R. Buccheri, J. van Paradijs, M. A. Alpar, The Many of Neutron Stars

We see neutron stars principally by their radio and X-ray emission. Their appearance in these different bands depends on whether the emission comes from the surface or its magnetosphere. New phenomena continue to be found from neutron stars, which makes it an exciting and topical research area. This volume is a collection of the papers from a NATO Advanced Study Institute held in Italy in October 1996. Many, and for me the most interesting ones, are substantial reviews on topics such as Pulsar magnetic fields and glitches (M. Ruderman), Radio pulsar population properties (D. Lorimer), Gamma-ray emission from CGRO pulsars (G. Kanbach), Neutron stars and black holes in X-ray binaries (J. van Paradijs), Kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations in low-mass X-ray binaries (M. van der Klis), Thermonuclear burning on rapidly accreting neutron stars (L. Bildsten), On the X-ray emission properties of rotation powered pulsars (W. Becker and J. Truemper). It will serve as a useful reference and source book for students in high energy astrophysics and related fields. The high price may deter its purchase by individuals, but it will be a good volume for a library needing recent coverage on neutron stars. It does not of course include the most recent developments on anomalous X-ray pulsars or magnetars. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

K. Koyama, S. Kitamoto and M. Itoh (eds.), The Hot Universe, IAU Symposium

This book concerns the publication of the proceedings of an IAU Symposium held in Tokio in the summer of 1997. As implied by the title, it provides an overall review of our knowledge on all aspects of high-energy phenomena occurring in the universe obtained via the observations in X- and gamma-rays with orbiting satellites. It contains 44 invited (4 pages each) and 132 (2 pages each) contributed papers covering: Sun, stars, supernovae and their remnants, galaxies and their clusters, white dwarfs and neutron stars, black hole binaries, active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts, large scale structure and hot intergalactic medium, and a chapter on future space programs in X- and gamma-ray astronomy. Many of the contributions have since appeared in the astronomical literature. The invited reviews, although very concise, are generally valuable in presenting the most relevant points of the various subjects. The book is for professional astronomers and may serve as a quick and very useful reference to becoming acquainted with the main developments in the field of high-energy astrophysics beginning of 1998. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A. M. Hubert and C. Jaschek (eds.), B[e] Stars

The B[e] stars are early type stars with hydrogen emission lines, forbidden [FeII] and [OI] emission lines, and with an IR excess due to circumstellar dust. These properties may occur in stars of quite different evolutionary stages. In fact, the group of B[e] stars is very inhomogeneous, and contains pre-main sequence stars, supergiants with disks, compact planetary nebulae, symbiotic stars, and a group of stars with unclear evolutionary phase. The book gives the proceedings of a workshop in Paris in 1997 in which the properties and evolutionary phases of the B[e] stars are discussed. It contains chapters on: (1) the definition of B[e] stars, (2) distances, kinematics and the distribution in our Galaxy, (3) spectroscopy, (4) infrared properties, (5) photometry, polarimetry and variability, (6) models for winds and disks, (7) evolutionary stages, (8) revised classification of B[e] stars. The book ends with an object list of all B[e] stars. The book is very useful for students and researchers of hot star winds and gives nice overviews of the observations and theories and remaining puzzles of these strange objects with winds and outflowing dust-forming disks. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Astrophysics of Galactic Cosmic Rays

Observations of cosmic rays and their related radio to gamma-ray signatures are surveyed and discussed critically, and compared to theoretical models of the cosmic-ray origin and propagation. The analogous heliospheric processes are included as a well-studied case of the principal physical processes of energetic particle acceleration and propagation. Reinforcements, or conflicts, in the interpretations of cosmic-ray spectral and compositional characteristics arise when cosmic-ray source and propagation models are confronted with astronomical information about the Galaxy as a whole and from potential source sites, i.e., supernova remnants or regions with high massive-star density. This volume represents the outcome of two workshops held at ISSI. In this chapter we summarize the introductory papers presented below, and include insights from the workshop discussions.     

Some aspects of the low latitude geomagnetic response under different solar wind conditions*

We review some aspects of low latitudes (L≤2) geomagnetic field variations associated with magnetospheric pulsations as well as with continuous and impulsive variations of the solar wind (SW) pressure. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

M. Livio, S. M. Fall and P. Madau (eds.), The Hubble Deep Field, Space Telescope Conference Series 11

The proceedings of a conference dealing with only one piece of observational activity: the deepest optical image obtained by the HST during a 150 orbit observational program. The main result, presented in several papers, is that we are now able to witness the period of galaxy formation. Very readable too is Allan Sandage's historical review, being the introductory paper to the meeting. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Future of UAS: Standards, Regulations, and Operational Experiences [Workshop Report]

The outcomes of "the future of UAS: standards, regulations and operational experiences" workshop, held on the 7 -8 December 2006, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The goal of the workshop was to identify recent international activities in the unmanned airborne systems (UAS) airspace integration problem. The workshop attracted a broad cross-section of the UAS community, including: airspace and safety regulators, developers, operators, and researchers. The three themes of discussion were: progress in the development of standards and regulations; lessons learnt from recent operations; and advances in new technologies. This summarises the activities of the workshop and explores the important outcomes and trends as perceived by these authors.     

Introduction to Solar Magnetism: The Early Years

The year 2008 marked the one hundredth anniversary of the observational discovery by George Ellery Hale of magnetic field in sunspots (Hale in Astrophys. J. 28:315–343, 1908). This observation, the first to suggest a direct link between the best-known variable features on the Sun and magnetism, started a line of research that has widened considerably over the last 100 years and is continuing today. Knowledge about all aspects of the Sun has increased in a remarkable way over the past few decades. Variations in the appearance of the Sun and its corona, as well as deeper sources of quasi-regular and chaotic changes that make up solar variability have been extensively documented by both ground-based and space-based solar observatories. It has been recognized that solar magnetism is the key phenomenon that drives solar variability. The workshop devoted to the origin and dynamics of solar magnetism held in the International Space Science Institute in Bern, Switzerland, from 21 to 25 January 2008 reviewed the status of the field and has led to this volume that brings together the best available knowledge and understanding of solar magnetism 100 years after Hale’s pioneering paper. This introductory paper gives an outline of the history of research into solar variability up to the work of Hale and his colleagues. The achievements of the past decades are discussed extensively in the other contributions to this volume.     

Observations of birkeland currents

Recent measurements of precipitating energetic particles and vector magnetic fields from satellites and sounding rockets have verified the existence of geomagnetically-aligned electric currents at high latitudes in the ionosphere and magnetosphere. The spatial and temporal configuration of such currents, now commonly called Birkeland currents, has delineated their role in providing ionospheric closure of magnetospheric current systems, and gross features of these current systems may be understood in terms of theoretical models of magnetospheric convection. The association of Birkeland currents with auroral features on a very small scale suggests that auroral acceleration may result from the current flow.     

The relationship between field-aligned currents and the auroral electrojets: A review

The recent development of several new observational techniques as well as of advanced computer simulation codes has contributed significantly to our understanding of dynamics of the three-dimensional current system during magnetospheric substorms. This paper attempts to review the main results of the last decade of research in such diverse fields as electric fields and currents in the high-latitude ionosphere and field-aligned currents and their relationship to the large-scale distribution of auroras and auroral precipitation. It also contains discussions on some efforts in synthesizing the vast amount of the observations to construct an empirical model which connects the ionospheric currents with field-aligned currents. While our understanding has been greatly improved during the last decade, there is much that is as yet unsettled. For example, we have reached only a first approximation model of the three-dimensional current system which is not inconsistent with integrated, ground-based and space observations of electric and magnetic fields. We have just begun to unfold the cause of the field-aligned currents both in the magnetosphere and ionosphere. Dynamical behaviour of the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling relating to substorm variability can be an important topic during the coming years.On leave of absence from Kyoto Sangyo University, Kyoto 603, Japan.     

Advances in bistatic radar (Willis, N.J. and Griffiths, H.D., Eds.; 2007) [Book Review]

The editors have collected a comprehensive set of monographs that provide insight into the more recent history of bistatic radar design and implementation. This volume combines improved details of the environment along with novel system applications. Each chapter is authored by radar experts who had the vision and motivation to tackle a daunting development problem, and share their view of the successes and remaining implementation challenges. The book is divided into two parts: Bistatic/Multistatic Systems and Bistatic Clutter and Signal Processing. The book is an essential addition to the modern radar engineer's library.     

Review of Pi2 Models

More than half a century after the discovery of Pi2 pulsations, Pi2 research is still vigorous and evolving. Especially in the last decade, new results have provided supporting evidence for some Pi2 models, challenged earlier interpretations, and led to entirely new models. We have gone beyond the inner magnetosphere and have explored the outer magnetosphere, where Pi2 pulsations have been observed in unexpected places. The new Pi2 models cover virtually all magnetotail regions and their coupling, from the reconnection site via the lobes and plasma sheet to the ionosphere. In addition to understanding the Pi2 phenomenon in itself, it has also been important to study Pi2 pulsations in their role as transient manifestations of the coupling between the magnetosphere and the ionosphere. The transient Pi2 is an integral part of the substorm phenomenon, especially during substorm onset. Key questions about the workings of magnetospheric substorms are still awaiting answers, and research on Pi2 pulsations can help with those answers. Furthermore, the role of Pi2 pulsations in association with other dynamic magnetospheric modes has been explored in the last decade. Thus, the application of Pi2 research has expanded over the years, assuring that Pi2 research will remain active in this decade and beyond. Here we review recent advances, which have given us a new understanding of Pi2 pulsations generated at various places in the magnetosphere during different magnetospheric modes. We review seven Pi2 models found in the literature and show how they are supported by observations from spacecraft and ground observatories as well as numerical simulations. The models have different degrees of maturity; while some enjoy wide acceptance, others are still speculative.     

High-Latitude Particle Precipitation and its Relationship to Magnetospheric Source Regions

Two central issues in magnetospheric research are understanding the mapping of the low-altitude ionosphere to the distant regions of the magnetsphere, and understanding the relationship between the small-scale features detected in the various regions of the ionosphere and the global properties of the magnetosphere. The high-latitude ionosphere, through its magnetic connection to the outer magnetosphere, provides an important view of magnetospheric boundaries and the physical processes occurring there. All physical manifestations of this magnetic connectivity (waves, particle precipitation, etc.), however, have non-zero propagation times during which they are convected by the large-scale magnetospheric electric field, with phenomena undergoing different convection distances depending on their propagation times. Identification of the ionospheric signatures of magnetospheric regions and phenomena, therefore, can be difficult. Considerable progress has recently been made in identifying these convection signatures in data from low- and high-altitude satellites. This work has allowed us to learn much about issues such as: the rates of magnetic reconnection, both at the dayside magnetopause and in the magnetotail; particle transport across the open magnetopause; and particle acceleration at the magnetopause and the magnetotail current sheets.     

New ideas for affordable space missions

In September 1995, NASA-Goddard held a workshop on low-cost access to space for science missions. The workshop provided briefings on balloons, sounding rockets, Shuttle payloads, and low-cost free-flyer concepts, to provide options of getting experiments into space. This report is the result of a panel session organized with the aim of generating new ideas beyond those presented in the workshop. In addition to the authors, Orlando Figueroa and Paul Ondrus of NASA-Goddard and Richard Zwirnbaum of Computer Sciences Corp. participated in the discussions. The ideas presented do not necessarily reflect the current thinking of NASA managers. Although the panel discussion was focused on the kinds of science missions usually funded by NASA, most of the ideas that were generated are relevant to military and commercial missions as well.     

The workshop on estimation, tracking and fusion: a tribute toYaakov Bar-Shalom

The subject of this article, the 4th ONR/GTRI Workshop on Target Tracking and Sensor Fusion was held at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California in May 2001. The people who meet at this share a common interest in and around the tracking area, and perforce owe much to Yaakov. On the day following the workshop, most of the participants moved across the NPS campus for The Workshop on Estimation, Tracking and Fusion: A Tribute to Yaakov Bar-Shalom, a remarkable two-part event in honor of Yaakov's 50th birthday     

Quality workshop with the Czech aerospace industry

The Association of Aviation Manufacturers in the Czech Republic, AAM CR, the European Association of Aerospace Industries, AECMA, and the European Commission held a workshop on quality in Aerospace in Prague in March 2000. The workshop focussed strongly on practical examples and issues of quality systems and aimed at supporting further integration of the Czech aerospace industries into the European aerospace industry structure.     

R. Burkhardt, U. Esser, H. Hefele, I. Heinrich, W. Hoffmann, V. R. Matas, L. D. Schmadel, R. Wielen and G. Zech (eds.), Astronomy and Astrophysics Abstracts, Volumes 69A and 69B, Literature 1998, Part 1, published for Astronomisches Rechen-Institut

The reviewed Volumes of the AAA series record, summarize and index nearly 12 000 papers covering all aspects of astronomy and space sciences, published throughout the world during the first half of the year 1998. The AAA series is the most important source of information on progress in the scientific disciplines. They have become an indispensable source of information for scientists and students involved in the Universe research. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Cosmic Ray Modulation over the Poles at Solar Maximum: Observations

Our knowledge of how galactic and anomalous cosmic rays are modulated in the inner heliosphere has been dramatically enlarged as a result of measurements from several missions launched in the past ten years. Among them, Ulysses explored the polar regions of the inner heliosphere during the last solar minimum period and is now revisiting southern polar latitudes under solar maximum conditions. This gives us for the first time the possibility to compare modulation of cosmic rays at high heliographic latitudes during such different time periods. We present data from different instruments on board the Ulysses spacecraft together with 1 AU measurements in the ecliptic. In this paper we focus on measurements that have direct implications for our understanding of modulation of cosmic rays in the inner heliosphere. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

PLANS '94. Position, Location and Navigation Symposium '94

A new age in position, location, and navigation has arrived, and PLANS '94 is where engineers from all over the world came to evaluate systems and predict the future. Topics ranged from mapping ice in Greenland to landing passenger-carrying airplanes in Category III weather. PLANS '94, sponsored by IEEE-AESS was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, with 400 engineers attending 27 technical sessions in which 140 papers were presented. General Chairman of the conference was Thomas A. Stansell, Jr., and the program chairman was Michael J. Hadfield