2 S(1) 1-0 observation. Comparing the position of the H2O maser with the direction of the molecular hydrogen emission in the region, we suggest that the observed H2O maser could be tracing the circumstellar disk of IRS 1.     

Fibonacci Sequences and the Multiperiodicity of the Variable Star UW Herculis

We present an application of the methods recently developed for the study of quasicrystal structures to the analysis of multiperiodicity of semiregular variables. A light curve analysis of UW Her shows frequencies that can be included within the general scheme characterizing the Fourier spectra of Fibonacci quasiperiodic sequences. The analysed data come from the BAA Variable Star Section computerised archive.     

Study of the optical variability of T Tau in the period 1962–2003

We present the results of our long-term U BV R observations of the star T Tauri performed at Mt. Maidanak Observatory from 1986 until 2003. These data, together with previous photoelectric observations of other authors, suggest that the long-term variations of the light curve are not periodic, but have a cycle with a time scale of 6–9 yr. The light curve also exhibits slower variations with time scales of ～30–40 yr. We confirm the existence of periodic brightness variations with a period of \(P = 2\mathop .\limits^d 798\) over many years; this process is peculiar in that the phase and shape of the phase curve change from season to season. We analyze the color behavior of the star. We found evidence of a strong flare occurred on October 5, 1999, when the brightness of the star reached \(9\mathop .\limits^m 22\). This is the strongest flare recorded during its photoelectric observations.     

Reconstruction of the North–South Solar Asymmetry with a Kuramoto Model

This paper applies a Kuramoto model of coupled oscillators to investigate the north–south (N–S) solar asymmetry and properties of meridional circulation. We focus our study on the asymmetry of the 11-year phase, which is slight but persistent: only two changes of sign (around 1928 and 1968) are observed in the past century. We present a model of two non-linear coupled oscillators that links the hemispheric phase asymmetry of sunspots with the asymmetry of the meridional flow. We use a Kuramoto model with evolving frequencies and constant symmetric coupling to show how asymmetry in meridional circulation could produce a persistent phase lead of one solar hemisphere over the other. We associate the natural frequencies of the two oscillators with the velocities of the meridional flow cells in the northern and southern hemispheres. We assume the respective circulations to be independent and estimate the value of the relevant cross-equatorial coupling by the coupling coefficient in the Kuramoto model. We find that a persistent N–S asymmetry of sunspots and the change of the leading hemisphere could indeed both be the result of the evolving frequencies of meridional circulation; the necessary asymmetry of the meridional flow may be small; and the cross-equatorial coupling has an intermediate range value. Possible applications of these results in solar dynamo models are discussed.     

A One-Dimensional Relativistic Shock Model for the Light Curve of Gamma-ray Bursts

We investigate the forming of gamma-ray burst pulses with a simple one-dimensional relativistic shock model. The mechanism is that a "central engine" drives forward the nearby plasma inside the fireball to generate a series of pressure waves. We give a relativistic geometric recurrence formula that connects the time when the pressure waves are produced and the time when the corresponding shocks occurred. This relation enables us to relate the pulse magnitude with the observation time. Our analysis shows that the evolution of the pressure waves leads to a fast rise and an exponential decay pulses. In determining the width of the pulses, the acceleration time is more important than that of the deceleration.     

On the Carbon—Star Status of Five Stars in a New Carbon Star Catalog

We find that five sources listed in the new carbon star catalog are not really carbon-rich objects but oxygen-rich stars, because they all have the prominent 10μm silicate features in absorption and the 1612MHz OH maser emission or/and the SiO molecular features. These objects were considered as carbon stars in the catalog based only on their locations in the infrared two-color diagram. Therefore to use the infrared two-color diagram to distinguish carbon-rich stars from oxygenrich stars must be done with caution, because, in general, it has only a statistical meaning.     

Estimating the Metallicity of Old Star Clusters in M33

1 INTRODUCTION Globular clusters are thought to be among the oldest radiant objects in the Universe. Thestudies of these systems have played a key role in the development of our understanding of theUniverse, including the fundamental question of the age of the Universe. The globular clustersof Milky Way can be used to probe the way in which our Galaxy formed. Studies of similarclusters in other galaxies can also provide us the properties of those galaxies in the early periodafter their …     

The Chemical Composition of the Field Zero-Age Star HD77407

High-resolution optical spectra of the zero age star HD77407 are analysed and its Li, C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Co, Ni and Ba contents are determined using spectral synthesis method. The temperature of the star is determined by fitting the H α line wings. The parameters derived for this star are Teff=5900K, log g=4.47 and [Fe/H] = 0.07. It is found that the derived iron content is slightly higher than what is given in the published literature. This star shows a relative overabundances of Ca and Ba, and underabundances of Na, V and Ni with respect to the solar mix. Activity of the star is indicated by the filled in Hα and Ca II triplet line cores. It has been confirmed that our spectroscopic approach yields fairly reliable and consistent results for active stars.     

Analysis of TESS Field Eclipsing Binary Star V948 Her:A Pulsating or Non-pulsating Star?

Pulsating stars occupy a significant place in the H-R diagram and it was thought that all stars inside the classical instability strip should pulsate.However,re...