Polarimetric and photometric observations of the star m cephei

The results of photometric and polarimetric observations of the star Μ Cep at Byurakan Observatory are presented. Some interesting correlations between the parameters of the star’s brightness variation and the degree of polarization of the light are obtained. It is suggested that the recorded rapid changes in the degree of polarization may result from Μ Cep being a double star. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 43, No. 2, pp. 219-228, April–June, 2000.     

Effects of Wind-Wind Collision in Close Binary Stars

Various observational appearences of the effects of wind-wind collision for binary stellar systems have been discovered recently in X-ray, UV, optical, IR and radio ranges. Recent 3D gas-dynamic simulations of the wind-wind collision regions in WR+O, O+O and symbiotic binary systems allow to understand the physics of wind-wind collision effects, provide interpretation of observational data and constrain basic parameters of winds as well as those of binary systems. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Optical spectrum of the infrared source IRAS 23304+6147

Based on CCD spectra obtained with the PFES echelle spectrometer of the 6-m telescope, we have determined for the first time the effective temperature T _eff=5900 K, surface gravity logg=0.0, and detailed chemical composition of the faint star identified with the infrared source IRAS 23304+6147 by the model-atmosphere method. Its metallicity indicates that the object belongs to the old Galactic disk (the mean abundance of the iron-group elements V, Cr, and Fe for IRAS 23304+6147 is [X/H]=?0.61 dex). The stellar atmosphere exhibits an enhancement of carbon and nitrogen, [C/Fe]=+0.98, [N/Fe]=+1.36, and C/O>1. Significant overabundances of lanthanides were detected: the mean [X/Fe]=+1.04 for La, Ce, Pr, Nd, and Eu. The elemental abundances suggest that the atmospheric chemical composition of IRAS 23304+6147 was modified mainly by nucleosynthesis followed by mixing. By modeling the object's spectrum, we revealed absorption features at the positions of well-known absorption diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs). An analysis of radial-velocity and intensity measurements for these DIBs leads us to conclude that, for IRAS 23304+6147, the DIBs originate mostly in its circumstellar dust envelope expanding at a velocity of about 20 km s^?1. Molecular C₂ Swan emission bands were detected in the object's spectrum, which also originate in the circumstellar envelope. There is a close match between the object's atmospheric effective temperatures determined independently by the model-atmosphere method and by modeling its optical and infrared energy distribution, within the accuracy of the methods.     

Trace constituents of Europa's atmosphere

Europa is bombarded by intense radiation that erodes the surface, launching molecules into a thin “atmosphere” representative of surface composition. In addition to atoms and molecules created in the mostly water ice surface such as H₂O, O₂, H₂, the atmosphere is known to have species representative of trace surface materials. These trace species are carried off with the 10-10⁴ H₂O molecules ejected by each energetic heavy ion, a process we have simulated using molecular dynamics. Using the results of those simulations, we found that a neutral mass spectrometer orbiting ∼100 km above the surface could detect species with surface concentrations above ∼0.03%. We have also modeled the atmospheric spatial structure of the volatile species CO₂ and SO₂ under a variety of assumptions. Detections of these species with moderate time and space resolution would allow us to constrain surface composition, chemistry and to study space weathering processes.     

Scaling laws for radiating fluids: the pillar of laboratory astrophysics

In this paper, we derive the scaling laws for different radiating fluids. The studied regimes are relevant for both laboratory astrophysics and High Energy Density Physics. Using Lie groups theory, we obtain scaling laws, the similarity properties and the number of free parameters to rescale experiments.