Nature of the symbiotic binary V 1329 Cyg

The published photometric and spectroscopic data of the symbiotic binary V 1329 Cyg are interpreted. It is shown, that V 1329 Cyg is an eclipsing binary with an elliptical orbit orbit (e=0.28). The cooler component fills up the Roche-lobe at periastron. A model of moving gaseous structures in the system is proposed and their influence on the radial velocity curve is shown. The following characteristics of the system are derived: the cooler component is an M6 giant with mass 7.9M , radius 339R and luminosityM _bol=–5.42, the hot component is a white dwarf surrounded by an accretion disk. The mean distance between the components is 842R and in periastron it decreases to 605R .     

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.     

Development of a real-time algorithm for detection of solar wind discontinuities

A study is presented of an algorithm, based on the statistical analysis of interplanetary magnetic field data, for the real-time detection of discontinuities in the solar wind. The analysis is based on the application of a sliding or searching algorithm together with a minimum variance treatment. A demonstration is given for a Pioneer data set from 29 August, 1966. This particular data set was chosen because it has been extensively studied (in terms of the fast forward MHD shock wave) by previous groups who utilized the three-dimensional Rankine-Hugoniot shock equations after identifying the shock on a subjective basis. Our procedure differs in that it is perfectly objective because of its searching technique. For this particular data set we identify the original shock with excellent agreement with the earlier studies of its normal vector, as well as an additional shock and tangential discontinuity, neither of which had been identified previously.     

An estimate of the contribution of high nergy cosmic-ray protons to the absorbed dose inventory of a cometary nucleus

We discuss the contribution of cosmic-ray protons at all energies above 1 MeV to the absorbed doses of the surface layers of a comet. Since there exists no calculation which takes into account proton energy losses by means of losses to electrons and nuclear collisions (in a cascade process), and losses due to the low energy end-products of the cascade, we have made a rough estimate of all of these contributions. An analytical formula is proposed that allows a rapid estimate of ranges and the dose absorbed at any depth. We give dose-depth curves for two extreme values of the energy at which nuclear collisions begin to dominate the slowing-down process, and for an intermediate value we display the dose-depth curve down to 20 m from the surface. The relevance of these findings to dosimetry in comets and some alterations of cometary material are considered. The need for improving the analytical expression proposed is stressed.     

A high-resolution bragg spectrometer for the observation of the hot interstellar medium X-ray emission

We present a high-resolution Bragg spectrometer designed for the observation of the soft X-ray cosmic diffuse background. The instrument concept is derived from the de Broglie geometry for the study of extended sources. It consists in a mosaïc of spherical TlAP crystals associated with position sensitive detectors located on the focussing surface. The spectral resolution and its variation with the field of view is estimated by Monte-Carlo simulations for different X-ray energies chosen among the most intense lines emitted by an astrophysical plasma in the temperature range 1–4×10⁶K. The estimated sensitivity and the simulations of actual space observations show that the instrument is capable to separate the strongest lines emitted by the most abundant ions (OVII,OVIII, FeXVII, NeIX, etc.) and to map the whole sky during a six month mission.     

Variations in the HCN/HNC abundance ratio in the Orion molecular cloud

We have used observations of the rare isotopes of HCN and HNC to determine the relative abundance of these two chemical isomers along the central ridge of the Orion molecular cloud. The abundance ratio [HCN]/[HNC] decreases by more than an order of magnitude from the relatively warm plateau and hot core sources toward the KL nebula to the colder, more quiescent clouds to the north and south. Even in the cooler regions, however, the ratio is an order of magnitude larger than that found in previous investigations of cold dark clouds. We determine the kinetic temperature in the regions we have studied from new observations of methylacetylene (CH3CCH), together with other recent estimates of the gas temperature near KL. The results suggest that the warmer portions of the cloud are dominated by different chemical pathways than those in the general interstellar cloud material.     

A note on the total mass of comets in the solar system

The assumption that the very low albedo determined for Halley's comet is typical of all short period comets, taken together with the assumption that the average sizes of long and short period comets are approximately equal, leads to an increase in the total mass of comets in the solar system by almost two orders of magnitude. If gravitational ejection from the Uranus - Neptune zone during the later phases of planet formation is indeed responsible for the classical Oort cloud between 10⁴–10¹⁵ AU, then the mass of comets in this transplanetary region during cosmogonie times has to exceed the combined masses of Uranus and Neptune by over an order of magnitude. Furthermore, if the recent arguments for as many as 10¹⁴ comets in an inner Oort cloud between ~40– 10⁴AU are valid, then the total mass of comets in the solar system approaches 2% of a solar mass.     

Experiences numeriques sur des billards C1 formes de quatre arcs de cercles

The paper deals with some properties of the dynamical system with two degrees of freedom defined by the motion of a particle in a certain type of billiard. These properties are studied by means of numerical experiments. Most results are represented in the now classical surface of section. One parameter families of billiards with a C¹ boundary constructed with four arcs of circles are defined; we use the property that the four meeting points of such billiards lie on the same circle. These billiards may be convex or non convex. They generalize the ‘oval’ billiard with two axes of symmetry studied by Benettin and Strelcyn. We call them generalized billiards. We find the following results:

1. The periodic orbit along the small diameter of a billiard is stable or unstable in the linear approximation according to the position of the center of each relevant are with respect to the opposite one. This orbit is always stable if the billiard is symmetric with respect to its large diameter.
2. When the center of an arc lies on the opposite arc two different transition patterns from order to chaos are observed for the same billiard. If the billiard is of the Benettin and Strelcyn type three distinct nested chaotic seas are seen two of which are separated by a pseudo-invariant curve generated by a so called cancellation orbit.
3. The total area of non chaotic regions is greater for symmetric billiards.
4. Peanut shaped billiards always look ergodic. It can happen also that strictly convex asymmetric billiards look ergodic. This is important since no strictly convex billiard is known for which ergodicity has been proven. The conjecture is proposed that a generalized billiard with neither 2-periodic nor 4-periodic stable orbit in the linear approximation is ergodic.
5. Transverse invariant curves such as the one found by Hénon and Wisdom seem common for billiards with two axes of symmetry but probably do not exist for asymmetric billiards.

There are therefore several properties which differentiate symmetric billiards from asymmetric ones. We conclude by emphasizing that C¹ generalized billiards are indeed inadequate models for smooth mappings in general.     

Quadratic analytical solution of general systems through formal hamiltonization

A technique for the quadratic analytical solution of general nonlinearly perturbed periodic systems is presented. It relies on a device recognized as early as Birkhoff (1927), through which any system of ordinary differential equations can be cast in Hamiltonian form through the introduction of a set of auxiliary conjugate variables. The particular implementation applies the author's quadratic Hamiltonian approach, utilizing Lie transforms (so admitting of easy inversion), and featuring the ability to determine the frequencies of the system to twice the order of the solution at the last step. The method is exemplified through an analysis of the van der Pol equation to find the solution to second order, and frequencies to fourth, of the limit cycle of the system. Finally, the relationship of the approach to other perturbation techniques, particularly the vector/matrix Lie transform method, is discussed.     

Culgoora radio and skylab euv observations of emerging magnetic flux in the lower corona

Detailed comparisons of Culgoora 160 MHz radioheliograms of solar noise storms and Skylab EUV spectroheliograms of coronal loop structures are presented. It is concluded that: (1) there is a close association between changes in large-scale magnetic fields in the corona and the onset or cessation of noise storms; (2) these coronal changes result from the emergence of new magnetic flux at the photospheric level; (3) although new magnetic flux at the photospheric level is often accompanied by an increase in flare activity the latter is not directly responsible for noise storm activity; rather the new magnetic flux diffuses slowly outwards through the corona at rates 1–2 km s^–1 and produces noise storms at 160 MHz 1–2 days later; (4) the coronal density above or in large-scale EUV loop systems is sufficiently dense to account for noise storm emission at the fundamental plasma frequency; (5) the scatter in noise storm positions can be accounted for by the appearance and disappearance of individual loops in a system.