New calculations of interstellar dust (ID) contraction in a non-isothermal regime

We have calculated the opacity as resulting from different interstellar grain models, molecules, atoms, and ions. The resulting opacities have been applied to a numerical code used to follow the thermal evolution of a contracting cloud in one dimension. An exact analytical and computational developments of both Mie theory for isolated grains and Güttler's formulae for composite grain models have been used to calculate the extinction coefficients. We have studied two models of composite grain and three models of isolated grain. The opacity of interstellar grains has been calculated in the temperature range 10–1500 K. The molecular opacity is splitted into continuous and line opacities. The different sources of continuous opacity have been studied. The line opacity has also been included. The atomic opacities are also considered. The hydrodynamical equations are solved explicitly but the energy and Poisson equations are solved implicitly.It has been found that the thermal evolution during contraction of protostellar clouds is sensitive to both: the assumed grain models and the considered chemical composition. A cloud of an initial temperature of 10 K collapsed to a stage in which the temperature increases to 91 000 K and the density reached to 0.16 g cm^–3.     

Connection Between Chromospheric Events and Photospheric Dynamics

We analyzed chromospheric events and their connection to oscillation phenomena and photospheric dynamics. The observations were done with the New Solar Telescope of Big Bear Solar Observatory using a broad-band imager at the wavelength of a TiO band and FISS spectrograph scanning Ca?ii and Hα spectral lines. The event in Ca?ii showed strong plasma flows and propagating waves in the chromosphere. The movement of the footpoints of flux tubes in the photosphere indicated flux tube entanglement and magnetic reconnection as a possible cause of the observed brightening and waves propagating in the chromosphere. An upward propagating train of waves was observed at the site of the downflow event in Hα. There was no clear relationship between photospheric waves and the Ca?ii and Hα events. Our observations indicate that chromospheric waves that were previously thought to originate from the photosphere may be generated by some events in the chromosphere as well.     

Seeds dispersed in dung of insectivores and herbivores in semi-arid southern Africa

We investigated the incidence of endozoochory in the semi-arid South African Karoo shrubland and Kalahari savanna by dissecting and germinating seed from dung samples from a wide range of wild mammals and domestic livestock. Intact seeds occurred at a mean density of 1575 seeds kg⁻¹in livestock air-dried dung and 3613 seeds kg⁻¹in air-dried dung of indigenous animals. Seedlings emerged from dung at an average density of 153 kg⁻¹air-dry dung. Seeds of Aizoaceae, Mesembryanthemaceae, Chenopodiaceae and Poaceae were abundant in the dung of wild and domestic herbivores as well as such ant- and termite-eating insectivores as aardvark (Orycteropus afer) and bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis). Seeds of fleshy-fruited shrubs occurred in dung of browsing herbivores and the bat-eared fox. Five non-indigenous weeds were found in the dung samples. Although the floras of the Kalahari and Karoo are considered to be largely wind and water-dispersed, endozoochory is a primary or secondary dispersal mechanism in many plant families and for many plant life-forms. Animals dispersed seeds of many species characteristic of fertile and disturbed habitats. In Mesembryanthemaceae, a family in which seeds are primarily dispersed very short distances by raindrops, endozoochory enables occasional long-distance dispersal.     

EURONEAR—Recovery, follow-up and discovery of NEAs and MBAs using large field 1–2 m telescopes

We report on the follow-up and recovery of 100 program NEAs, PHAs and VIs using the ESO/MPG 2.2 m, Swope 1 m and INT 2.5 m telescopes equipped with large field cameras. The 127 fields observed during 11 nights covered 29 square degrees. Using these data, we present the incidental survey work which includes 558 known MBAs and 628 unknown moving objects mostly consistent with MBAs from which 58 objects became official discoveries. We planned the runs using six criteria and four servers which focus mostly on faint and poorly observed objects in need of confirmation, follow-up and recovery. We followed 62 faint NEAs within one month after discovery and we recovered 10 faint NEAs having big uncertainties at their second or later opposition. Using the INT we eliminated four PHA candidates and VIs. We observed in total 1286 moving objects and we reported more than 10,000 positions. All data were reduced by the members of our network in a team effort, and reported promptly to the MPC. The positions of the program NEAs were published in 27 MPC and MPEC references and used to improve their orbits. The O−C residuals for known MBAs and program NEAs are smallest for the ESO/MPG and Swope and about four times larger for the INT whose field is more distorted. For the astrometric reduction, the UCAC-2 catalog is recommended instead of USNO-B1. The incidental survey allowed us to study statistics of the MBA and NEA populations observable today with 1–2 m facilities. We calculate preliminary orbits for all unknown objects, classifying them as official discoveries, later identifications and unknown outstanding objects. The orbital elements a, e, i calculated by FIND_ORB software for the official discoveries and later identified objects are very similar with the published elements which take into account longer observational arcs; thus preliminary orbits were used in statistics for the whole unknown dataset. We present a basic model which can be used to distinguish between MBAs and potential NEAs in any sky survey. Based on three evaluation methods, most of our unknown objects are consistent with MBAs, while up to 16 unknown objects could represent NEO candidates and four represent our best NEO candidates. We assessed the observability of the unknown MBA and NEA populations using 1 and 2 m surveys. Employing a 1 m facility, one can observe today fewer unknown objects than known MBAs and very few new NEOs. Using a 2 m facility, a slightly larger number of unknown than known asteroids could be detected in the main belt. Between 0.1 and 0.8 new NEO candidates per square degree could be discovered using a 2 m telescope.     

Photometric period and rotational brightness modulation of V833 Tau

Photometric data covering 1994–2009, obtained at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory or retrieved from the ASAS and SuperWASP catalogs, were used to analyze the brightness variations of the rapidly rotating star V833 Tau, whose activity level is close to saturation. Combined with previously published results, these data represent for the first time all stages in the development of the star’s 19- year activity cycle. The photometric period and rotational-modulation amplitude for different epochs are determined, and the qualitative pattern of the spots is considered. The photometric period is close to the orbital period, but always exceeds it, indicating that surface inhomogeneities are located far from the equatorial plane. With the high spottedness of the star, reaching 28% at the cycle maximum, the rotationalmodulation amplitude is 0.05?0.1 ^m , and increases during the growth and decline phases of the 19-year cycle. The rotational modulation is due to spots with higher latitudes than in the case of the Sun, and concentrating on active longitudes.     

The Dar al Gani meteorite field (Libyan Sahara): Geological setting,pairing of meteorites,and recovery density

Abstract— As of July 2001, 1238 Libyan meteorites have been reported. Most were found in two areas called Dar al Gani and Hamadah al Hamra. Dar al Gani is located on a plateau of marine carbonate rocks with marly components. Eight‐hundred and sixty‐nine meteorites between 6 g and 95 kg totalling 687 kg have been found here but the calculated mean recovery density is comparatively low with one meteorite on 6.5 km². Dar al Gani is a perfect site for the recognition and preservation of meteorites. The existence of meteorites is the result of a combination of specific geological and geomorphological conditions: there is a bright‐colored, old limestone plateau (<2 Ma), under arid weather conditions over long periods of time, with rapid elimination of surface water if present and low erosion rates. The preservation of meteorites is guaranteed through the absence of quartz sand on the plateau, strongly reducing wind erosion and a basic environment emerging from the carbonate ground retards rusting of metallic meteorite components. A supposed soil cover during pluvial times has probably protected older meteorites and led to a concentration of meteorites of different periods. An evaluation of Dar al Gani meteorites suggests the existence of at least 26 strewnfields and 26 meteorite pairs reducing the number of falls to, at most, 534. Shock and weathering grades as a tool for the recognition of pairings turned out to be problematic, as several strewnfields showed paired meteorites which had been classified to different shock and weathering grades.     

Novae in M31 in 1999–2005

We present the results of our study of 19 novae in the galaxy M31 on photographs taken with wide-field telescopes in 1999–2005. Two of the six novae discovered in our program (ShA 65 and ShA 67) have been identified with supersoft X-ray sources, the discovery of one nova (ShA 69) was reported in IAU Circulars, and the other three novae (ShA 66, ShA 68, and ShA 70) are reported for the first time.     

Stars with Discrepant <Emphasis Type="Italic">v</Emphasis> sin <Emphasis Type="Italic">i</Emphasis> as Derived from the Ca II 3933 and Mg II 4481 Å Lines. VII. HD9531 (SB), HD31592 (SB2), HD129174 (SB?)

In this paper of the series we analyze three stars listed among stars with discrepant v sin i: HD9531 and HD31592, which also show radial velocity variations inherent to spectroscopic binaries, and HD129174 which is an Mn-type star with a possible magnetic field. In HD9531 we confirm the radial velocity derived fromthe hydrogen lines as well as fromthe Ca II line at 3933 Å as variable. The profile of the calcium line also appears variable, and with the estimated magnetic induction B_e = ?630 ± 1340 G, this suggests that the abundance of calcium possibly varies over the surface of the star. We identified the lines of the secondary component in the spectrum of HD31592 revealing thus it is an SB2 binary with B9.5V and A0V components. While the primary star rotates with v sin i = 50 km s^?1, the secondary star is faster with v sin i = 170 km s^?1. We find that only 60% of the Mn lines identified in the spectrum of HD129174 can be fitted with a unique abundance value, whereas the remaining lines are stronger or fainter. We also identified two Xe II lines at 5339.33 Å and 5419.15 Å and estimated their log g f.