The extinction of starlight revisited

The rigorous Kerker-Matijevi formulae for light scattering by co-axial double cylinders are used to calculate the extinction properties of hollow organic grains. A size distribution of such particles together with iron whiskers of radii 0.01 m, silica spheres of radius 0.03 m and free aromatic molecular clusters comprised of 50–100 atoms yield excellent agreement with data on the extinction of starlight. The mass ratios of silica to organics and of iron to organics are in good accord with cosmic abundance constraints.     

The maximum limit of the density variation parameter λ for a stable neutron star

A static spherically-symmetric model, based on an exact solution of Einstein's equation, gives the permissible matter density 2×10¹⁴ g cm^–3. If we use the change in the ratio of central density to the radiusr=a (i.e., central density per unit radius (₀/a), we call it radius density) minimum, we have estimated the upper limit of the density variation parameter () and minimum mass limit of a superdense star like a neutron star. This limit gives an idea of the domain where the neutron abundance with negligible number of electrons and protons (may be treated as pure neutrons) and equilibrium in neutrons begins.     

Double globular clusters in the Galaxy?

Four pairs of visual double star clusters with the lowest mass-to-luminosity ratio have been selected among globular clusters of our Galaxy. By taking into accounts the effects of dynamical friction and compressive gravitational shocks, we conclude that the probability for the pairs to be gravitationally bound is very low.     

Magnetic reconnection in high-temperature plasma of solar flares

Quasi-steady high-temperature current sheets are an energy source during the main or hot phase of solar flares. Such sheets are shown to be stabilized with respect to the tearing instability by a small transverse component of magnetic field existing in the sheets.     

The investigation of the solar wind transsonic region at meter wavelengths

Radio astronomy experiments designed to probe the interplanetary plasma close to the Sun have been carried out at the wavelength = 2.92 m using the occultation method. The experiments are based on a modification of the occultation method by which the sources, in this case quasars, are used to measure the radial dependence of the apparent source size, the scattering angle (R). The radial dependence of this source size (R) reveals that an anomalous enhancement in the scattering appears at radial distances from about 16 to 30 R , which is associated with the solar wind transsonic region. It is shown by analysis of the theoretical equations that the radial profiles of both the source size (R) and the scintillation index m(R) are consistent in the near solar interplanetary medium (R 40 R ). Combining these two independent applications of the occultation method extends the range of the investigation and provides a powerful new diagnostic of the solar wind transsonic region.     

The stability parameters of three-dimensional periodic three-body orbits

Formulae containing the elements of the variational matrix are obtained which determine the linear isoenergetic stability parameters of three-dimensional periodic orbits of the general three-boy problem. This requires the numerical integration of the variational equations but produces the stability parameters with the effective accuracy of the numerical integration. The conditions for stability, criticality, and bifurcations are briefly examined and the stability determination procedure is tested in the determination of some three-dimensional periodic orbits of low inclination bifurcating from vertical-critical coplanar orbits.     

Sub-iron to iron nuclei in low-energy (50–200 MeV nucl−1) cosmic rays as observed in the Skylab experiment

In this paper we present our most recent results on the sub-iron (Sc to Cr) to Fe nuclei abundance ratios in the low-energy cosmic rays of 50 to 250 MeV nucl.^–1 and their implications as observed in theSkylab experiment. In view of the importance of this ratio in determining the cosmic-ray pathlength in interstellar medium, we have obtained additional data in the same detector module and the results of final analysis are reported. Charge determinations in the Lexan detector were made from an average of about four independent measurements ofZ for each of the cosmic-ray events and the mean charge resolution is obtained asZ/Z0.2. From about 100 events of calcium to nickel in low-energy cosmic rays, sub-iron (Sc to Cr) to Fe–Co ratio is determined as 1.43±0.40 in 50–250 MeV nucl.^–1. This shows a large energy dependence of the ratio as compared to the value of 0.4–0.8 in 200–1000 MeV nucl.^–1 as measured by many investigators. The origin of this large enhancement of the ratios in low-energy cosmic rays is not known at present. Some possible suggestions are briefly mentioned.     

Large-scale structure of background fields and active regions

An attempt is made to study the relations between emergence of active regions and the solar background large-scale structures on the basis of Solar Geophysical Data, including Kitt-Peak magnetograms, H filtergrams, and Ca images.The emergence of 217 active regions (a.r.s) that have appeared on the solar disk not farther than ± 60° from the central meridian is studied. The a.r.s are divided into two classes A and B according to their birth location. Class A contains a.r.s emerged far (8–10°) from the background field boundaries, and class B- those emerged near to (55°) or just at the boundaries.It was found that a.r.s of class A differ appreciably from those of class B; in particular, the dimensions and the intensity (S, I) of class B a.r.s are nearly twice as large as those of class A. For class A a.r.s some alterations of the solar large-scale structure boundaries were found in 15% of all the cases, whereas for those of class B in 60%.     

Effects of mass transfer on an oscillating free-convection flow in the Stokes's problem past an infinite porous vertical limiting surface with heat sources and variable suction

An analysis of the effects of the mass transfer on the unsteady free-convection flow of a viscous incompressible fluid, past an impulsively started infinite porous vertical limiting surface with heat sources is presented, when the free-stream velocity and the suction velocity, are oscillating in the time about constant mean values. Approximate solutions for the coupled nonlinear equations are derived for the mean velocity, the mean temperature, the mean skin-friction, and the mean rate of heat transfer. All the above quantities are shown graphically followed, by a discussion.     

Cylindrical oscillations of force-free electromagnetic fields

This paper is devoted to Force-Free Electromagnetic Oscillations in a constant magnetic field. A correction is made in the derivation of the basic equation. The paper confirms the predicted spectrum of frequencies, namely _n = _o (n + 1)^1/2;n = 0, 1, 2, .... In addition it is suggested that hybrid frequency _n = ( _n ² + _H ² )^1/2 should be found in observational data.