High resolution imaging of the Hubble Deep and Flanking Fields

42 hours of A-array VLA data and 18 days MERLIN data at 1.4 GHz have been combined to image a 10 arcminute field centred on the Hubble Deep Field (HDF). This area encloses both the Hubble Deep and Flanking Fields. A complete sample of 87 sources have been detected with flux densities above 40 μJy. All these have been imaged with the MERLIN+VLA combination to produce images with 0.2, 0.3 and 0.5 arcsecond resolution. These are the most sensitive 1.4 GHz images yet made with rms noise levels of 3.3 μJy/beam in the 0.2 arcsecond images. About 70% of the microJy sources are found to be starburst type systems associated with major disk galaxies in the redshift range 0.4–1. Some 20% are found to be low-luminosity AGN systems identified with field ellipticals at redshifts close to 1. The remaining 10% are associated with optically faint systems close to or beyond the HDF limit; many of these may be dust-shrouded starbursts at high redshift. We propose to extend this study to include VLBI data of comparable sensitivity to investigate the compact radio structures found in the microJy source population.     

Updated version of the ‘homogeneous catalog of open cluster parameters’

We report a new version of the “Homogeneous catalog of open cluster parameters” maintained by our team over the last decades. The catalog is based on redetermination of the main parameters of clusters (color excesses, heliocentric distances, and ages) based on published photometric measurements, in particular, those provided by the 2MASS point-source catalog. Currently, our catalog provides the parameters for 959 clusters. It also gives the estimates of cluster radial velocities for 496 clusters partly based on the data fromRAVE catalog. Estimates of proper-motion components are provided for all clusters included into the catalog. We analyze the distributions of the errors of the main cluster parameters and compare the distribution of cluster positions projected onto the Galactic plane with the distribution of cosmic masers thereby validating the distance scale of open clusters.     

Evaporating quantum Lukewarm black holes final state from back-reaction corrections of quantum scalar fields

We obtain renormalized stress tensor of a mass-less, charge-less dynamical quantum scalar field, minimally coupled with a spherically symmetric static Lukewarm black hole. In two dimensional analog the minimal coupling reduces to the conformal coupling and the stress tensor is found to be determined by the nonlocal contribution of the anomalous trace and some additional parameters in close relation to the work presented by Christensen and Fulling. Lukewarm black holes are a special class of Reissner-Nordström-de Sitter space times where its electric charge is equal to its mass. Having the obtained renormalized stress tensor we attempt to obtain a time-independent solution of the well known metric back reaction equation. Mathematical derivations predict that the final state of an evaporating quantum Lukewarm black hole reduces to a remnant stable mini black hole with moved locations of the horizons. Namely the perturbed black hole (cosmological) horizon is compressed (extended) to scales which is smaller (larger) than the corresponding classical radius of the event horizons. Hence there is not obtained an deviation on the cosmic sensor-ship hypothesis.     

Dependence of the solar wind speed on the coronal magnetic field in cycle 23

The dependence of the position of the solar wind sonic point on the magnetic field in the solar corona during cycle 23 is studied. This dependence is shown to be rather strong in the rising phase and at the cycle maximum. As the coronal magnetic field grows, the distance to the sonic point decreases. Since the distance to the sonic point has been shown previously to anticorrelate with the solar wind speed, the result obtained suggests a strong positive correlation between the later and the coronal magnetic field. The situation changed dramatically two years after the calendar date of the cycle maximum. Beginning in 2004 the solar wind speed ceased to depend on the magnetic field up until the cycle minimum in December 2008. In 2009 a strong dependence of the wind speed on the coronal magnetic field was restored. It is hypothesized that this effect is associated with two different coronal heating mechanisms whose relative efficiency, in turn, depends on the contribution from magnetic fields of different scales.     

Edge waves on the New Zealand east coast

Tide gauge records from several New Zealand east coast ports show persistent oscillations in sea level with a period of 2.4–2.7 h. These are superimposed on local resonant oscillations, and appear to be associated with edge wave excitation on the continental shelf, possibly by meteorological disturbances. A shelf response is also excited by tsunamis.     

Underwater camera system for deep‐sea bottom photography

A 35 mm camera system has been developed to operate to depths of 4,000 m. The system takes up to 24 pictures at one lowering, and uses standard torch batteries which last more than 10 lowerings.     

Distribution and Relationship between Heterotrophic Organisms and Viruses on the East Siberian Sea Shelf

Oceanology - The distribution of heterotrophic bacteria, viruses, and heterotrophic nanoflagellates was studied in the shelf waters of the East Siberian Sea along the meridional transect from the...     

Satellite Geological Indication of Morphostructural Elements of the Coasts and Bottom of Adjacent Water Areas (Peter the Great Bay,Sea of Japan)

Oceanology - The implementation of satellite geological investigations within the continent–Sea of Japan transition zone in Southern Primorye has made it possible to establish series,...     

Determining Both Tropospheric and Stratospheric СО2 Contents Using a Ground-Based IR Spectroscopic Method

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - Results obtained from ground-based high spectral resolution measurements of solar IR radiation absorption spectra are analyzed. These measurements have...     

Geochemical and Sm–Nd isotope–geochemical patterns of metavolcanic rocks,diabase, and metagabbroids on the northeastern flank of the South Mongolian–Khingan orogenic belt

The first results of geochemical and Sm–Nd isotope–geochemical studies of metavolcanic rocks, metagabbroids, and diabase of the Nora-Sukhotino terrane, the least studied part of the South Mongolian–Khingan orogenic belt in the system of the Central Asian orogenic belt are reported. It is established that the basic rocks composing this terrane include varieties comparable with E-MORB, tholeiitic, and calc-alkaline basalt of island arc, calc-alkaline gabbro-diabase, and gabbroids of island arcs. Most likely, these formations should be correlated with metabasalt and associated Late Ordovician gabbro-amphibolite of the Sukdulkin “block” of the South Mongolian–Khingan orogenic belt, which are similar to tholeiite of intraplate island arcs by their geochemical characteristics.