Showing papers in "Transactions of the International Astronomical Union in 2013"
TL;DR: After more than half a century of community support related to the science of solar activity, IAU's Commission 10 was formally discontinued in 2015, to be succeeded by C.E2 with the same area of responsibility as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: After more than half a century of community support related to the science of “solar activity”, IAU's Commission 10 was formally discontinued in 2015, to be succeeded by C.E2 with the same area of responsibility. On this occasion, we look back at the growth of the scientific disciplines involved around the world over almost a full century. Solar activity and fields of research looking into the related physics of the heliosphere continue to be vibrant and growing, with currently over 2,000 refereed publications appearing per year from over 4,000 unique authors, publishing in dozens of distinct journals and meeting in dozens of workshops and conferences each year. The size of the rapidly growing community and of the observational and computational data volumes, along with the multitude of connections into other branches of astrophysics, pose significant challenges; aspects of these challenges are beginning to be addressed through, among others, the development of new systems of literature reviews, machine-searchable archives for data and publications, and virtual observatories. As customary in these reports, we highlight some of the research topics that have seen particular interest over the most recent triennium, specifically active-region magnetic fields, coronal thermal structure, coronal seismology, flares and eruptions, and the variability of solar activity on long time scales. We close with a collection of developments, discoveries, and surprises that illustrate the range and dynamics of the discipline.
15 citations
TL;DR: The last report from the IAU Commission 36 (Theory of Stellar Atmospheres) is presented in this paper, which covers the activities over the past six years and will be the last one from the old Commission 36.
Abstract: Different from previous triennial reports, this report covers the activities of IAU Commission 36 ‘Theory of Stellar Atmospheres’ over the past six years†, and will be the last report from the ‘old’ Commission 36. After the General Assembly in Honolulu (August 2015), a new Commission ‘Stellar and Planetary Atmospheres’ (C.G5, under Division G, ‘Stars and Stellar Physics’) has come into life, and will continue our work devoted to the outer envelopes of stars, as well as extend it to the atmospheres of planets (see Sect. 4).
5 citations
TL;DR: The IAU's Meteor Science Division (Meteors, Meteorites and Interplanetary Dust) was established at the first IAU General Assembly held in Rome in 1922, with William Frederick Denning as its first President.
Abstract: Commission 22 (Meteors, Meteorites and Interplanetary Dust) was established at the first IAU General Assembly held in Rome in 1922, with William Frederick Denning as its first President. Denning was an accountant by profession, but as an amateur astronomer he contributed extensively to meteor science. Commission 22 thus established a pattern that has continued to this day that non-professional astronomers were welcomed and valued and could play a significant role in its affairs. The field of meteors, meteorites and interplanetary dust has played a disproportional role in the astronomical perception of the general public through the majestic displays of our annual meteor showers. Those in the field deployed many techniques uncommon in other fields of astronomy, studying the “vermin of space”, the small solid bodies that pervade interplanetary space and impact Earth's atmosphere, the surface of the Moon, and that of our satellites in orbit. Over time, the field has tackled a wide array of problems, from predicting the encounter with meteoroid streams, to the origin of our meteorites and the nature of the zodiacal cloud. Commission 22 has played an important role in organizing the field through dedicated meetings, a data centre, and working groups that developed professional-amateur relationships and that organized the nomenclature of meteor showers. The contribution of Commission 22 to the field is perhaps most readily seen in the work of the presidents that followed in the footsteps of Denning.
2 citations
TL;DR: The status of the IAU Commission 12 and its working groups was discussed by the President of C12, Alexander Kosovichev, who presented the status of IAU's working groups and their working group(s).
Abstract: The President of C12, Alexander Kosovichev, presented the status of the Commission and its working Group(s). Primary activities included organization of international meetings (IAU Symposia, Special Sessions and Joint Discussion); review and support of proposals for IAU sponsored meetings; organization of working groups on the Commission topics to promote the international cooperation; preparation of triennial report on the organizational and science activities of Commission members. Commission 12 broadly encompasses topics of solar research which include studies of the Sun's internal structure, composition, dynamics and magnetism (through helioseismology and other techniques), studies of the quiet photosphere, chromosphere and corona, and also research of the mechanisms of solar radiation, and its variability on various time scales. Some overlap with topics covered by Commission 10 Solar Activity is unavoidable, and many activities are sponsored jointly by these two commissions. The Commission website can be found at http://sun.stanford.edu/IAU-Com12/, with information about related IAU Symposiums and activities, and links to appropriate web sites.
1 citations
TL;DR: The current IAU Commission 8 has regularly published triennial reports in the past and the current OC therefore voted to adopt a traditional format also for this special Legacy issue of the IAU Transactions.
Abstract: Commission 8 has regularly published triennial reports in the past and the current OC therefore voted to adopt a traditional format also for this special Legacy issue of the IAU Transactions. The outgoing President is grateful for the support of many Commission members who contributed to this report. Our contribution consists of 3 parts: 1) this introduction, providing a general overview and highlights of recent research in astrometry, 2) a summary of the astrometry business & science meeting at the 2015 IAU General Assembly, and 3) the activity report of our Commisson covering the mid-2012 to mid-2015 period.
1 citations
TL;DR: The activities and some research progress of IAU Commission 19 (C19) in the past triennial term (2012-2015) is reported in this article, including the scientific session and business meeting of C19, as well as a business meeting for the IAU/IAG Joint Working Group of "Theory of Earth Rotation" (JWG_ThER) during the XXIX IAU General Assembly in Hawaii, USA.
Abstract: The activities and some research progress of IAU Commission 19 (C19) - Rotation of the Earth - in the past triennial term (2012-2015) is reported in this paper, including the scientific session and business meeting of C19, as well as a business meeting of the IAU/IAG Joint Working Group of “Theory of Earth Rotation” (JWG_ThER) during the XXIX IAU General Assembly in Hawaii, USA. Three reports of JWG_ThER progress, IERS and IAG, eleven reports of national projects and individual institutions, a short summary of the history and heritage of C19, and an Overview of the status and outlook of new Commission A2 are also presented.
1 citations
TL;DR: The main purpose of Commission 14 is to foster interactions between the astronomical community and those conducting research on atoms, molecules, and solid state particles to provide data vital to reducing and analysing astronomical observations and performing theoretical investigations.
Abstract: The main purpose of Commission 14 is to foster interactions between the astronomical community and those conducting research on atoms, molecules, and solid state particles to provide data vital to reducing and analysing astronomical observations and performing theoretical investigations.