Gaussian beams in inhomogeneous media: A review

The paper outlines the most important results of the paraxial complex geometrical optics (CGO) in respect to Gaussian beams diffraction in the smooth inhomogeneous media and discusses interrelations between CGO and other asymptotic methods, which reduce the problem of Gaussian beam diffraction to the solution of ordinary differential equations, namely: (i) Babich’s method, which deals with the abridged parabolic equation and describes diffraction of the Gaussian beams; (ii) complex form of the dynamic ray tracing method, which generalizes paraxial ray approximation on Gaussian beams and (iii) paraxial WKB approximation by Pereverzev, which gives the results, quite close to those of Babich’s method. For Gaussian beams all the methods under consideration lead to the similar ordinary differential equations, which are complex-valued nonlinear Riccati equation and related system of complex-valued linear equations of paraxial ray approximation. It is pointed out that Babich’s method provides diffraction substantiation both for the paraxial CGO and for complex-valued dynamic ray tracing method. It is emphasized also that the latter two methods are conceptually equivalent to each other, operate with the equivalent equations and in fact are twins, though they differ by names. The paper illustrates abilities of the paraxial CGO method by two available analytical solutions: Gaussian beam diffraction in the homogeneous and in the lens-like media, and by the numerical example: Gaussian beam reflection from a plane-layered medium.     

Spectroscopic studies of Cepheids (S Cru,AP Pup,AX Cir,S TrA,T Cru,R Mus,S Mus,U Car) and semiregular bright supergiants (V382 Car,HD 75276, R Pup) in the southern hemisphere

We present the second part of the results of our work to investigate the atmospheric parameters and chemical composition of southern-hemisphere Cepheids obtained by analyzing 24 spectra for eight bright Cepheids and three semiregular bright supergiants taken with the 1.9-m telescope of the South African Astronomical Observatory. The chemical composition and atmospheric parameters have been determined for S Cru, AP Pup, AX Cir, S TrA, T Cru, R Mus, S Mus, U Car, V382 Car, HD 75276, and R Pup.     

Possible mechanism of brightness outbursts of comets

The mechanism of brightness outbursts of comets based on selective absorption of solar ultraviolet radiation by hydrogen atoms in the cometary head is considered. Due to this process, influence of the radiation on parent and daughter molecules in the near-nucleus region of the cometary head is different. As a result, under certain physical conditions in the cometary coma, the electronic-temperature increase may cause an outburst in the brightness of the comet.     

沿阿穆尔板块西边界的活动断层(蒙古领土)

阿穆尔板块西部边界在蒙古境内的空间位置尚不清楚,并且活动断层构造及其沿线地壳的应力状态研究较少。本文在沿此边界的三个区域——杭爱—肯特构造鞍部、布尔古特地块(鄂尔浑—土拉交汇处)和色楞格地块(包括色楞格凹陷和布伦—努鲁隆起),利用空间图像解译、地形起伏度分析、地质构造资料以及构造压裂和沿裂缝位移资料重建构造古应力,对活动断层进行研究。研究表明,活动断裂继承了古生代和中生代古构造的非均质性。这些断层沿着板块边界并不是单一的带,而是成簇的。它们的运动取决于走向:亚纬向断层是具有一定逆分量的左旋走滑断层,北西向断层是逆断层或逆冲断层,通常具有右旋走滑分量,海底断层是右旋走滑断层,北东向断层是正断层。位于色楞格凹陷和杭爱东部的断裂构造的活动始于上新世。逆断层和走滑断层与上新世情况不符,但多与更新世地貌相符,表明其活动年代较晚,为更新世时期。利用构造断裂和沿断裂的位移,重建活动断裂带变形末阶段的应力应变状态,结果表明断裂在最大挤压轴的北北东和北东方向上以压缩和走滑为主。只有在色楞格凹陷内,以扩张和走滑类型的应力张量为主,且在最小挤压轴的北西走向尤为显著。在南部,杭爱东部(鄂尔浑地堑)内有1个以扩张机制为主的局部区域,说明蒙古中部断裂在更新世—全新世阶段的活动以及现代地震活动主要受与印度斯坦和欧亚大陆汇聚过程相关的东北方向的附加水平挤压的控制。使研究区地壳产生走滑变形、贝加尔湖裂谷发散活动以及阿穆尔板块东南运动的另一个因素是东南方向软流圈流动对岩石圈底部的影响。阿穆尔板块和蒙古地块之间的边界在构造结构上是零碎的,代表了覆盖整个蒙古西部变形带的边缘部分。     

Gravitating configurations with magnetic field. III. Dedekind and Riemann ellipsoids

Kiev Polytechnic Institute. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 208–219, January–February, 1989.     

Photometric observations of Cepheids from the ASAS-3 catalog: Photoelectric <Emphasis Type="Italic">BV I</Emphasis><Subscript>c</Subscript> observations of 33 classical Cepheids

Cepheids, the principal distance indicators, point to the existence of two inner Galactic spiral arms in the immediate solar neighborhood (within 5 kpc). However, the available Cepheids are clearly insufficient for a detailed study of the structure of these arms. Fortunately, southern-sky monitoring (the ASAS project) has led to the discovery of many new variable stars, more than one thousand of which have been identified as possible Cepheids. To improve the classification and to construct reliable light curves for new Cepheids, we have begun their regular photometric observations. Here, we present the first results: 1192 photoelectricBV I _c observations were performed for 33 classical Cepheidswith the 76-cm telescope of the South-African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO, the South-African Republic) from December 2006 to January 2008. We provide tables of observations and V light and B-V and V-I _c color curves. The new observations together with ASAS-3 data have been used to improve the elements of the light variations.     

Stacking of records of nuclear explosions registered by the world network of seismic stations

The methods and results of stacking of seismograms of nuclear explosions registered by the world network of seismic stations from 1980 until 1988 are presented. Stacking of seismograms obtained at one seismic station from the sources located in the same place allows us substantially to increase the useful signal/noise ratio. This, in turn, allows more confident correlation of various seismic waves coming to the seismic stations after the first arrivals, particularly, converted and reflected waves from different boundaries inside the Earth.     

CONVECTIVE PROCESSES IN NEAR-WATER LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE FROM RADAR IMAGERY OF THE OCEAN SURFACE

Atmospheric boundary-layer stratification exerts a considerable influence on side-looking radar imagery of the sea surface in the centimeter range. Characteristic cellular structures present on the imagery under conditions of instability in the atmospheric boundary layer do not appear on images recorded under stable atmospheric conditions. The possibility of observation of dry and moist convection in the atmospheric layer above the water surface is examined.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">BV I</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis></Subscript> photometry of RR Lyrae stars

We have obtained 26 372 CCD frames in the B, V, and I _c filters for 81 RR Lyrae stars in 2008–2010, using the 76-cm telescope of the South African Astronomical Observatory and the 40-cm telescope of the Cerro Armazones Observatory, North Catholic University (Chile) using an SBIG ST-10XME CCD camera. For 12 of these RR Lyrae stars, we also obtained 337 brightness measurements in the B and V bands in 2000–2001 using the 60-cm telescope of the High Altitude Mt. Maidanak Observatory (Republic of Uzbekistan). We present tables of observations, light curves, and improved light-curve elements for all these RR Lyrae stars. The Blazhko effect was detected for SU Hor.