Interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), ∼ 10μm particles from comets and asteroids, have been collected by NASA from the Earth's stratosphere. We compared carbon X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (XANES) and Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectra of anhydrous and hydrated interplanetary dust particles and found that anhydrous and hydrated IDPs have similar types and abundances of organic carbon. This is different from results on meteorites, which show that hydrated carbonaceous meteorites contain abundant organic matter, while anhydrous carbonaceous meteorites contain less carbon mostly in elemental form. But all anhydrous carbonaceous meteorites are depleted in moderately volatile and volatile elements in a pattern that suggested they experienced temperatures in excess of 1200°C, a temperature sufficient to destroy any organic matter they originally contained, while many anhydrous IDPs show no evidence of severe heating. These IDP results indicate that the bulk of the pre-biotic organic matter in extraterrestrial materials formed before aqueous processing, possibly by irradiation of C-bearing ices or by a Fisher-Tropsch type process operating in the gas phase of the nebula or in the interstellar medium.

We present results from the Herschel and IRAM projects to map M33 in the dust continuum and main emission lines, particularly C[II] and CO. The temperature of the cool dust decreases with distance from the center of M33 from ~25K to ~13K. The CO emission generally follows the dust temperature and the overall dust emission. However, about 1/6 of the molecular clouds are not associated with massive stars, such that about 1/6th the lifetime of an entity identifiable as a molecular cloud is in a pre-star formation state. These clouds are less CO-bright than those with massive stars. The largest sample of molecular clouds currently available for an external galaxy shows that the cloud CO luminosity function, usually viewed as the cloud H2 mass, steepens with radius such that smaller clouds are more numerous in the outer parts. The observations of the C[II] line with Herschel indicate that the C[II] emission traces on-going star formation rather than the neutral gas. This identification will be tested via velocity-resolved Herschel/HIFI C[II] spectra in the near future.

The kinematics of black hole and neutron star X-ray binaries in the Galaxy should help to know their birth place and constrain their evolution. We have used multiple tools of modern astronomy to determine the trajectories in the Galaxy and track the origins of black hole and neutron star X-ray binaries that are of topical interest in astrophysics. We find three distinct classes of black hole and neutron star X-ray binaries: (1) low mass X-ray binaries that move at high velocities on galactocentric orbits similar to the most ancient stars born in the Galactic bulge and the halo, (2) those that move in the Galactic disk along paths that resemble the circular orbits of massive stars formed in the disk, and (3) high and intermediate mass X-ray binaries running away from their parent regions of star formation. Here we discuss some of the cases studied.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

Understanding the mechanism that causes the emergence of magnetic flux from the solar interior to the atmosphere, the drastic changes in the properties of the matter and magnetic fields along the rise and the interplay of dynamic and resistive phenomena that shape the emerged regions is one of the major open tasks in solar physics. Important advances are being made both in the theoretical modelling and in the observation of the emergence events. This review concentrates on recent advances through 3D numerical experiments carried out with massively parallel MHD and radiative transfer codes.

The data from the Greenwich Observatory for 1879–2003 (cycles 12–23) have been used to plot a time (Carrington rotations) vs. Carrington longitude diagram of distribution of the rotation–summed daily areas for each sunspot group. It has been revealed that most of the sunspots appear as clusters having common sources (Sunspot Formation Zones) that lie on a surface rotating with a period close to the Carrington rotation period $T=27.2753$ days. At the same time both the active longitudes and medium-size spots shift in the Carrington heliolongitude and rotate at an angular velocity corresponding to the rotation period $T\sim26.8-26.9$ days. An attempt is made to explain contradictory data on the character of rotation of sunspots and active longitudes.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

The non-local, time-dependent convection theory of Kuhfuß (1986) in both its one- and three-equation form has been implemented in the Garching stellar evolution code. We present details of the implementation and the difficulties encountered. Specific test cases have been calculated, among them a 5 M⊙ star and the Sun. These cases point out deficits of the theory. In particular, the assumption of an isotropic velocity field leads to too extensive overshooting and has to be modified at convective boundaries. Some encouraging aspects are indicated as well.

We report on an ongoing community service observing program to follow the expected encounter of the G2 cloud with the black hole Sgr A* in 2013. The NRAO Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) has been observing the Sgr A region since 2012 October on roughly a bi-monthly interval, each for two hours, cycling through eight observing bands at their default continuum frequencies, using 2 GHz of bandwidth. The data from the monitoring program are publicly available through the NRAO data archive immediately after observing has completed, and the flux densities are published by NRAO staff as soon as the data are reduced. The cumulative results of the monitoring effort are posted on the service observing web page https://science.nrao.edu/science/service-observing and so far do not indicate a significant brightening of the emission from the direction of Sgr A* over the period 2012 October to 2013 September, within the calibration uncertainties.

It has long been known that rotation can have an appreciable impact on stellar pulsation — by modifying the usual p and g modes found in the non-rotating case, and by introducing new classes of modes. However, it's only relatively recently that advances in numerical simulations and complementary theoretical treatments have enabled us to model these phenomena in any great detail. In this talk I'll review highlights in this area (the ‘Greatest Hits’), before considering the flip side (or the ‘B-side’, for those of us old enough to remember vinyl records) of the pulsation-rotation interaction: how pulsation can itself influence internal rotation profiles.

We present a model for curved parsec-scale jets that includes most of the key radiation physics and relativity, but which is simple enough to allow an exploration of diverse geometries and flow parameters.

We have observed 3 moderate redshift clusters using a combination of 7 intermediate band filters and 2 CCDs in order to derive photometric information for cluster galaxies from 400 nm to 900 nm. Preliminary results are presented for 2 clusters: Abell 1942 (z=0.224) and Abell 1525 (z=0.259) from 580 nm to 860 nm. The CCD photometry reaches a limit equivalent to RF=21 mag with a precision of better than 0.1 mag. The galaxy colours derived from the intermediate band measurements are generally consistent with those expected at the appropriate redshift. However, in Abell 1525, and to a lesser extent in Abell 1942, a large proportion of cluster members have far red (720–860 nm) colours redder than expected. Many of these galaxies have blue photographic BJ-RF colours. A possible explanation for the anomalous CCD colours is that these galaxies possess a strong emission line component which enters the far red filter at z=0.25.

The suitability of Copernicus U2 spectrometer scans (resolution 0.2 Å, spectral range roughly 1000–1450 Å) for purposes of spectral classification is discussed. The main conclusion is that while many features in the spectra complicate the situation (numerous interstellar features and those related to the phenomenon of mass loss), the general behavior of the lines in the spectra of most of the 22 stars studied is entirely consistent with the presently accepted classifications of these objects. Whether a significant increase in the accuracy of determination of all of the relevant classification parameters can be obtained from this material is not yet certain. It is emphasized that study of the high-resolution Copernicus scans should be of great value for forthcoming classification programs necessarily utilizing spectral data of considerably lower resolution.

This paper discusses the present status of a preliminary inspection of the plates obtained in the Michigan objective-prism survey of the entire southern sky. A very large number of peculiar stars, and of normal supergiants as well, have been noted and lists of these are being prepared for publication.

We present CO (1−0) interferometer maps of carbon star, CIT 6, and carbon rich proto-planetary nebula, CRL618. Both objects were mapped with the Berekeley-Illinois-Maryland millimeter array (BIMA). The resulting resolution is ∼ 4″ and structure larger than ∼1′ is completely filtered out. Two velocity resolutions were employed; 0.4 km s−1 and 0.8 km s−1 permitting a velocity coverage of 52 and 104 km s−1. We find evidence for non-spherical expanding envelopes in both objects. The interferometer detected all the single dish CO flux in CRL618 (840 Jy km s−1), and 70% of the CO flux in CIT 6 (or 1030 Jy km s−1). For CIT 6, we obtained single dish maps at the NRAO 12m to measure the zero spacing flux distribution. We measure an envelope diameter of 90″ (2.6 × 1017 at 190 pc) for CIT 6 and 15″ (4.5 × 1017 at 2 kpc) for CRL 618 and expansion velocities of 17 km s−1 for both. The small scale structure seen by the interferometer in CIT 6 has a core and an elongation to the SW. We interpret this elongation as the beginning of an equatorial density enhancement and predict that that CIT 6 will evolve into a bipolar planetary nebula. In CRL 618, the elongated structure seen in CO is perpendicular to the optical reflection nebula, which has an east-west orientation. Hence the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) wind appears as an expanding waist band around this bipolar nebula giving credence to the idea that equatorial density enhancements in AGB winds produce bipolar planetary nebulae (Balick 1987).

Radio data of large irregular galaxies reveal some extended synchrotron emission with a substantial degree of polarization. In the case of NGC 4449 strong galaxy-scale regular magnetic fields were found, in spite of the lack of ordered rotation required for the conventional dynamo action. The rigidly rotating large irregular NGC 55 shows vertical polarized spurs connected with a network of ionized gas filaments. Small dwarf irregulars show only isolated polarized spots.

The Naval Research Laboratory and the US Naval Observatory are building a phase tracking optical interferometer for high resolution imaging and astrometry. This instrument will be a six element interferometer capable of true imaging using interferometric amplitudes and closure phases. This talk will describe the instrument, with an emphasis on those aspects of the array related to high resolution imaging. The status of the project will be presented. First light is planned for October 1993, with 6 element imaging beginning in 1994.

The study of extragalactic planetary nebulae has made rapid progress in recent years with the help of high quantum efficiency detectors. A brief but distinctive phase in the late stage of stellar evolution, planetary nebulae (PNe) are not only interesting objects in their own right, but also are extremely valuable and unique tools for probing the host galaxies. Recent studies have used planetary nebulae as test particles to investigate the dynamics and mass distributions in the halos of early type galaxies.

This article reviews recent radio observations of maser emission from OH, H2O and SiO molecules in the circumstellar envelopes of OH-IR sources. The different radio lines require different conditions for their excitation, and each therefore probes different regions in the circumstellar envelope. For some stars radio interferometer maps of several maser lines are now available, and a consistent picture of the envelope structure is beginning to emerge.

It seems hard to realise, today, that pulsars were totally unknown at the time of the last General Assembly. The discovery of pulsars dates from November 28th, 1967, when the first pulses were recorded from the source now known as CP 1919. Since then we have witnessed an astonishing phase of activity, amongst observers and theoreticians alike, which may be unique in the history of astronomy. Now, with at least 50 pulsars in the catalogues, we are in possession of a wealth of information about these remarkable sources. My aim tonight is to outline the observational evidence which leads us to the physical nature of pulsars. I shall happily leave to Professor Ginzburg the far more difficult task of weaving these strands into a logical pattern and devising a model to account for what is observed.

Photography of the second epoch of the Lick Proper Motion Program (Wright 1950) was started in 1968. The original plan (Vasilevskis 1954) was modified in several respects. It was decided to carry out a pilot program first, before the start of a full coverage of the sky accessible from Lick. It was also decided to make use of the new lens corrected for yellow light (Vasilevskis 1964), in addition to the blue lens used for the first epoch. The aims of the pilot program were formulated: (1) carry out the necessary error investigations, (2) develop methods and procedures to a stage of routine, (3) derive proper motions of stars measured, and (4) attempt to arrive at some astronomical conclusions based on these motions. The program was limited to 97 fields nearly uniformly distributed over the sky north of -23° all these fields were photographed, measured and reduced, 78 of them contain a sufficient number of galaxies for proper motion reference. This report will be limited to presenting a few results obtained from the first crude analysis of proper motions that became available only a week ago. These results, therefore may change significantly in the process of further analysis.

The origin of homochirality is one of the longest-standing puzzles in understanding the origins of life. In the laboratory, illumination by circularly polarised UV radiation (asymmetric photolysis) is an effective means of producing an enantiomeric excess in an otherwise racemic mix of chiral molecules. In the natural world, however, it has proven difficult to identify a suitable source of Circularly Polarised Light (CPL). Recent observations of L-excesses of 2–9% for a number of α-methyl amino acids in the Murchison meteorite and our discovery of large degrees of CPL in some star forming regions has added weight to the suggestion that the origin of homochirality is extra-terrestrial. Here we report initial modelling of the production of that CPL.