β Cephei stars from a photometric point of view

This is an observational review, with an emphasis on photometric data and their interpretation. Two lists are presented, one containing Cephei stars, and the other, Cephei suspects. These lists then serve as a basis for discussing such topics as the location of Cephei stars in the observational and theoretical H-R diagrams, the evolutionary state of these stars, the period-luminosity and period-luminosity-color relations, and observational identification of pulsation modes. The paper also includes references to recent work connected with the theoretical discovery that an opacity mechanism is responsible for the excitation of Cephei-star pulsations. Finally, observational programs for verifying the consequences of this discovery are suggested.Belgian Fund for Scientific Research (NFWO).     

Electron coronal density irregularity\overline {n^2 } /(\bar n)^2 from measurements of K-coronal and lyman lines brightnesses

We propose a technique to derive the coronal density irregularity factor , wheren is the electron density. The absolute photometric comparison between the intensity of UV lines and the white-light K-coronal polarized brightness (pB) provides an unique constraint on the inhomogeneity of the corona. The ratio of the measured H I Lyman (Ly-) line intensity to the resonant-scattering dominated H I Lyman (Ly-) intensity can be used to extract the collisonal component of the Ly-. This component yields an estimate of . The quantity is then obtained from white-light K-coronal measurements. The use of lines of the same atomic species minimizes the effects due to outflow velocities (i.e., Doppler dimming), and reduces the errors introduced by the uncertainties in the ionization balance, the atomic parameters, and the solar abundances. The UVCS/SOHO unique capability of performing cotemporal and cospatial measurements of the Ly- and Ly- lines, and ofpB makes this instrument ideal for implementing this technique.     

Are there different types of variability among B stars?

Conclusion It now appears difficult to write that the Cephei stars occupy a well defined instability strip in the HR diagram (Lesh and Aizenman, 1978): the Cep phenomenon — from any observational definition we could give — cannot be restricted to the small group of variables inside the box limited by the B 0.5 - B 2 spectral types and by the (II–III) – IV luminosity classes.So the pulsation mechanism is probably not strictly related to a narrow evolutionary stage. From this point of view, a mechanism related to envelope properties could better allow for variability in a wider region of the HR diagram. Which should be the new boundaries for such a phenomenon ? Should we expect an amplification of the phenomenon towards the center of its HR domain?     

Collapse,equilibrium, and fragmentation of rotating,adiabatic clouds

Numerical calculations of the collapse of adiabatic clouds from uniform density and rotation initial conditions show that when restricted to axisymmetry, the clouds form either near-equilibrium spheroids or rings. Rings form in the collapse of low thermal energy clouds and have = T/ ¦W¦ 0.43. When the axisymmetric constraint is removed and an initial m=2 density variation is introduced, clouds either collapse to form near-equilibrium ellipsoids or else fragment into binary systems through a bar phase. Ellipsoids form in the collapse of high thermal energy clouds and have 3 0.27. The results are consistent with the critical values of for instabilities in Maclaurin spheroids, and suggest that protostellar clouds may undergo a dynamic fragmentation in the nonisothermal collapse regime.National Academy of Sciences — National Research Council Resident Research Associate.     

The effect of rotation on the hydrodynamics of stellar collapse

Summary Using values of d, _min, and _max that Van Riper (1978) has found most promising for a hydrodynamic envelope ejection, we have shown that even a small amount of rotation in the initial core can stop its collapse before nuclear densities are reached. We expected _i > 0.02 to produce significant deviations from a spherically symmetric collapse, but have found that _i as much as ten times smaller than this will not allow the core to reach densities as high as in the spherical collapse. In no case, however, does the core flatten very much, nor does the value of become very large. Low final 's preclude the formation of an axisymmetric torus. They also indicate that deformation of an iron core into a triaxial configuration or fragmentation of the core during its collapse is an extremely unlikely event. (Note: Classically, must exceed 0.27 before a dynamic instability to non-axisymmetric perturbations is encountered.)The small degree of flattening of the core also suggests that the reduced moment of inertia I of the core will always be relatively small in magnitude and hence that the third time derivative of I, which is proportional to the energy emitted in gravity wave radiation, will not be very significant. Numerically calculated estimates of I- during some of these model evolutions supports this suspicion. If the _min and used here are found to be realistic values after the detailed physics of the core collapse is well understood, it is clear that gravitational radiation from a core collapse will be difficult to measure.Finally, we should point out that it is the relatively large values of Y_min (near 4/3) combined with values of d near unity that (a) prevented the core from flattening significantly in these models and (b) prevented the core from reaching high configurations. If realistic values of either one (or both) of these parameters are found to be much smaller in more complete models of the core collapse, then the core will have to become flatter (and denser) before pressure gradients will support it along the rotation axis. All of the conclusions drawn here would be modified accordingly under those circumstances. It should also be noted that in general relativistic models, the critical for spherical collapse is somewhat larger than 4/3 (Van Riper, 1979). Therefore, we predict that when fully general relativistic core collapses are performed including rotation, a given choice of _min and _i will produce a slightly flatter and slightly denser core than the corresponding model that has been presented here.     

Characteristics of nearby interstellar matter

There is a warm tenuous partially ionized cloud (T10⁴ K,n(HI)0.1 cm^–3,n(Hii 0.22–0.44 cm^–3) surrounding the solar system which regulates the environment of the solar system, determines the structure of the heliopause region, and feeds neutral interstellar gas into the inner solar system. The velocity (V–20 km s^–1 froml335°,b0° in the local standard of rest) and enhanced Caii and Feii abundances of this cloud suggest an origin as evaporated gas from cloud surfaces in the Scorpius-Centaurus Association. Although the soft X-ray emission attributed to the Local Bubble is enigmatic, optical and ultraviolet data are consistent with bubble formation caused by star formation epochs in the Scorpius-Centaurus Association as regulated by the nearby spiral arm configuration. The cloud surrounding the solar system (the local fluff) appears to be the leading region of an expanding interstellar structure (the squall line) which contains a magnetic field causing polarization of the light of nearby stars, and also absorption features in nearby upwind stars. The velocity vectors of the solar system and local fluff are perpendicular in the local standard of rest. Combining this information with the low column densities seen towards Sirius in the anti-apex direction, and the assumption that the cloud velocity vector is parallel to the surface normal, suggests that the Sun entered the local fluff within the historical past (less than 10 000 years ago) and is skimming the surface of the cloud. Comparison of magnesium absorption lines towards Sirius and anomalous cosmic-ray data suggest the local fluff is in ionization equilibrium.Reason has moons, but moons not hers, Lie mirror'd on her sea, Confounding her astronomers, But, O! delighting me.Ralph Hodgson     

Some results of ionospheric investigations by means of coherent radiowaves emitted by satellites

In this paper we discuss theoretical expressions, determining the difference of Doppler shifts of various coherent radiowave frequencies emitted by a radiator moving in the ionosphere or interplanetary medium. The rotating Doppler effect (Faraday effect) caused by the Doppler shifts ±H of the ordinary and extraordinary waves is also considered. In a three-dimensional inhomogeneous ionosphere, stationary in time (N/t = 0), is determined in the general case, by an equation with three variables. The equation for proper depends only on the local value of the electron concentration N _c around the radiator and on integral values, determining, by means of additional calculations, the angle of refraction or its components, the horizontal gradients of electron concentration N/x and N/y, and in some cases, the integral electron concentration ₀ ^zcN dz. We describe the analysis of the measurements, made with the satellites Cosmos I, II and partially XI, assuming that N/t = N/y = 0, with a two variables equation. The expected errors are considered. The results coincide well for different points (Moscow, The Crimea, Sverdlovsk) and thus agree with the measurements of _H and with height-frequency ionospheric characteristics. The curve giving electron concentration versus height N (z) in the outer ionosphere (above the maximum of F2), shows a new maximum higher than the main maximum of the ionosphere N _MF2 at 120–140 km. At this maximum the value of N (z) is (0.9–0.95) N _MF2. The new data on the large-scale horizontal inhomogeneities of the ionosphere, exceed the previous ones by about a factor 10. By means of the irregular variations of the spectrum W() of the inhomogenous formation is determined. Three unknown constant maxima with values 16 to 18 km, 28 to 32 km and 100 to 120 km are found. The spectrum W () mainly characterizes the local properties of the ionosphere along the orbit of the satellite.     

Fine scale temporal structures in solar hard X-ray bursts observed by PHEBUS

We report here on preliminary results of a systematic study of fast temporal fluctuations in impulsive and extended solar X-ray bursts observed by PHEBUS at energies around 100 keV. Subsecond timescales are quite common in the impulsive events and are not observed in extended ones.     

Finite Larmor radius effects in the magnetosphere

This article reviews theories and observations related to effects produced by finite (and large) Larmor radii of charged particles in the magnetosphere. The FLR effects depend on =r _H /L, wherer _H is the Larmor radius andL is the spatial scale for field/plasma inhomogeneity. The parameter is a basic expansion parameter for most equations describing plasma dynamics in the magnetosphere. The FLR effects enter naturally the drift approximation for particle motion and represent also non-ideal MHD terms in the fluid formalism. The linear and higher order terms in lead to charge separation, energization of particles, and produce viscosity without collisions. The FLR effects introduce also important corrections to the dispersion relations for MHD waves and drift instabilities. Expansion of plasma into magnetic field leads to filamentation of the plasma boundary and to creation of structures with thickness less than an ion gyroradius. Large Larmor radius effects (1) in curved magnetic field geometry lead to stochastic behaviour of particle trajectories and to deterministic chaos. The tiny scale of the electron and ion gyroradii does not necessarily mean that FLR/LLR phenomena have negligible effect on the macroscopic dynamics and energetics of the whole magnetosphere. On the contrary, the small scale gyro-effects may provide the physical mechanism for gyroviscous coupling between the solar wind and the magnetosphere, the mechanism for triggering disruption of the magnetotail current layer, and the mechanism for parallel electric field that accelerate auroral particles.     

The Edison infrared space observatory

For five years, theEdison program has had the goal of developing new designs for infrared space observatories which will break the cost curve by permitting more capable missions at lower cost. Most notably, this has produced a series of models for purely radiative and radiative/mechanical (hybrid) cooling which do not use cryogens and optical designs which are not constrained by the coolant tanks. Purely radiatively-cooled models achieve equilibrium temperatures as low as about 20 K at a distance of 1 AU from the sun. More advancedEdison designs include mechanical cooling systems attached to the telescope assembly which lower the optical system temperature to 5 K or less. Via these designs, near-cryogenic temperatures appear achievable without the limitations of cryogenic cooling. OneEdison model has been proposed to the European Space Agency as the next generation infrared space observatory and is presently under consideration as a candidate ESA Cornerstone mission. The basic design is also the starting point for elements of future infrared space interferometers.     

Beta Cephei and related stars

Summary The most striking aspect of the Cep and 53 Per stars is their complexity. Whereas in Cepheid-type variables, a dominant mechanism excites a dominant mode (or two at most) of a dominant kind of pulsation, in Cep stars, a number of mechanisms and processes are at work. Still there is hope that the mystery will soon be unraveled by the careful application of a combination of observational and theoretical techniques. These same techniques will provide a better understanding of B stars in general: their interior and atmosphere, mass loss and coronal heating.     

Ultraviolet observations of the X-ray sources in the ETA garinae Nebula

Car is surrounded by a dense nebula ejected during the last 150 years. The Einstein satellite recently detected intense X-ray emission from Car and its nebula indicating the existence of efficient gas heating processes. Ultraviolet observations with IUE confirmed the presence of hot gas in the condensation S of the nebula and in Car. Possible interpretations of the results are discussed.Based on observations by the International Ultraviolet Explorer made at the Villafranca Satellite Tracking Station of the European Space Agency.     

Determination of the characteristics of the gamma-ray telescope Gamma-1

The Gamma-1 telescope has been developed through a collaboration of scientists in the USSR and France in order to conduct -ray astronomical observations within the energy range from 50 to 5000 MeV. The major characteristics of the telescope were established by Monte-Carlo simulations and calibrations made with the aid of electron and tagged -ray beams produced by an accelerator, and these have been found to be as follows: the effective area for photons coming along the instrument's axis varies from about 50 cm² at E = 50 MeV to approximately 230 cm² at E 300 MeV; the angular resolution (half opening of the cone embracing 68% events) is equal to 2.7° at E = 100 MeV, and 1.8° at E = 300 MeV; the energy resolution (FWHM) varies from 70% to 35% as the energy of the detected photons increases from 100 to 550 MeV; the telescope's field-of-view at the half-sensitivity level is 300–450 square degrees depending upon the spectrum of the detected radiation, and the event selection logic. Proceeding from the thus obtained characteristics it is demonstrated that a point source producing a photon flux J (E 100 MeV) = 3 × 10^-7 cm^-2 s^-1, can be detected with a 5 significance by observing it during 10⁶ s at the level of the Cygnus background, and a source having intensity J (E 100 MeV) = 10^-6 cm^-2 s^-1 can be detected to within a mean square positional accuracy of about 15.     

Pulsation modes and luminosities of the β Cephei stars

Assuming that frequencies observed in multiperiod Cephei variables correspond to normal pulsation modes leads to the following conclusions: (1) a variety of low Z oscillations are excited in these stars, (2) at most one radial mode is seen in any of them.Pulsation constants can be derived for two Cephei stars without recourse to photometric calibrations. In both cases a 0.5 mag. downward revision of the Balmer line absolute magnitudes is indicated. Implications of this result for Stel1ingwerf's opacity bump mechanism are briefly considered.The text of the paper will appear in Proceedings of the Fifth European Regional Meeting of the IAU.     

Presupernova models and supernovae

Present status of the theories for presupernova evolution and triggering mechanisms of supernova explosions are summarized and discussed from the standpoint of the theory of stellar structure and evolution. It is not intended to collect every detail of numerical results thus far obtained, but to extract physically clear-cut understanding from complexities of the numerical stellar models. For this purpose the evolution of stellar cores is discussed in a generalized fashion. The following types of the supernova explosions are discussed. The carbon deflagration supernova of intermediate mass star which results in the total disruption of the star. Massive star evolves into a supernova triggered by photo-dissociation of iron nuclei which results in a formation of a neutron star or a black hole depending on its mass. These two are typical types of the sueprnovae. Between them there remains a range of mass for which collapse of the stellar core is triggered by electron captures, which has been recently shown to leave a neutron star despite oxygen deflagration competing with the electron captures. Also discussed are combustion and detonation of helium or carbon which take place in accreting white dwarfs, and the collapse which is triggered by electron-pair creation in very massive stars.Appendix: Notations A mass number of atomic nucleus - B _v(a, b) incomplete beta function - c _p specific heat at constant pressure - c _p sound velocity - c(sub) center of the star - E _e mean energy of an electron captured by nucleus - E _n nuclear energy release from unit mass of the nuclear fuel specified by n - E _thr threshold energy (9.3) - E _thr,0 energy difference between the ground states of daughter nucleus and parent nucleus (9.1) - E energy of gamma ray emitted from daughter nucleus (9.1) - E _v mean energy of a neutrino emitted by electron capture (9.1) - f flatness parameter (2.17) - g local gravitational acceleration (2.16) - H atomic mass unit - H _p scale height of pressure (2.22) - H (sub) hydrogen-burning shell - k Boltzmann constant - l mixing length of convection - L _cr(M _r ) local Eddington's critical luminosity (4.3) - L _n integrated nuclear energy generation rate by nuclear fuel specified by n - L _v neutrino luminosity - L _{v, cr}(M _r ) local Eddington's critical neutrino luminosity (11.2) - M (current) mass of a star - m _M core mass contained interior to the carbon-burning shell - M _Ch Chandrasekhar's limiting mass (9.6) - M _H core mass contained interior to the hydrogen-burning shell - M _He core mass contained interior to the helium-burning shell - M _ms mass of a star at its zero-age min-sequence - M _O core mass contained interior to the oxygen-burning shell - M _r mass contained interior to a shell at r - M _Si core mass contained interior to the silicon-burning shell - M _WD mass of white dwarf (7.1) - M ₀ normalization factor to the non-dimensional mass (3.3) - M ₁ core mass (3.6) - N polytropic index between pressure and density (2.3) - n polytropic index between pressure and temperature (10.1) - N _A Avogadro number - N _ad adiabatic polytropic index - N _e number of electrons in unit mass of matter - NSE nuclear statistical equilibrium - P pressure - ph (sub) photosphere - Q _e mass fraction of the envelope exterior of the shell e (2.14) - R stellar radius - r radial distance of a shell - r ₀ normalization factor to the non-dimensional radius (3.2) - s specific entropy - S _i specific entropy of ions - T temperature - U homology invariant defined by (2.1) - u _gas specific internal energy of gas - u _rad energy of the radiation field per volume in which unit mass of gas is contained (6.4) - V homology invariant defined by (2.2) - _def velocity of deflagration front (6.10) - X concentration by weight of hydrogen - Y concentration by weight of helium - Y _e mole number of electrons in one gram of matter (9.7) - Y _v mole number of neutrinos in one gram of matter - Z concentration by weight of the elements other than hydrogen and helium - z shock strength (6.6) - 1 (sub) usually denotes the core edge (2.13) - ratio of the mixing length to the scale height of pressure (l/H _p ) - ratio of gas pressure to the total pressure - ratio of the specific heats - gD locus of singularity in U-V plane (2.5) - M(H _p ) mass contained within unit scale height of pressure (4.4) - _ec energy rate by electron captures (9.5) - _n nuclear energy generation rate by the nuclear fuel specified by n - _v neutrino loss rate - L _v ^(D) neutrino loss rate excluding the neutrinos from the electron captures (9.4) - non-dimensional density (3.1) - P/, not the non-dimensional temperature (2.7) - _W Weinberg's angle (5.8) - opacity - _v neutrino opacity (11.2) - describes the effect of electron degeneracy in equation of state (2.19) - _ec rate of electron capture - mean molecular weight - _e mean molecular weight of electrons - _e chemical potential of an electron excluding the rest mass (8.1) - _i mean molecular weight of ions - non-dimensional radius (3.1) - non-dimensional pressure (3.1) - matter density - _cr ^GR critical density above which the general relativistic instability sets in - _cr critical density for reimplosion of the core by beta processes (Section 5) - _ign density at the ignition - _nse density above which the deflagrated matter results in NSE composition - _e non-dimensional entropy of electron-per one electron in units of k(9.2) - _ff timescale of free fall (6.2) - _h (H _p ) timescale of heat transport over unit scale height of pressure (4.4) - _n nuclear timescale for a change in temperature (6.1) - non-dimensional mass (3.1) - _e chemical potential of an electron in units of kT (8.1)     

The synthesis of helium and CNO isotopes in massive stars

We present helium and CNO isotopic yields for massive mass-losing stars in the initial mass range 15M M _i 50M . We investigate their dependence on assumptions about mass loss rates, internal mixing processes, and metallicity, and specify the contributions from stellar winds and from supernova ejecta.     

Excitation of the Lyman-α in the night sky

The experiments pertaining to the excitations of Lyman- radiation in the night sky are reviewed. Various possible modes of excitation are considered. Scattering of solar L in interplanetary hydrogen is not suitable because of an insufficient amount of hydrogen and difficulty in accounting for the large night time albedo contrasted with the small daytime value. Transport by multiple scattering in the exosphere produces an appreciable excitation as well as the correct variation of intensity as function of zenith angle. However, the process fails by a factor of 4 for a solar flux of 6 ergs/cm² sec and the 3 × 10¹² atoms/cm² geocorona consistent with absorption measurements. A direct scattering in a geocoma far from the earth overcomes the albedo and thin atmosphere problems. However, there is difficulty in accounting for the presence of the amount of hydrogen necessary beyond 15 earth radii. Also the absence of H excitation by Lyman- is a problem. No explanation so far proposed appears adequate. Experiments are suggested.     

Non-BBN Constraints on the Key Cosmological Parameters

Since the baryon-to-photon ratio 10 is in some doubt at present, we ignore the constraints on 10 from big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) and fit the three key cosmological parameters (h, M, 10) to four other observational constraints: Hubble parameter (ho), age of the universe (to), cluster gas (baryon) fraction (fo fGh3/2), and effective shape parameter (o). We consider open and flat CDM models and flat CDM models, testing goodness of fit and drawing confidence regions by the 2 method. CDM models with M = 1 (SCDM models) are accepted only because we allow a large error on ho, permitting h < 0.5. Open CDM models are accepted only for _M 0.4. CDM models give similar results. In all of these models, large 10 ( 6) is favored strongly over small 10 ( 2), supporting reports of low deuterium abundances on some QSO lines of sight, and suggesting that observational determinations of primordial 4He may be contaminated by systematic errors. Only if we drop the crucial o constraint are much lower values of M and 10 permitted.     

Relations between ISM inside and outside the heliosphere

Thanks to remarkable new tools, such as the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) on board the HST and the EUVE spectrometer on the interstellar side, and Ulysses particle detectors on the heliospheric side, it is possible now to begin to compare abundances and physical properties of the interstellar matter outside the heliosphere (from absorption features in the stellar spectra), and inside the heliosphere (from in situ or remote detection of the interstellar neutrals or their derivatives, the pick-up ions or the Anomalous Cosmic Rays detected by the two Voyager spacecraft).Ground-based and UV spectra of nearby stars show that the Sun is located between two volumes of gas of different heliocentric velocities V and temperatures T (see also Linsky et al, this issue). One of these clouds has the same velocity (V= 25.6 km s^–1 from = 255 and =8) and temperature (6700 K) as the heliospheric helium of interstellar origin probed by Ulysses, and is certainly surrounding our star (and then the Local Interstellar Cloud or LIC). This Identification allows comparisons between interstellar constituents on both sides of the heliospheric interface.Ly-alpha background data (absorption cell and recent HST-GHRS spectra) suggest that the heliospheric neutral H velocity is smaller by 5–6 km s^–1 than the local cloud velocity, and therefore that H is decelerated at its entrance into the heliosphere, in agreement with interaction models between the heliosphere and the ISM which include the coupling with the plasma. This is in favor of a non negligible electron density (at least 0.05 cm³). There are other indications of a rather large ionization of the ambient ISM, such as the ionization equilibrium of interstellar magnesium and of sodium. However the resulting range for the plasma density is still broad.The heliospheric neutral hydrogen number density (0.08–0.16 cm^–3) is now less precisely determined than the helium density (0.013–0.017 cm^–3, see Gloeckler, Witte et al, Mobius, this issue). The comparison between the neutral hydrogen to neutral helium ratios in the ISM (recent EUVE findings) and in the heliosphere, suggests that 15 to 70% of H does not enter the heliosphere. The comparison between the interstellar oxygen relative abundance (with respect to H and He) in the ISM and the heliospheric abundance deduced from pick-up ions is also in favor of some filtration, and thus of a non-negligible ionization.For a significant ISM plasma density, one expects a Hydrogen wall to be present as an intermediate state of the interstellar H around the interface between inside and outside. Since 1993, the two UVS instruments on board Voyager 1 and 2 indeed reveal clearly the existence of an additional Ly-alpha emission, probably due to a combination of light from the compressed H wall, and from a galactic source. On the other hand, the decelerated and heated neutral hydrogen of this H wall has recently been detected in absorption in the spectra of nearby stars (see Linsky, this issue).