Statistics of the individual-pulse polarization based on propagation effects in the pulsar magnetosphere

Pulsar radio emission is modelled as a sum of two completely polarized non-orthogonal modes with the randomly varying Stokes parameters and intensity ratio. The modes are the result of polarization evolution of the original natural waves in the hot, magnetized, weakly inhomogeneous plasma of the pulsar magnetosphere. In the course of the wavemode coupling, the linearly polarized natural waves acquire purely orthogonal elliptical polarizations. Further on, as the waves pass through the cyclotron resonance, they become non-orthogonal. The pulse-to-pulse fluctuations of the final polarization characteristics and the intensity ratio of the modes are attributed to the temporal fluctuations in the plasma flow.
The model suggested allows one to reproduce the basic features of the one-dimensional distributions of the individual-pulse polarization characteristics. Besides that, the propagation origin of the pulsar polarization implies a certain correlation between the mode ellipticity and position angle. On a qualitative level, for different sets of parameters, the expected correlations appear compatible with the observed ones. Further theoretical studies are necessary to establish the quantitative correspondence of the model to the observational results and to develop a technique of diagnostics of the pulsar plasma on this basis.     

Luminosity function of contact binaries based on the All Sky Automated Survey (ASAS)

The luminosity function for contact binary stars of the W UMa type is evaluated on the basis of the All Sky Automated Survey (ASAS) photometric project covering all stars south of  δ=+ 28°  within a magnitude range  8 < V < 13  . Lack of colour indices enforced a limitation to 3374 systems with   P < 0.562 d  (i.e. 73 per cent of all systems with   P < 1 d  ) where a simplified M_V (log  P ) calibration could be used. The spatial density relative to the main-sequence FGK stars of 0.2 per cent, as established previously from the Hipparcos sample to   V = 7.5  , is confirmed. While the numbers of contact binaries in the ASAS are large and thus the statistical uncertainties small, derivation of the luminosity function required a correction for missed systems with small amplitudes and with orbital periods longer than 0.562 d; the correction, by a factor of 3, carries an uncertainty of about 30 per cent.     

Baryon loading and the Weibel instability in gamma-ray bursts

The dynamics of two counter-streaming electron–positron–ion unmagnetized plasma shells with zero net charge is analysed in the context of magnetic field generation in gamma-ray burst internal shocks due to the Weibel instability. The effects of large thermal motion of plasma particles, arbitrary mixture of plasma species and space charge effects are taken into account. We show that, although thermal effects slow down the instability, baryon loading leads to a non-negligible growth rate even for large temperatures and different shell velocities, thus guaranteeing the robustness and the occurrence of the Weibel instability for a wide range of scenarios.     

The Asiago Extrasolar Planet Transit Search

RATS is an Italian project devoted to Hot Jupiter search with the transit method. A planet transiting in front of a host star can be mimed by several, and well defined, astrophysical phenomena (Brown, 2003). In order to recognize these false alarms we can utilize a preventive strategy to limit false alarm rates and a spectroscopic follow up to refuse no transit candidates. As preventive strategy it is important to develop an accurate target field selection, with well defined requisites, in order to maximize the solar type star numbers and to minimize the risk of possible astrophysical false alarms.     

Comparison between polar regions of Mars from HEND/Odyssey data

In this paper, we have analyzed neutron spectroscopy data gathered by the High Energy Neutron Detector (HEND) instrument onboard Mars Odyssey for comparison of polar regions. It is known that observation of the neutron albedo of Mars provides important information about the distribution of water-ice in subsurface layers and about peculiarities of the CO₂ seasonal cycle. It was found that there are large water-rich permafrost areas with contents of up to ∼50% water by mass fraction at both the north and south Mars polar regions. The water-ice layers at high northern latitudes are placed close to the surface, but in the south they are covered by a dry and relatively thick (10-20 cm) layer of soil. Analysis of temporal variations of neutron flux between summer and winter seasons allowed the estimation of the masses of the CO₂ deposits which seasonally condense at the polar regions. The total mass of the southern seasonal deposition was estimated as 6.3×¹⁰¹⁵ kg, which is larger than the total mass of the seasonal deposition at the north by 40-50%. These results are in good agreement with predictions from the NASA Ames Research Center General Circulation Model (GCM). But, the dynamics of the condensation and sublimation processes are not quite as consistent with these models: the peak accumulation of the condensed mass of CO₂ occurred 10-15 degrees of Ls later than is predicted by the GCM.     

Swimming with…Devonian fish

Armoured jawless fish, or 'ostracoderms', lived 450–360 million years ago, and display unusual morphologies, unlike any modern fish group. Since they left no living descendants, their mode of swimming has, until recently, remained speculative, although this is a crucial question as the first true pectoral fins evolved within the 'ostracoderms'. The discovery of the oldest-known fish trails, from the Early Devonian (400 million year old) 'Lower Old Red Sandstone' of south-east Wales offers new insights into the swimming behaviour of these early fish, notably the osteostracan 'ostracoderms' (or cephalaspids), whose horseshoe-shaped head and paddle-shaped pectoral fins have remained a functional riddle.