Ultra-Deep Optical Spectroscopy with PMAS. Using the Nod-and-Shuffle Technique

PMAS, the Potsdam Multi-Aperture Spectrophotometer, is a new integral field spectrograph in the optical, which is optimized for good transmission and high image quality from 350 nm to 1 μm. We present our plan to implement a CCD charge-shuffle mode to allow for beam switching with a very high degree of sky subtraction accuracy for faint object 3-D spectroscopy. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Geometric Derivation of the Delaunay Variables and Geometric Phases

We derive the classical Delaunay variables by finding a suitable symmetry action of the three torus T³ on the phase space of the Kepler problem, computing its associated momentum map and using the geometry associated with this structure. A central feature in this derivation is the identification of the mean anomaly as the angle variable for a symplectic S ¹ action on the union of the non-degenerate elliptic Kepler orbits. This approach is geometrically more natural than traditional ones such as directly solving Hamilton–Jacobi equations, or employing the Lagrange bracket. As an application of the new derivation, we give a singularity free treatment of the averaged J ₂-dynamics (the effect of the bulge of the Earth) in the Cartesian coordinates by making use of the fact that the averaged J ₂-Hamiltonian is a collective Hamiltonian of the T³ momentum map. We also use this geometric structure to identify the drifts in satellite orbits due to the J ₂ effect as geometric phases.     

Application of the global modal approach to the spiral galaxies

We have tested the applicability of the global modal approach in the density wave theory of spiral structure for a sample of spiral galaxies with measured axisymmetric background properties. We report here the results of the simulations for four galaxies: NGC 488, NGC 628, NGC 1566, and NGC 3938. Using the observed radial distributions for the stellar velocity dispersions and the rotation velocities we have constructed the equilibrium models for the galactic disks in each galaxy and implemented two kinds of stability analyses - the linear global analysis and 2D-nonlinear simulations. In general, the global modal approach is able to reproduce the observed properties of the spiral arms in the galactic disks. The growth of spirals in the galactic disks can be physically understood in terms of amplification by over-reflection at the corotation resonance. Our results support the global modal approach as a theoretical explanation of spiral structure in galaxies. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Flickering in the Magnetic Cv Star Am Herculis

In this study, we present a photometric study of AM Her, a prototype of a class of magnetic CVs. Optical photometry of AM Her was obtained using the Russian–Turkish 1.5 m telescope at TüBİTAK National Observatory (TUG) in August 2003. The R band light curve of the system shows two maxima and two minima during one orbital cycle. In both observing nights the star showed flickering at a significant level. The measured flickering time scale is about 5 min.