Masses of the local group and of the M81 group estimated from distortions in the local velocity field

Based on high precision measurements of the distances to nearby galaxies with the Hubble telescope, we have determined the radii of the zero velocity spheres for the local group, R₀ = 0.96±0.03Mpc, and for the group of galaxies around M 81/M 82, 0.89±0.05Mpc. These yield estimates of M_T = (1.29±0.14)· 10¹² M_⊙ and (1.03±0.17)· 10¹² M_⊙, respectively, for the total masses of these groups. The R₀ method allows us to determine the mass ratios for the two brightest members in both groups, as well. By varying the position of the center of mass between the two principal members of a group to obtain minimal scatter in the galaxies on a Hubble diagram, we find mass ratios of 0.8:1.0 for our galaxy and Andromeda and 0.54:1.00 for the M82 and M81 galaxies, in good agreement with the observed ratios of the luminosities of these galaxies. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 5–22 (February 2006).     

Combination Scattering by Anisotropic Langmuir Turbulence with Application to Solar Radar Experiments

We develop a theory for radar signal scattering by anisotropic Langmuir turbulence in the solar corona due to a t+l ⇄ t process. Langmuir turbulence is assumed to be generated within a cone by a narrow type III burst electron beam. Using wave-kinetic theory we obtain expressions for the frequency shift, scattering cross-section of the turbulence, coefficient of absorption (due to scattering) and optical depth. On the basis of those expressions we give some estimates for an echo spectrum. We show that the minimum radar echo frequency shift is determined by the minimal phase velocity of the Langmuir waves, the maximum shift is determined by the electron beam velocity, but in any case it can not exceed −wt/2 (decay) and wt (coalescence), where wt is the frequency of a radar signal. The angular characteristics of the scattered signal differ dramatically for the cases of coalescence and decay. The signal is scattered into a narrow cone high above the specular reflection point (wp ≪ wt), but in the vicinity of wp ∼ wt/2 the red-shifted echo is scattered isotropically, while the blue-shifted echo is scattered into a even narrower cone. We show that absorption (due to scattering) increases with increasing radar frequency. The dependence of the absorption on the local plasma frequency is strongly determined by the Langmuir turbulence spectrum. Our theory shows that the role of the nonlinear scattering process t+l ⇄ t is essential and that such process can be used for radar studies of the spectral energy density of anisotropic Langmuir turbulence.     

The 2005 outburst of GRO J1655−40: spectral evolution of the rise, as observed by Swift

We present Swift observations of the black hole X-ray transient, GRO J1655−40, during the recent outburst. With its multiwavelength capabilities and flexible scheduling, Swift is extremely well suited for monitoring the spectral evolution of such an event. GRO J1655−40 was observed on 20 occasions and data were obtained by all instruments for the majority of epochs. X-ray spectroscopy revealed spectral shapes consistent with the 'canonical' low/hard, high/soft and very high states at various epochs. The soft X-ray source (0.3–10 keV) rose from quiescence and entered the low/hard state, when an iron emission line was detected. The soft X-ray source then softened and decayed, before beginning a slow rebrightening and then spending ∼3 weeks in the very high state. The hard X-rays (14–150 keV) behaved similarly but their peaks preceded those of the soft X-rays by up to a few days; in addition, the average hard X-ray flux remained approximately constant during the slow soft X-ray rebrightening, increasing suddenly as the source entered the very high state. These observations indicate (and confirm previous suggestions) that the low/hard state is key to improving our understanding of the outburst trigger and mechanism. The optical/ultraviolet light curve behaved very differently from that of the X-rays; this might suggest that the soft X-ray light curve is actually a composite of the two known spectral components, one gradually increasing with the optical/ultraviolet emission (accretion disc) and the other following the behaviour of the hard X-rays (jet and/or corona).     

Automated analysis of eclipsing binary light curves – II. Statistical analysis of OGLE LMC eclipsing binaries

In the first paper of this series, we presented EBAS – Eclipsing Binary Automated Solver, a new fully automated algorithm to analyse the light curves of eclipsing binaries, based on the ebop code. Here, we apply the new algorithm to the whole sample of 2580 binaries found in the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) photometric survey and derive the orbital elements for 1931 systems. To obtain the statistical properties of the short-period binaries of the LMC, we construct a well-defined subsample of 938 eclipsing binaries with main-sequence B-type primaries. Correcting for observational selection effects, we derive the distributions of the fractional radii of the two components and their sum, the brightness ratios and the periods of the short-period binaries. Somewhat surprisingly, the results are consistent with a flat distribution in log P between 2 and 10 d. We also estimate the total number of binaries in the LMC with the same characteristics, and not only the eclipsing binaries, to be about 5000. This figure leads us to suggest that  (0.7 ± 0.4)  per cent of the main-sequence B-type stars in the LMC are found in binaries with periods shorter than 10 d. This frequency is substantially smaller than the fraction of binaries found by small Galactic radial-velocity surveys of B stars. On the other hand, the binary frequency found by Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ) photometric searches within the late main-sequence stars of 47 Tuc is only slightly higher and still consistent with the frequency we deduced for the B stars in the LMC.     

Static cylindrically symmetric gravitational field with cosmological constant

We show that a class of solutions for a vacuum cylindrically symmetric gravitational field with nonvanishing cosmological constant reduce to the welknown Levi-Civita metric close to the axis. All the circular geodesics in this generalized vacuum are time like, null or space like depending on the relative magnitudes of the two parameters appearing in the solutions.For other particles moving inZ=constant plane there are some cases where the trapping of timelike and null trajectories occur, while in other cases some of the particles may orbit round the axis in a fixed zone bounded by two limiting radii.     

9,6-Year periodicity of symbiotic nova RT Ser (1909) during the outburst decay from 1940 to 1994

The behavior of the symbiotic nova RT Ser from 1940 to 1994 from photographic observations made at the Gissar Observatory (1940–1978) and BVR-band observations at the Crimean Observatory (1983–1994) is analyzed. The outburst lightcurve shows a linear decline at a rate of 0^m.06 per year. It appears from the nature of the outburst attenuation that the fading, having already lasted about 80 yr, is still continuing. Judging from the color indices, the principal contribution to the visible light from the system is made by a cool, late-type red giant and hot gas the source of which is, as yet, unknown. The photometric variability observed in the BVR bands with a characteristic time of 10 yr is confirmed by photographic observations of 1928–1978. The period determined from all the data is 9.6 yr and is most likely orbital.Translated fromAstrofizika, Vol. 39, No. 1, pp. 31–40, January–March, 1996.