UV Leo: The Binary with the Two Suns

BV light curves of the eclipsing binary UV Leo obtained at the Kryonerion Astronomical Station of the National Observatory of Athens, Greece, are analyzed. The analysis is based on a Roche configuration with two spots on the secondary surface. The elements of the two components of the system are calculated and the spot characteristics are given.     

The restricted two-body problem in constant curvature spaces

We perform the bifurcation analysis of the Kepler problem on and . An analog of the Delaunay variables is introduced. We investigate the motion of a point mass in the field of a Newtonian center moving along a geodesic on and (the restricted two-body problem). For the case of a small curvature, the pericenter shift is computed using the perturbation theory. We also present the results of numerical analysis based on an analogy with the motion of a rigid body.     

Preliminary Analysis of Photometric Variations of the Central Star of the Planetary Nebula Sh 2-71

We confirm the presence of regular UBV(RI)_C light variations of the object in the center of the planetary nebula Sh 2-71, with an improved period of P = 68.132 ± 0.005 days. The shapes and amplitudes of light curves, in particular colours, are briefly discussed.     

The Solar Corona 530.3 nm in the 20th cycle

The paper presents an analysis of the coronal data of emission line 530.3 nm. The analysis was carried out with data recorded at the coronal station of Lomnický tít for the period 1965–1976. Up till now the observed time and latitudal changes of the shape of the corona as well as the existence of two maxima have been fully proved. The development of intensities has, in many cases, different characters in the southern and northern hemispheres. Apart from this, the third increase of intensities in the course of the cycle was observed nearly at all latitudes in the coincidence with sunspot numbers in 1974–1975 years. The maximum of intensities of this impulse of activity was observed at latitudes around 60° in both hemispheres.     

Earth rotation in the hipparcos reference frame

New determination of the Earth orientation parameters (EOP), based on optical astrometry observations since the beginning of the century, is now under preparation by the Working group established by Commission 19 of the IAU. The Hipparcos catalog is to define the celestial reference frame in which the new series of EOP are to be described, The novelties of the prepared solution are the higher resolution (5 days) and more parameters estimated from the solution (celestial pole offsets, rheological parameters of the Earth, certain instrumental constants). The mathematical model of the solution is described, and the results based on the observations made with 46 instruments at 29 observatories and a preliminary Hipparcos catalog are presented.     

Frequency modified fourier transform and its application to asteroids

Recently a method has been suggested to analyze the chaotic behaviour of a conservative dynamical system by numerical analysis of the fundamental frequencies. Frequencies and amplitudes are determined step by step. As the frequencies are not generally orthogonal, a Gramm-Schmidt orthogonalization is made and for each new frequency the old amplitudes of previously determined frequencies are corrected. For a chaotic trajectory variations of the frequencies and amplitudes determined over different time periods are expected. The change of frequencies in such a calculation is a measure of the chaoticity of the trajectory. While amplitudes are corrected, the frequencies (once determined) are constant. We suggest here simple linear corrections of frequencies for the effect of other close frequencies. The improvement of frequency determination is demonstrated on a model case. This method is applied to the first fifty numbered asteroids.     

Slow convection of a magnetized plasma and the earth plasma sheet

Stationary convection of an isotropic, infinitely conducting plasma in a magnetic field with non-trivial geometry is discussed under the assumption that the inertial term in the equation of motion may be ignored. The energy gained or lost by a volume element of plasma per unit time does not vary along the field-lines. Simple relations between the components of the current density, depending on the field-line geometry, exist. Similar relations hold for the components of the plasma velocity.The theoretical analysis is applied to the geomagnetically-quiet plasma sheet and a qualitative physical picture of the sheet is suggested. The observed structure of the sheet is compatible with Axford-Hines type of convection perhaps combined with a low-speed flow from a distant neutral point. The magnetic-field-aligned currents are driven by the deformations of the closed field-lines which are enforced by the solar wind.     

Capture of dust grains in exterior resonances with planets

The temporary capture of the dust grains in the exterior resonances with planets is studied in the frames of the planar circular three-body problem with Poynting-Robertson (PR) drag. For the Earth and particles ~ 10 Μm the resonances 4/5, 5/6, 6/7, 7/8 are shown to be most effective. The capture is only temporary (of order 10⁵ years) and the position of resonance may be calculated from semi-analytical model using averaged disturbing function. These semi-analytical results are confirmed by numerical integration. For various planet this picture changes as with increasing planetary mass the more exterior resonances become more important. We showed that for Jupiter (at least in the space between Jupiter and Saturn) the resonance 1/2 plays the dominant role. The capture time is here several myr but again eccentricity is evolving to eccentricity e ₀ ~ 0.48 of libration point for this resonance.     

Implications for behavior of volatile elements during impacts—Zinc and copper systematics in sediments from the Ries impact structure and central European tektites

Moldavites are tektites genetically related to the Ries impact structure, located in Central Europe, but the source materials and the processes related to the chemical fractionation of moldavites are not fully constrained. To further understand moldavite genesis, the Cu and Zn abundances and isotope compositions were measured in a suite of tektites from four different substrewn fields (South Bohemia, Moravia, Cheb Basin, Lusatia) and chemically diverse sediments from the surroundings of the Ries impact structure. Moldavites are slightly depleted in Zn (~10–20%) and distinctly depleted in Cu (>90%) relative to supposed sedimentary precursors. Moreover, the moldavites show a wide range in δ⁶⁶Zn values between 1.7 and 3.7‰ (relative to JMC 3‐0749 Lyon) and δ⁶⁵Cu values between 1.6 and 12.5‰ (relative to NIST SRM 976) and are thus enriched in heavy isotopes relative to their possible parent sedimentary sources (δ⁶⁶Zn = ?0.07 to +0.64‰; δ⁶⁵Cu = ?0.4 to +0.7‰). In particular, the Cheb Basin moldavites show some of the highest δ⁶⁵Cu values (up to 12.5‰) ever observed in natural samples. The relative magnitude of isotope fractionation for Cu and Zn seen here is opposite to oxygen‐poor environments such as the Moon where Zn is significantly more isotopically fractionated than Cu. One possibility is that monovalent Cu diffuses faster than divalent Zn in the reduced melt and diffusion will not affect the extent of Zn isotope fractionation. These observations imply that the capability of forming a redox environment may aid in volatilizing some elements, accompanied by isotope fractionation, during the impact process. The greater extent of elemental depletion, coupled with isotope fractionation of more refractory Cu relative to Zn, may also hinge on the presence of carbonyl species of transition metals and electromagnetic charge, which could exist in the impact‐induced high‐velocity jet of vapor and melts.