We describe an ongoing programme using the FORS1 spectropolarimeter on the ESO-VLT to search for magnetic fields in Herbig Ae/Be stars. Our aim is to identify the pre-Main Sequence progenitors of magnetic Ap stars, and to trace the evolution of their magnetic fields at the earliest possible stages.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

Wide field imaging is key to understanding the build-up of distant clusters and their galaxy population. By focusing on the so far unexplored outskirts of clusters, where infalling galaxies first hit the cluster potential and the hot intracluster medium, we can help separate cosmological field galaxy evolution from that driven by environment. I present a selection of recent advancements in this area, with particular emphasis on Hubble Space Telescope wide field imaging, for its superior capability to deliver galaxy morphologies and precise shear maps of distant clusters.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

The solar sources of near-relativistic $(E > $30 keV) electron events observed at 1 AU are poorly understood. In general, the solar injection times deduced from the observed 1 AU onset times and assumed 1.2 AU travel distances yield injection times about 10 minutes after the associated flare impulsive phases and type III radio burst times. One interpretation is that the apparent delays occur in the interplanetary medium, probably due to scattering of the electrons. If the injection times are delayed from the impulsive phases, the electron acceleration might take place in CME-driven shocks. Here a large number of electron events observed with the UC/Berkeley 3DP detector on the Wind spacecraft are compared with CMEs observed by the Lasco coronagraph on SOHO and with type II bursts observed by the 40 to 800 MHz radio receiver at the Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam (AIP) and by the 20 kHz to 14 MHz WAVES instrument on the Wind spacecraft. The acceleration of at least some of the electron events is not consistent with the shock hypothesis.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

Using spectra of normal emission line galaxies from the First Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) we have investigated the relations between the extinction C(Hβ) as derived from the Hα/Hβ emission line ratio and various global parameters of the galaxies. Our main findings include: C(Hβ) is linked with the galaxy spectral type and colour, decreasing from early- to late-type spirals. It also increases with increasing metallicity and is larger for more luminous galaxies and those with older stellar populations. The extinction of the stellar light is correlated with both the extinction of the nebular light and the intrinsic galaxy colours. The optical properties of the luminous infrared galaxies in our SDSS sample are very similar to those of our entire sample of SDSS galaxies. These results have implications for the determination of global star formation rates and total stellar masses in normal galaxies.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

We investigate the series of the green corona (GC) intensity by the combined catalogues of Rybansky, Tlatov and the original series of Kislovodsk station.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

We describe the first results of a systematic spectropolarimetric survey of the coolest magnetic Ap stars, undertaken with the MuSiCoS spectropolarimeter, with the aim of clarifying the magnetic field and atmospheric characteristics of these enigmatic objects.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

Based on the solar energetic particle (SEP) data from ACE and GOES satellites, the acceleration of SEP by CME-driven shock in interplanetary space was investigated. The results showed that the acceleration process of SEP by the Bastille CME-driven shock ran through the whole space from the sun to the magnetosphere. The highest energy of SEP accelerated by the shock was greater than 100MeV. A magnetic bottle associated with the CME captured a lot of high energy particles with some of them having energy greater than 100MeV. Based on magnetic field data of solar wind observed by ACE data, we found that the the magnetic bottle associated with the Bastille CME was the sheath caused by the CME in fact.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

We report the first results from a panoramic spectroscopic survey of galaxies in the rich cluster Cl0024+1654 ($z\simeq 0.4$). Using HST imaging we examine the properties of early-types as a function of cluster radius. At all cluster radii, our sample lies on a self-consistent Fundamental Plane whose zero point implies evolution since $z=0$ corresponding to $\Delta[\log (M/L_V)] = 0.14 \pm 0.06$, an overall trend consistent with previous work. Using diagnostic [O II] emission and Balmer absorption lines, we locate a population of intrinsically faint galaxies at 1–2.4 Mpc radius undergoing a period of star formation. The luminosity-dependent radial trends are suggestive of the gradual quenching of star formation for infalling galaxies. We discuss physical mechanisms that may be responsible for this environmental evolution.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

We observed the magnetic field of the CP star $\alpha^2$ CVn with the 6-m telescope and the echelle-spectrometer (spectral resolution $R=50000$, spectral range $\lambda\lambda 3400--4100$) using a CCD device and Zeeman analyzer. The longitudinal magnetic field $B_{\rm e}$ measured using lines with wavelengths shorter than the Balmer jump ($\lambda 3646$) are systematically 25% smaller at all rotational phases compared with measurements made in the region $\lambda > 3646$. Because in general lines with $\lambda > 3646$ form at deeper levels than lines with $\lambda < 3646$ we get additional evidence for the increase of $B_{\rm e}$ with depth in the atmosphere of $\alpha^2$ CVn.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

We report the “5+1” dynamical classification of the most frequently observed topologies of the magnetic field in sunspot groups associated with powerful flares (see Fig.1). The classification is based on the analysis of magnetographic and H$\alpha$ observations of more than 600 active regions on the span of 23 years (for detailed description see Ikhsanov 1982, Ikhsanov 1985).To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

The Ulysses spacecraft has now completed its second orbit over the poles of the Sun. Energetic particles associated with CMEs were observed at the highest latitudes over both poles, quite unlike the first polar pass when virtually no CME or CIR accelerated particles were observed at the very highest latitudes. We present observations of solar energetic particle events observed in the energy range $\sim$1 MeV to $\sim$100 MeV made by the COSPIN instrument, when the spacecraft was at high heliographic latitude over the northern pole, above the current sheet, and immersed in high-speed solar-wind flow coming from the northern polar coronal hole. We discuss the rise to maximum, the onset time and the anisotropy of the energetic particles. We find that, unlike the events observed at mid and low latitudes, the particle angular distributions were almost isotropic, but with a net outward flow along the magnetic field lines. We compare these events with other events observed at lower latitudes.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

We present a unique multiwavelength dataset of the Abell 901/902 supercluster at $z=0.16$. The environment of the structure is well characterized by weak lensing analysis, galaxy dynamics, and X-ray imaging, and we examine how galaxy properties correlate with these measures of environment. We examine the star-formation–density relation and find a surface mass density threshold above which star-formation in supercluster galaxies is truncated, and that this transformation affects primarily the faint end of the star-forming galaxy population (down to $M^*+6$). In addition, we present a preliminary dynamical analysis of the spectroscopic sample ($n\sim 300$ galaxies), revealing a bimodal distribution of galaxy velocities and significant substructure.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

We analyse the stellar content of a large number of HII galaxies based on the continuum and absorption features of their spectra using population synthesis methods, in order to gain information about the star formation histories of these objects. We find that all galaxies of our sample contain an old stellar population (≥1 Gyr) that dominates the stellar mass, and in a great majority of these, we also found evidence for an intermediate-age population ≥100 Myr apart from the presently bursting, ionizing young generation ≤107 yrs.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

We have developed a new code for measuring stellar magnetic fields by calculation using fast transforms of the Fourier cross-correlation function from spectra with reciprocal circular polarization. To test the code, spectra of stars with previously measured magnetic fields were used. In some cases, discrepancies between the field strength obtained by Babcock's classical technique and using our code occur.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

Solar energetic particle (SEP) fluxes measured by the ULYSSES (ULS)/HI-SCALE experiment during its second polar orbit as well as by the identical ACE/EPAM experiment at 1 AU are utilized as diagnostics of the large-scale structure and topology of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) embedded within Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections (ICMEs). Survey results are also reported.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

The paper deals with some structural characteristics of sunspot magnetic fields.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

The nuclear region of the barred spiral galaxy M83 has been imaged at near-infrared wavelengths with the HST NICMOS, showing a new region of star formation activity.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

Observing the neutral hydrogen in galaxy clusters provides crucial insights in the physical processes that influence the evolution of gas-rich galaxies as they migrate from the lower-density filaments through the cluster outskirts into to the higher-density central regions. The morphology-density relation, the Butcher-Oemler effect, and the observed HI deficiencies in the central regions of galaxy clusters suggest that infalling galaxies experience a strong transformation of their morphologies, star formation rates, and gas content. The physical mechanisms that trigger and govern these transformations may depend strongly on environment. This contribution aims to illustrate that the morphological and kinematic characteristics of the cold gas provide a sensitive tool to determine which mechanisms dominate in which environments.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

The H I deficiency pattern of the spiral population in the Virgo cluster region reveals a significant number of galaxies at very large clustercentric distances with gaseous deficiencies comparable to those measured in the cluster centers. We have used the output of cosmological $N$-body simulations to investigate whether the gas-deficient galaxies on the outskirts of the Virgo cluster may have previously passed through its core. We find that the maximum radius reached by infalling galaxies as they bounce out of a Virgo-like cluster must be less than 2.5 virial radii, which results in a predicted velocity-distance diagram noticeably different from the one drawn by the data. The latter is fairly well reproduced, however, after including in the simulations distance errors at the 20% relative rms level. Yet, for several objects apparently over 5 Mpc in front or behind the Virgo center the assumption that they are instead close enough to the cluster to have passed already through its core strains the bounds of plausibility. Hence, unless these outlying H I-deficient Virgo's spirals have grossly incorrect distances, they cannot have lost their gas by interactions with the intracluster medium. This suggests that the evolution of spirals might begin already on the suburbs of clusters.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

Large Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) are closely associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The significant correlation observed between SEP intensity and CME speed has been considered as the evidence for such a close connection. The recent finding that SEP events with preceding wide CMEs are likely to have higher intensities compared to those without was attributed to the interaction of the CME-driven shocks with the preceding CMEs or with their aftermath. It is also possible that the intensity of SEPs may also be affected by the properties of the solar source region. In this study, we found that the active region area has no relation with the SEP intensity and CME speed, thus supporting the importance of CME interaction. However, there is a significant correlation between flare size and the active region area, which probably reflects the spatial scale of the flare phenomenon as compared to that of the CME-driven shock.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html