The Position of High-Frequency Waves with Respect to the Granulation Pattern

High-frequency velocity oscillations were observed in the spectral lines Fe i 543.45 nm and 543.29 nm, by using 2D spectroscopy with a Fabry – Perot and speckle reconstruction, at the Vacuum Tower Telescope in Tenerife. We investigate the radial component of waves with frequencies in the range 8 – 22 mHz in the internetwork, network, and a pore. We find that the occurrence of waves does not show any location preference and that they are equally distributed over downflows and upflows, regardless of the activity of the observed area in the line of Fe i 543.45 nm. The waves observed in the lower formed line of Fe i 543.29 nm seem to appear preferentially over downflows.     

Determination of orbital eccentricity

A method is proposed for determining orbital eccentricity as a function of the ratio of the moduli of the Oort constants. This method is applicable to the motion of stars belonging to the thin disk, since that their motion in the galactic plane is almost independent of their motion perpendicular to it. The dependence of the orbital eccentricity on the ratio of the moduli of the Oort constants is approximately linear, so that it is possible to determine the eccentricity as a function of the ratio of the moduli of the Oort constants from samples containing many stars from the neighborhood of the sun with high quality data.     

Meridional Motions and Reynolds Stress Determined by Using Kanzelhöhe Drawings and White Light Solar Images from 1964 to 2016

Sunspot position data obtained from Kanzelhöhe Observatory for Solar and Environmental Research (KSO) sunspot drawings and white light images in the period 1964 to 2016 were used to calculate the rotational and meridional velocities of the solar plasma. Velocities were calculated from daily shifts of sunspot groups and an iterative process of calculation of the differential rotation profiles was used to discard outliers. We found a differential rotation profile and meridional motions in agreement with previous studies using sunspots as tracers and conclude that the quality of the KSO data is appropriate for analysis of solar velocity patterns. By analyzing the correlation and covariance of meridional velocities and rotation rate residuals we found that the angular momentum is transported towards the solar equator. The magnitude and latitudinal dependence of the horizontal component of the Reynolds stress tensor calculated is sufficient to maintain the observed solar differential rotation profile. Therefore, our results confirm that the Reynolds stress is the dominant mechanism responsible for transport of angular momentum towards the solar equator.     

Observational aspect of the three-body problem

Distinguishes three phases in the history of triple-star systems research. The necessity of obtaining some crucial observational data on these systems is also pointed out. An insight into the observational material concerning triple star systems of the hierarchical type and some special properties of this group on the basis of observational data are presented, as well.     

The chemical composition of the halo and evolutionary problems

The chemical composition of the Milky-Way halo is studied on the basis of a sample of metal-poor (logarithmic metallicity less than –1) globular clusters. The histogram obtained may be interpreted in the terms of the classical galaxy formation theory of Eggen, Lynden-Bell and Sandage. Interestingly enough, this is in a rough agreement with the data on metallicity of high-redshift damped Ly-alpha and Ly-alpha forest systems. This may serve the important purpose of constraining the nature and the formation timescale of MACHOs discovered through gravitational microlensing experiments. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Estimating parameters of groundwater recharge model in frequency domain: Karst springs Jadro and Žrnovnica

The spectral method is based on the assumption of exponential forms of autocorrelation functions of the input and output time series. The results of practical applications of the spectral method on several karst springs in Croatia show that this assumption cannot always be reliably applied to the time series of rainfall and spring discharge, especially if short time periods are analysed. For this reason, the method is modified. The scale factor between the transfer function of total rainfall and the transfer function of groundwater recharge is considered as an additional model parameter which is determined in the optimization procedure. In addition to the theoretical background, this paper also presents the results of application of the modified spectral method on the springs Jadro and ?rnovnica located in the Dinaric karst area in Croatia. The parameters of groundwater recharge model are determined separately for both the springs and the obtained values are discussed and compared with the results of previous investigations. The values of the scale factors determined in the optimization procedure are compared to the values calculated using the theoretical equation. The comparison shows that the theoretical equation underestimates the optimal values of the scale factor. The underestimations are especially evident for periods of one year. Finally, the characteristics of rainfall–runoff relations of two springs are compared using the identified transfer functions and the results of simulations of the periodogram of observed discharge by the parametric periodogram. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Large-scale inhomogeneities and the cosmological principle

The compatibility of cosmologic principles and possible large-scale inhomogeneities of the Universe is discussed. It seems that the strongest symmetry principle compatible with reasonable inhomogeneities is full conformal symmetry in the three-space defined by the cosmological velocity field; but even then the standard model is isolated from inhomogeneous ones when the whole evolution is considered.     

An investigation of wind-driven topographically controlled motions in the Northern Adriatic

The present paper describes a three-dimensional hydrodynamical numerical model of the Northern Adriatic. The model is based on the approach of N.S. Heaps in which the integral transformations are used to reproduce the vertical distribution of velocity. The model is applied to reproduce the wind-induced motion in the Northern Adriatic during winter. Hydrographic, sea level and current data collected during the MEDALPEX are used to verify the model predictions. Analysis of the empirical data suggests that the bura wind induces the most pronounced, although transient, contribution to the Northern Adriatic current field. The model predictions clearly show the controlling influence of a shallower bottom along the Italian coast. The model to data comparison suggests for the eddy viscosity coefficient value an order of magnitude lower than expected from literature data. The quadratic law for bottom friction and wind-stress curl have been identified as possible improvements of the model.