A r A S   N e w s

 

 

N E W S L E T T E R   OF THE

ARMENIAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY   ( A r A S )

 

No. 19   (September 29, 2006)

 

 

Editor: Lilit Hovhannisyan

 

 

The ArAS Newsletter in the INTERNET: http://www.aras.am/arasnews.html

 

 

 

                                                  o

                                 o

 

                          o

                                     o  o

                       o          o        o

                      o          |          o

                      o        - * -         o

                       o         |          o

                        o       o          o

                          o  o

                                        o

                                    o

                             o

                    o

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

CONTENTS:

 

1.      The First Byurakan International Summer School and the Byurakan Observatory 60th Anniversary Meeting

2.      ArAS Annual Prize for Young Astronomers

3.      Armenian astronomers at IAU GA XXVI in Prague

4.      Participation in the NVO Summer School in Aspen

5.      JENAM-2007 in Armenia

 

 

 

 

The First Byurakan International Summer School and the Byurakan Observatory 60th Anniversary Meeting

 

The First Byurakan International Summer School took place on August 26 – September 3, 2006, in the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory. It was organized by the Byurakan Observatory and the Armenian Astronomical Society for the university students and Ph.D. students.

 

16 foreign and 14 Armenian students participated in the school, including students from Italy, Serbia, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Jordan, from the Byurakan Observatory and the Yerevan State University. Ten foreign and 2 Armenian scientists gave lectures: Dan Weedman (USA), Daniel Kunth (France), Dieter Engels (Germany), Michel Dennefeld (France), Massimo Turatto (Italy), Philippe Prugniel (France), Sergei Dodonov (Russia), Riccardo Claudi (Italy), Corinne Rossi (Italy), Aleksei Moiseev (Russia), Avetis Sadoyan (Armenia), and Areg Mickaelian (Armenia).

 

A number of important topics of modern astronomy were covered, such as Observations of Active Galactic Nuclei and Starburst Galaxies; Astronomical Surveys and Future Projects; 3D spectroscopy; Computers for Astronomy; Astronomical Data Reduction; Archives, Databases and Virtual Observatories; Spitzer Space Telescope results, archives and software; Supernovae; Extrasolar planets, the Digitized First Byurakan Survey, etc. Beside the lectures, some practical courses, an acquaintance to the Byurakan Observatory and its research, and excursions were organized.

 

On September 1-3, the Byurakan Observatory 60th anniversary meeting “Active Universe” took place, where the school participants were invited to take part as well. The following talks were presented:

 

H.A. Harutyunyan (BAO, Armenia): Brief history of the BAO

D. Weedman (Cornell University, USA): Markarian galaxies and BAO at 30 years

V.V. Ivanov (St. Petersburg State University, Russia): Square root of epsilon: 60-year's history of one Byurakan formula

E.Ye. Khachikian (BAO, Armenia): The Problems of UV-galaxies

S.N. Dodonov (Special Astrophysical Observatory, Russia): Search of the Active Objects by Spectral Energy Distribution

T.Yu. Magakian (BAO, Armenia): Studies of Young Stellar Objects with Anisotropic Outflows in Byurakan

T.G. Arshakian (Max-Planck-Institut fuer Radioastronomie, MPIfR, Bonn, Germany): Zooming into the central engine: correlations between pc-scale radio jets and optical spectral characteristics of host AGN  

L.G. Balazs (Konkoly Observatory, Hungary): Angular distribution of Gamma Ray Bursts

G. Alecian (Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, France): Build-up of abundance stratifications in stars  

A.M. Mickaelian (BAO, Armenia): Science projects with the Armenian Virtual Observatory

V.P. Grinin (Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory, St. Petersburg, Russia): The nature of the cyclic activity of UX Ori type stars

A.G. Nikoghossian (BAO, Armenia): Line Radiation of Multicomponent and Mesoturbulent Atmospheres   

D. Engels (Hamburger Sternwarte, Germany): Stellar Evolution on the Asymptotic Giant Branch

I. Jankovich (Gothard Observatory, Hungary): Blueshifted forbidden line in T Tauri stars

S.A. Lamzin (Sternberg Astronomical Institute (SAI), Moscow, Russia): The nature of FUOrs

G.H. Tovmassian (UNAM, Mexico): On the most oxygen-poor Planetary Nebula  with Close Binary Nuclei

I. Vincze (Gothard Observatory, Hungary): On the spectrum of the new star in Auriga, as compared with the spectra of planetary nebulae. One of the first observational study on active Universe in 1892

E. Bon (Belgrade Observatory, Serbia): Coherent Archaeo-catastrophism. The  Starmap of Mithra

N. Gavrilovic (Belgrade Observatory, Serbia): Active Galaxies in HyperLEDA

C. Rossi (Italy): DFBS: web portal
E.S. Parsamian  (BAO, Armenia): Flare Stars in Star Clusters and Associations

S.N. Dodonov (Special Astrophysical Observatory, Russia): 1-m Schmidt Reconstruction: Scientific Goals and Current Project Status

A.A. Sadoyan (Yerevan State University, Armenia): Gravitational waves from isolated superdense celestial bodies

D.M. Sedrakian  (Yerevan State University, Armenia): Covariant Formulation of Dynamical Equations of Quantum Vortices in Type II Superconductors

J.A. Stepanian (Mexico, presented by A.M.Mickaelian): Demography of AGN from the SDSS forth data release

H.A. Harutyunyan (BAO, Armenia): On the Problem of Faint Blue Galaxies’

 

During the Byurakan Summer School, on August 29, we celebrated the 60th birthday of Prof. Daniel Kunth, who gave a talk on long-term friendship and collaboration between the French and Armenian astronomers, as well as a dinner dedicated to this event was organized.

 

The International Association for the promotion of co-operation with scientists from the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union (INTAS), Apaven Ltd. Company, and Prof. Dan Weedman were the sponsors of the school and the meeting.

 

 

ArAS Annual Prize for Young Astronomers

 

ArAS is pleased to announce its third Annual Prize for Young Scientists. As in previous years, the prize will be awarded to a young scientist under 35 working in astronomy or related field and showing significant results in research and/or other scientific activities connected anyhow with the Armenian astronomy. Nominations may be made by ArAS members or any research organization from Armenia or elsewhere and should be sent to one of the ArAS Co-Presidents. They should include personal data for the nominee and a brief description of his/her achievements during the year, including important scientific results, all published papers, participation in meetings, given talks, etc., whatever is considered to be important. The deadline for applications is December 1. The selection will be made by a special committee and the results will be announced in the last issue of ArAS Newsletter at the end of each year. A diploma and sum of $100 will be awarded to the winner.

 

As in the previous years, the ArAS Co-President Prof. Yervant Terzian is sponsoring the ArAS annual Prize for Young Scientists in 2006, too.

 

 

Armenian astronomers at IAU GA XXVI in Prague

 

The XXVI General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) took place on August 14-25 this year in Prague, Czech Republic. There were 6 IAU Symposia (Nos. 235-240), 17 Joint Discussions (JD), and 7 Special Sessions (SPS). A number of additional sessions and administrative meetings were organized, too, as well as the IAU General Assembly itself took place during this period.

 

The IAU GA in Prague was the largest event ever organized during the history of the IAU. Almost 2500 astronomers from some 60 countries participated in it, including three Armenian astronomers: Hayk Harutyunyan (BAO, Armenia), Areg Mickaelian (BAO, Armenia), Gagik Tovmassian (UNAM, Mexico). They presented three oral contributions and three posters:

 

Oral contributions:

G.H. Tovmassian, Detection of Precession of White Dwarfs in Interactive Binaries, IAU Symposium 240;

H.A. Harutyunyan, Astronomical Education in Armenia, IAU SPS 5;

A.M. Mickaelian, Science Projects with the Armenian Virtual Observatory (ArVO), SPS 3

Posters:

A.M. Mickaelian, Galaxy Evolution Traced by Multiple galaxies from the BIG Sample, IAU Symposium 235 

A.M. Mickaelian, The digitized First Byurakan Survey (DFBS); a Unique Database for Proper Motion, Variability Studies, and Object Classification, JD 13;  

A.M. Mickaelian, The Digitized First Byurakan Survey as an Efficient Tool for Future Large Multiwavelength Surveys, SPS 1.

 

IAU GA was a good chance for meeting other scientists, discussions, exchange of experience, and enjoying the scientific and friendly atmosphere in Prague.

 

 

Participation in the NVO Summer School in Aspen

 

As we have informed before, the Armenian Virtual Observatory (ArVO) project was started last year and is a part of the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA). ArVO collaborates actively with other VO projects, such as NVO (USA), VO-France, etc. Lilit Hovhannisyan, a member of the ArVO, participated recently in an International Summer School organized by NVO. It was held on September 5-14, in Aspen, Colorado, USA. The main goal was teaching to VO technologies, such as introduction to key underlying technologies SQL, XML, Web services, and Grid, as well as the services and protocols such as registries, Cone search, SkyNode, etc. Also was presented research based on already existing VO technologies.  The school was productive in a way that a participant had an opportunity to work on his own project using VO services and technologies. Lilit got a large experience in VO standards and methods, and will proceed with utilizing this approach in frame of ArVO.

 

 

JENAM-2007 in Armenia

Information from the European Astronomical Society

 

Upon invitation of the Armenian Astronomical Society the European Astronomical Society will hold its next JENAM in Yerevan, Armenia, on August 20-25, 2007. JENAM means 'Joint European and National Astronomy Meeting' and is the General meeting of EAS which is held together with a national European Society. It includes in the scientific part plenary review talks, EAS Symposia on dedicated subjects as well as special sessions on selected topics. In addition, EAS will hold its General Assembly during this meeting.

 

The title of JENAM 2007 will be 'Our Non-stable Universe'. Seven EAS symposia and two special sessions have already been proposed. Their subjects are:

 

o        Extra-solar planets

o        Young stellar objects

o        Activity in galaxies

o        Dynamics in Galaxies

o        Observational cosmology.

o        High-energy astrophysics

o        Virtual observatories

 

Special sessions will be 'Teaching in Astronomy' and 'Archaeoastronomy'. Further subjects for EAS Symposia and special sessions can be proposed to the SOC, which is co-chaired by Areg Mickaelian and Joachim Krautter, the president of the European Astronomical Society and the co-president of the Armenian Astronomical Society. There will be a number of plenary review talks and plans are to include Highlight talks where young promising astronomers will talk about their research subject in front of a big plenary auditory.

 

The Armenian astronomers have a long standing history in excellent astronomical research and are very experienced in organizing big conferences, among them already several IAU Symposia and Colloquia. More detailed announcements will be sent out in the near future via the usual EAS communication lines. Of course, astronomers from outside Europe who are interested in the conference's topics are very welcome. For further information please contact the chairman of the LOC, Areg Mickaelian (aregmick@apaven.am). A webpage on the conference will be ready after October 15 accessible via the homepages of the EAS (www2.iap.fr/eas) and ARAS (www.aras.am).

 

The JENAM SOC has already been formed, which involves scientists from 9 European countries and the USA:

 

Butcher, Harvey (Netherlands)

Cherepashchuk, Anatol (Russia)

Courvoisier, Thierry (Switzerland)

Dennefeld, Michel (France)

Dutrey, Anne (France)

Harutyunyan, Hayk (Armenia)

Krautter, Joachim (Germany, Co-chair)

Magakian, Tigran (Armenia)

Mayor, Michel (Switzerland)

Mickaelian, Areg (Armenia, Co-chair)

Natta, Antonella (Italy)

Petrosian, Artashes (Armenia)

Robson, Ian (UK)

Terzian, Yervant (USA)

Yatskiv, Yaroslav (Ukraine)