The β Cephei instability strip

We carried out a series of linear stability analyses of the radial and low-degree non-radial p modes for stellar models with initial masses of     . The stellar models were computed by using convective overshoot distance     , 0.25 and 0.40  H _P. Our numerical results show that the β Cephei instability strip forms a horn-shaped region pointing upwards near the main sequence on the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram (HRD). The lower part of the instability strip for the radial modes join the zero-age main-sequence (ZAMS) at     , while the top of the instability strip extends up to     . The instability strip for the non-radial modes is even wider. The overall instability strip is dominated by the radial and non-radial fundamental modes. The first overtone (the radial-order index     is also pulsationally unstable. We have shown that the β Cephei stability is almost independent of the overshoot parameter d _over used for the stellar models, while it depends critically on the metal abundance. With decreasing metal abundance, the instability region shrinks and eventually disappears for     .     

Accretion disk spectra of super-luminal jet sources and ultra-luminous compact X-ray sources in nearby spiral galaxies

The Ultra-luminous Compact X-ray Sources (ULXs)in nearby spiral galaxies and the Galactic super-luminaljet sources sharethe common spectral characteristic that they haveextremely high disk temperatures which cannot be explainedin the framework of the standard accretion disk modelin the Schwarzschild metric. We have calculated an extreme Kerr disk model to examine if the Kerr disk model can instead explain the observed `too hot' accretion disk spectra.We found that the Kerr disk spectrum becomes significantly hardercompared to the Schwarzschild disk only when the disk is highlyinclined.For super-luminal jet sources, which are known to beinclined systems, the Kerr disk model may thuswork if we choose proper values for the black hole angular momentum. For the ULXs, however, the Kerr disk interpretation will be problematic,as is is highly unlikely that their accretion disks are preferentiallyinclined.     

Starburst activity in a ROSAT narrow emission-line galaxy

We present multiwaveband photometric and optical spectropolarimetric observations of the R =15.9 narrow emission-line galaxy R117_A which lies on the edge of the error circle of the ROSAT X-ray source R117. The overall spectral energy distribution of the galaxy is well modelled by a combination of a normal spiral galaxy and a moderate-strength burst of star formation. The far-infrared and radio emission is extended along the major axis of the galaxy, indicating an extended starburst.
On positional grounds, the galaxy is a good candidate for the identification of R117, and the observed X-ray flux is very close to what would be expected from a starburst of the observed far-infrared and radio fluxes. Although an obscured high-redshift QSO cannot be entirely ruled out as contributing some fraction of the X-ray flux, we find no candidates to K =20.8 within the X-ray error box, and so conclude that R117_A is responsible for a large fraction, if not all, of the X-ray emission from R117.
Searches for indicators of an obscured AGN in R117_A have so far proven negative; deep spectropolarimetric observations show no signs of broad lines to a limit of 1 per cent and, for the observed far-infrared and radio emission, we would expect 10 times greater X-ray flux if the overall emission were powered by an AGN. We therefore conclude that the X-ray emission from R117 is dominated by starburst emission from the galaxy R117_A.     

Authors' Reply

Abstract— Jull et al. propose an alternative interpretation of our depth vs. ¹⁴C data measured on a peat core from the central Tunguska impact site (Rasmussen et al., 1999). We find that the proposed alternative is untenable.     

High-temperature geothermal reservoir possibilities in Hungary

Theoretical studies have shown the possibility of high-temperature ('high enthalpy') geothermal reservoirs in the pre-Tertiary rocks at 4–5 km depth range within the Pannonian Basin. This expectation was proven by the hotwater/steam blowout of Fábiánsebestyén-4 borehole (16.12.85–31.1.86). Exploration efforts carried out during 1987–88 in the broad vicinity of the borehole proved that reservoirs of this type can be found with the combination of seismic reflection, silica-thermometry and magnetotelluric sounding methods. Deliberate prospection should be continued in all suitable areas within the basin, since high enthalpy reservoirs promise profitable operation of geothermal power stations.     

Core, Halo and Strahl Electrons in the Solar Wind

Electron velocity distribution functions (VDF) observed in the low speed solar wind flow are generally characterized by ‘core’ and ‘halo’ electrons. In the high speed solar wind, a third population of ‘strahl’ electrons is generally observed. New collisional models based on the solution of the Fokker-Planck equation can be used to determine the importance of the different electron populations as a function of the radial distance. Typical electron velocity distribution functions observed at 1 AU from the Sun are used as boundary conditions for the high speed solar wind and for the low speed solar wind. Taking into account the effects of external forces and Coulomb collisions with a background plasma, suprathermal tails are found to be present in the electron VDF at low altitudes in the corona when they exist at large radial distances. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.