A r A S N e w s

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. 23 (Nov 1, 2007)

Editor: Lilit Hovhannisyan

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

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CONTENTS:

1. JENAM-2007 main results

2. Anniversaries

3. ArAS prize call

JENAM-2007 In Armenia

The Joint European and National Astronomy Meeting (JENAM) in 2007 took place on August 20-25 in Yerevan, Armenia. It was the 15th annual meeting of the European Astronomical Society (EAS) and the 6th annual meeting of the Armenian Astronomical Society (ArAS). JENAM-2007 consisted of 6 Plenary sessions, 8 EAS symposia and 5 special sessions. In addition, the EAS General Meeting was held on August 22, and the EAS Council Meeting was held on August 21. JENAM-2007 was organized by EAS, ArAS, the Yerevan State University (YSU, the venue of JENAM), and the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO). The international Scientific Organizing Committee (SOC) had 16 members from 10 countries, including the EAS and ArAS leaders and most of the chairmen of the EAS symposia and JENAM special sessions:

Harvey Butcher (Netherlands)

Anatol Cherepashchuk (Russia)

Thierry Courvoisier (Switzerland)

Michel Dennefeld (France)

Anne Dutrey (France)

Hayk Harutyunyan (Armenia)

Joachim Krautter (Germany), Co-chair

Tigran Magakian (Armenia)

Michel Mayor (Switzerland)

Areg Mickaelian (Armenia), Co-chair

Antonella Natta (Italy)

Artashes Petrosian (Armenia)

Ian Robson (UK)

David Sedrakian (Armenia)

Yervant Terzian (USA)

Yaroslav Yatskiv (Ukraine)

The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) consisted of 11 members from YSU and BAO, most of them being ArAS members: A.M. Mickaelian (Chair), A.K. Avetissian (YSU), S.A. Ghazaryan (YSU), H.A. Harutyunyan (BAO), S.G. Harutyunyan (YSU), E.R. Hovhannisyan (BAO), L.R. Hovhannisyan (BAO), N.D. Melikian (BAO), A. Melkonian (BAO), A.A. Sadoyan (YSU), L.A. Sargsyan (BAO). There was also a LOC supporting team consisting of nearly 40 students from YSU, Brusov Linguistic University, and other institutes.

The EAS symposia lasted 2 days each, and the JENAM special sessions, 1-2 days each. In addition, some 116 posters were displayed in the exhibition/poster/coffee break area during the whole week. 79 invited and 157 contributed talks were given on various topics of astrophysics, involved in the following EAS symposia and special sessions.

PLENARY SESSIONS

P1: Michel Mayor (Geneva Observatory, Switzerland): Searching for earth type planets

P2: Guy Monnet (ESO, Germany): Status of the European Extremely Large Telescope Programme

P3: Massimo Turatto (Padua Astronomical Observatory, INAF, Italy): Supernovae

P4: Michael Smith (Univ. of Kent, UK): Astrophysical jets and beams

P5: Felix Aharonian (DIAS, Dublin / MPIK, Germany): The Very High Energy Gamma Ray Sky

P6: Vahe Petrosian (Stanford University, USA, TBC): Particle Acceleration

EAS SYMPOSIA

EAS S1: Extrasolar Planets (Chair: Michel Mayor, Switzerland)

EAS S2: Stellar Evolution and Asteroseismology (Chair: Georges Alecian, France)

EAS S3: Violent Phenomena in Young Stars (Chair: Tigran Magakian, Armenia)

EAS S4: High-Energy Astrophysics: the keV-TeV connection (Chair: Thierry Courvoisier, Switzerland)

EAS S5: Activity in Galaxies (Chair: Ian Robson, UK)

EAS S6: Dynamics of Galaxies and Galactic Nuclei (Chair: Rainer Spurzem, Germany)

EAS S7: Cosmology: New Facts and New Problems (Chair: Haik Harutyunian, Armenia)

EAS S8: Science with Virtual Observatories (Chairs: Andrew Lawrence, UK and Areg Mickaelian, Armenia)

JENAM-2007 SPECIAL SESSIONS (SPS)

SPS1: European Large Facilities for Astronomy (Chair: Michel Dennefeld, France)

SPS2: Numerical Astrophysics (Chair: Avetis Sadoyan, Armenia)

SPS3: Gravitational Wave Astrophysics (Chair: David Sedrakian, Armenia)

SPS4: Astronomy from the Antarctic plateau (canceled)

SPS5: Astronomy Education in Europe (Chair: Magda Stavinschi, Romania)

SPS6: Archaeoastronomy (Chair: Magda Stavinschi, Romania)

YSU central and physics department buildings were used for all meetings and events: 2 meeting halls at the central building and 3 meeting halls at the Department of Mathematics, as well as the exhibition/poster and coffee breaks areas at the central building, secretariat, computer room, and press centre at the departments of Physics and Mathematics.

The official opening of JENAM-2007 took place in the YSU central meeting hall. Welcome speech of the YSU rector was presented. Yuri Chilingarian (NAS RA), Joachim Krautter (EAS President), Nerses Yeritsyan (Minister of Trade and Economic Development), Anthony Cantor (UK Ambassador), Massimo Lavezzo Cassinelli (Italian Ambassador), Haik Harutyunian (BAO Director), David Sedrakian (Editor-in-Chief of Astrofizika journal) welcomed the participants.

248 participants from 31 countries took part in JENAM-2007, including 79 from Armenia, 25 Germany, 24 France, 21 Russia, 17 Italy, 15 Spain, 10 UK, 6 Ukraine, 5 Greece, Switzerland, and USA, 4 Iran and Netherlands, 3 Czech Republic, etc.

The European Southern Observatory (ESO), Euro-VO project, Springer Verlag publishing house, UK Embassy in Armenia, HSBC bank, and other companies held exhibitions during JENAM-2007, as well as some companies inserted their info booklets in the participants satchels (EDP Sciences, Taylor and Francis, etc.). The social program was rather rich: the participants visited Yerevan Brandy Company and BAO (with an open-air joint dinner) on Wednesday, August 22, had a unforgettable banquet in the Ashtarak Dzor restaurant on Friday, August 24, had joint excursions to Armenian sightseeing on Saturday, August 25, as well as many participants took social tours during the working week when they were free from JENAM sessions. The tours included visits to Echmiatzin, Garni/Geghard, Lake Sevan, Khor Virap/Noravank/Karahunge, and Mt. Aragatz. Some participants who stayed in Armenia longer (before and after JENAM) had longer duration tours to Southern and Northern Armenia, a tour around Lake Sevan and Kharabakh (Artsakh).

JENAM-2007 was supported by 13 sponsors, as well as by an information sponsor and partner:

Apaven Co. Ltd., principal sponsor

Ani Plaza Hotel C.J.S.C.

Antares Holding

ARAY Co. Ltd.

Edit Print Ltd.

Embassy of the UK in Armenia

European Space Agency (ESA)

HSBC Bank Armenia C.J.S.C.

National Foundation for Science and Advanced Technologies (NFSAT)

UNICOMP C.J.S.C.

Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen (Employers) of Armenia (UMB(E)A)

WEB Co. Ltd.

Yerevan Brandy Company C.J.S.C.

"Armenpress" news agency, information sponsor

ArMedia, information partner

Contributions from the Armenian participants

Abrahamyan Hayk Armenia, YSU S5 poster Multi-Investigation of Distant Radio Galaxy

Abrahamyan Martin Armenia, YSU, General Physics S5 poster On the Astrophysical Jets

Adibekyan Vardan Armenia, YSU, Astrophysics S5 poster The spectral investigation of several HII regions in Kazarian galaxies

Aharonian Felix Germany, MPIK Plenary invited The Very High Energy Gamma Ray Sky

Alaverdyan Grigor Armenia, YSU, Radiophysics S4 poster Neutron stars with a quark core in the relativistic mean-field theory including the isovector-scalar delta-meson field

Alecian Georges France, Paris-Meudon S2 invited The COROT satellite and its first glances to the stars

Amirkhanian Artur Armenia, BAO S4 poster Nor-Amberd Optical mini-observatory for detection of energetic Transient events (NOMOT)

Andreassian-Thomas Nora USA, Univ. Virgin Islands

Andreasyan Ruben Armenia, BAO S6 oral 3-Dimensional Distribution of Galactic Magnetic Field

Arshakian Tigran Germany, MPIfR SPS1 oral Exploring cosmic magnetism with LOFAR and the SKA

Asatrian Norayr Armenia, BAO S5 oral Rapid profile variations in the broad hydrogen emission lines of Seyfert galaxy Markarian 6 and radio galaxy 3C390.3: Possible evidences for an accretion disk with macroturbulence in AGN

Avetissian Ara Armenia, YSU, Astrophysics S4 poster High Energy Radiative Transfer Processes in the Superdense Degenerate Plasma

Avetissian Ara Armenia, YSU, Astrophysics S4 poster On Cosmological Variability of Fundamental Constants

Avetissian Ara Armenia, YSU, Astrophysics S7 oral A New Theoretical Model of Big-Bang Evidence as a Consequence of Global Symmetry Breakdown

Avetissian Ara Armenia, YSU, Astrophysics SPS5 oral New Master Program of Astrophysics and Specialization Courses for Matriculates of the Yerevan State University

Broutian Grigor Armenia, BAO SPS6 oral The beginning and evolution of the concept of stellar associations in the works of Viktor Ambartsumian

Chilingarian Ashot Armenia, YerPhI S4 poster Research of the Galactic Cosmic Rays from "knee" till "cutoff" (10^16-10^19) eV at Aragats Cosmic Ray Observatory

Chilingarian Ashot Armenia, YerPhI S4 poster Studies of the Energy Spectra of incident cosmic radiation by the networks of particle detectors

Chilingarian Igor France, Paris S6 oral Embedded Structures and Young Nuclei in dE Galaxies: 3D Spectroscopic View

Chilingarian Igor France, Paris S8 oral Discovery of Compact Elliptical (cE) Galaxies with the Virtual Observatory

Chilingarian Igor France, Paris S8 poster Some VO Implementations in VO Paris Data Centre - I

Chilingarian Igor France, Paris S8 poster Some VO Implementations in VO Paris Data Centre - II

Chilingarian Igor France, Paris S8 poster Some VO Implementations in VO Paris Data Centre - III

Egikian Anahit Armenia, BAO S6 poster A comprehensive study of Shahbazian compact groups of galaxies (SHCGs)

Erastova Lida Armenia, BAO S4 poster Study of Long-Term Variability of ON 231

Erastova Lida Armenia, BAO S5 poster Active Dwarf Galaxies as Circumnuclear Regions of LSB-galaxies

Gigoyan Kamo Armenia, BAO S2 oral Cool Carbon Stars in the Galactic Halo

Gigoyan Kamo Armenia, BAO S8 oral Search and Study of Extremely Red Objects in the DFBS Database

Gyulzadyan Marieta Armenia, BAO S5 poster On the relation of SBS galaxies with Zwicky clusters

Hajyan Gevorg Armenia, YSU, Radiophysics S4 poster About Stability of Strange White Dwarfs

Hakobyan Artur Armenia, BAO S5 poster Statistical investigation of Core-Collapse Supernovae and their host galaxies

Hakobyan Ashot Armenia, BAO S3 poster Long-time variation of flare stars activity

Hakobyan Ashot Armenia, BAO S3 poster SNe explosions frequency distribution function

Hakobyan Ashot Armenia, BAO S5 poster On the X-ray radiation of M87

Hakopian Susanna Armenia, BAO S5 oral 2D-spectroscopy of two SBS galaxies with starformation regions

Hambaryan Valeri Germany, AIP S3 oral "Unusual" X-ray flares discovered in XMM-Newton observations

Harutyunian Haik Armenia, BAO S7 invited On the Nature of cD Galaxies: Some Musings on their Role in the Cluster Formation Process

Harutyunian Haik Armenia, BAO SPS5 oral Astronomy Education in Armenia

Harutyunian Haik Armenia, BAO SPS6 oral Armenian Names of the Planets

Harutyunyan Avet Italy, Padova S5 oral Classification and analysis of 30 Supernova spectra

Hayrapetyan Mekhak Armenia, YSU, General Physics SPS3 poster Glitch-Induced Gravitational radiation from Isolated Oscillating Neutron Stars

Hayrapetyan Tamar Armenia, Institute of History S7 poster Calendar and astronomical ideas in Armenian magic fairy tales

Herouni Paris Armenia, Radio Measurements S7 poster Experiments are showing: It was never a Big Bang in the Universe

Herouni Paris Armenia, Radio Measurements SPS6 oral The oldest in the World Stone Observatory in Armenia

Hovhannissian Elena Armenia, BAO S3 poster 2D spectroscopy of HH588 large-scale outflow

Hovhannisyan Lilit Armenia, BAO S2 oral Optical Identification and Study of Infrared Sources in Bootes

Hovhannisyan Lilit Armenia, BAO S8 oral Search and Study of Variable Objects in the DFBS Database

Iskudarian Sofik Armenia, BAO S7 poster New Approaches in Astrophysics Gave the Birth of Astroparticle Physics

Israelian Garik Spain, IAC S1 invited Abundances of chemical elements in stars with exoplanets

Kandalian Rafik Jordan, Al Al-Bayt University

Khalatyan Arman Germany, AIP S6 invited AGN influence on galaxy type and morphology

Khangulyan Dmitry Germany, MPIK S4 oral On the physics of the VHE emission in LS 5039

Krikorian Ralph France, IAP

Magakian Tigran Armenia, BAO S3 invited 60 years of YSO studies in Byurakan

Martirosyan Zhaklin Armenia, YSU, Astrophysics S5 poster Infra-red and radio features of galaxies with UV-excess

Melkonyan Anahit Armenia, YerPhI SPS2 poster On the analysis of output information of S-tree method

Mickaelian Areg Armenia, BAO S8 invited Science based on spectroscopic databases

Mickaelian Areg Armenia, BAO S8 oral Science projects with the Armenian Virtual Observatory

Mirzoyan Razmick Germany, MPP S4 oral Highlights of VHE Gamma Ray Observations with the 17m Diameter MAGIC Telescope

Movsessian Tigran Armenia, BAO S3 oral 2D spectroscopy of jets from YSOs

Nikogossian Elena Armenia, BAO S3 oral Two neighbor FUor-like objects in Cygnus

Ohanesyan Juleta Armenia, BAO S2 poster The Behavior of Resonance Doublet 2800 MgII in A-Stars

Ohanian Gabriel Armenia, BAO S5 poster Radio Source Evolution and Intrinsic Redshifts

Paronyan Gurgen Armenia, YSU, Astrophysics S5 poster Multi-Frequency Investigation of Distant QSO

Parsamian Elma Armenia, BAO SPS6 oral Ancient Astronomy in Armenia

Petrosian Artashes Armenia, BAO S5 oral The NGP +30deg zone galaxies. I. Comparative study of the galaxies with different nuclear activity

Petrosian Vahe USA, Stanford University Plenary invited Stochastic Particle Acceleration by Plasma Turbulence

Petrosian Vahe USA, Stanford University S7 invited Gamma-Ray Bursts and Cosmology

Sadoyan Avetis Armenia, YSU, General Physics SPS3 invited Gravitational Waves from Isolated White Dwarfs

Sahakyan Karen Armenia, Russian-Arm. State Univ. SPS2 poster A numerical method for integrating orbits

Sahakyan Karen Armenia, Russian-Arm. State Univ. SPS2 poster Simultaneous approximation of coordinates, velocities and accelerations of celestial bodies

Sargsyan Lusine Armenia, BAO S5 oral Study of Extremely High IR/opt Flux Ratio Objects Observed by Spitzer

Sarkissian Alain France, Service d'Aeronomie S8 poster Asteroid Search with the DFBS

Sarkissian Alain France, Service d'Aeronomie S8 poster Simple Spectral Access VO application on the Digitized First Burakan Survey

Sedrakian David Armenia, YSU, General Physics SPS3 invited Gravitational Waves from Millisecond Pulsars

Sedrakian David Armenia, YSU, General Physics SPS3 oral Toroidal Magnetic Field in Pulsars

Shahabasyan Karen Armenia, YSU, General Physics SPS3 invited Gravitational Radiation from Differentially Rotating and Oscillating White Dwarfs

Shahverdian Ashot Armenia, Inf. & Autom. Problems S1 oral Splitting the quasiperiodic orbits and some basic

Shahverdian Ashot Armenia, Inf. & Autom. Problems SPS2 poster Splitting the segment and the cicrle and some constants in quantum and celestial mechanics

Sinamyan Parandzem Armenia, BAO S2 oral The Nature of the FBS Blue Stellar Objects

Sinamyan Parandzem Armenia, BAO S8 oral Search and Study of UV-Excess Objects in the DFBS Database

Tokhatyan Karen Armenia, Institute of History SPS6 oral Ancient Astronomical Knowledge and Rock Art in Armenia

Tovmassian Gagik Mexico, UNAM

Vardumyan Gohar Armenia, Archaeo. & Ethnography SPS6 oral Celestial Bodies in Ancient Armenian Mythology

Yeghiazaryan Anahit Armenia, BAO S5 poster HII Region Population of the Spiral Galaxy NGC 6384

Zamkotsian Frederic France, Marseille SPS1 oral MOEMS devices for future astronomical instrumentation on ground and in space

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ANNIVERSARIES

Grigor GURZADYAN – 85

Grigor Gurzadyan was born on October 15, 1922 in Baghdad. Upon graduating the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute in 1944, he became the postgraduate of Victor Ambartsumian, who had just moved to Armenia. He defended his Ph.D. in 1948 and became doctor of Science in 1955. Being in Ambartsumian's founding team of Byurakan observatory, he later headed a Laboratory, in 1960s became deputy director of the observatory for space research. He headed the branch of Byurakan observatory on space research, Garni space astronomy laboratory (later Institute, 1992-2004). He is among the pioneers of space astronomy. In 1960s he directed the UV and X-ray observations of sun and stars using ballistic rockets R-5, the first launch being on February 15, 1961 from Kapustin-Yar base. Spectra of thousands of stars to as faint as 13th magnitude were obtained. In April, 1971, the first space station Salyut 1 carried into orbit Orion 1, the first space telescope with an objective prism.

Gurzadian authored theoretical papers on planetary nebulae, interstellar matter, and flare stars. In 1990s he developed the theory of common chromospheres (roundchromes) of close binary stars and of evolution of binary globular clusters.

For decades he lectured in Yerevan State University (theoretical astrophysics) and in Polytechnic Institute (precise mechanics). He has published over 200 papers and a number of monographs, including "Radioastrophysics", "Planetary Nebulae", "Flare Stars", "Stellar Chromospheres", "Physics and Dynamics of Planetary Nebulae", "Theory of Interplanetary Flights", "Space Dynamics".

Gurzadian is a member of the Armenian Academy of Sciences (1986, corresponding member from 1965).

Agop TERZAN - 80

Famous Armenian astronomer Agop Terzan was born on October 31 1927 in Istanbul. He got his Bachelor degree on Mathematical and Astronomical Science in 1945 and Masters on Astronomy in 1949. He defended his PhD degree in 1965 at Lyon University. During 60s he discovered 710 variable stars in the immediate vicinity of 14 globular clusters. Later he discovered 11 new globular clusters, 158 diffuse nebulae, 124 galaxies, from which 25% appeared to be active galaxies of Sy2 type. In direction to the Galactic center Terzan discovered 4430 new variable stars, including 458 ones identified later with the IRAS sources. Another large work was the discovery of 1428 high proper motion stars (m > 0".1 per year).

Terzan is a member of French National Astronomy Committee, International Astronomical Union (IAU) and a number of other international organizations. Among his numerous awards and honors are Henry Rey price of the French Astronomical Society and a number of medals. Agop Terzan has visited Armenia many times including his official missions to Byurakan in 1971, 1973, 1977, 1984, and 1989. He has published more than 100 papers on the above mentioned subjects.

Vagharshak SANAMIAN - 90

Vagharshak Sanamian was born in 1917 in Karabagh. After finishing the local school he moved to Yerevan, where he applied for the Yerevan State University, Department of Engineering-Mathematics. Soon, after the application, the First World War began and he was called to serve in the Soviet army. During his service he managed to get theoretical courses at radio-locational department at the Military Electrical-Technical Academy after S.M. Budyony in Leningrad. In 1946 he returned from the army and graduated from the Yerevan State University Department of Engineering-Mathematics. He had worked from 1949 to 1950 at the Yerevan State University at the Mathematical Department. Starting from 1950 he was at Byurakan Observatory as a senior researcher. In 1957 he defended PhD thesis on radio astronomy and his supervisor was famous Russian radio astronomer S.E.Khaikin. For number of years he supervised radio astronomical studies in Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory. He participated in a number of international collaborations including collaboration between BAO and Indian Astronomical Centers. He worked on flare stars, Sun and Markarian galaxies, Herbig-Haro Objects and other important radio sources. He also worked for a number of years Institute of Radiophysics and Electronics in Ashtarak. He is an ArAS member from 2005.

Arthur AMIRKHANIAN - 60

Artur Amirkhanian was born on July 20 1947 in Port-Artur. He started working at Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory from 1975. He was the head of the laboratory of 2.6 m telescope. He defended his PhD degree 1989, under E.Ye.Khachikian supervision. His main research area includes groups and clusters of galaxies in particular Shahbazian compact groups of compact galaxies. He published about 26 scientific papers.

Ashot HAKOPIAN - 50

Ashot Hakopian was born on 11 August 1957 in Yerevan. In 1979 he has graduated from the Yerevan State University department of physics and the same year he started working at Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory. Since 2000 he lectures at the Yerevan State University different courses. He has published a number of scientific papers. His main research area includes statistical studies of variable stars.

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CALL FOR ARAS ANNUAL PRIZE FOR YOUNG ASTRONOMERS

ArAS fourth Annual Prize for Young Scientists will be awarded at the end of this year. 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 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 annual Prize for Young Scientists in 2007, too.