--------------------------------------  
               |                                    |  
               |         Biuletyn PTA nr 15         |  
               |                                    |  
               --------------------------------------  
  
  Biuletyn informacyjny Zarzadu Glownego Polskiego Towarzystwa Astro-  
  nomicznego (Adres kontaktowy: M. Ostrowski, pta@oa.uj.edu.pl , 
  a w bardzo pilnych sprawach: mio@oa.uj.edu.pl )  
=======================================================================  
  
Spis tresci:  
  
   I.   Nieoficjalne wyniki konkursu grantow KBN
   II.  SALT i wspolpraca z Poludniowa Afryka 
   III. SALT - konferencja w Toruniu
   IV.  Konferencja ECRS2000 w Lodzi
   V.   Polski "host" bazy danych INES
   VI.  Nowinki naukowe 

=======================================================================  
Uwaga: materialy do biuletynu dotarly w grudniu i styczniu.
=======================================================================  

   I.   Nieoficjalne wyniki konkursu grantow KBN


 Wstepne i BARDZO nieoficjalne wyniki Konkursu XVIII
 
Zespol KBN dokonal podzialu srodkow na projekty zlozone do konca lipca
1999 r. (Konkurs XVIII). Poniewaz Zespol P03 otrzymal w tym konkursie
znacznie mniej pieniedzy, niz sie spodziewal i niz otrzymal rok temu,
przewodniczacy Zespolu zaprotestowal i otrzymal obietnice rozpatrzenia
odwolania, co, byc moze, bedzie skutkowalo zwiekszeniem sumy. Ponizej
jest  lista kierownikow, ktorzy znalezli sie na rozszerzonej liscie
bedacej przedmiotem odwolania. Oznacza to, ze osoby nieobecne na liscie
praktycznie napewno nie otrzymaja grantow, natomiast niektore osoby z
listy moga nie otrzymac grantow, jezeli nasze odwolanie zostane
zalatwione negatywnie, lub czesciowo. Wiecej wiadomosci po 20 stycznia. 
W nawiasie proponowana przez Zespol suma na caly okres trwania grantu):
 
Astronomia:

I. Dymnikowa (9 800), J. Guzik (10 000), W. Kluzniak (175 200), 
M. Kubiak (344 400), P. Ligeza (9950), T. Michalowski (240 000), 
A. Schwarzenberg-Czerny (283 500), G. Sitarski (272 900), 
R. Szczerba (144 300), P. Zycki (120 400)
 
Badania Kosmiczne:
 
M. Giller (228 750), A. Wernik (200 000), M. Rataj (640 000)


From: Kazimierz Stepien < kst@astrouw.edu.pl >
personal Home Page:  http://www.astrouw.edu.pl/~kst/personal.html

=======================================================================  

   II.  SALT i wspolpraca z Poludniowa Afryka 

From: Marek Sarna <sarna@camk.edu.pl>

W dniach 25 - 29 listopada 1999 miala miejsce wizyta Ministra 
Andrzeja Wiszniewskiego w Republice Poludniowej Afryki. 
Uczestniczylem w niej jako czlonek oficjalnej polskiej delegacji 
rzadowej. Celem wizyty bylo podpisanie porozumienia pomiedzy 
rzadem Rzeczypospoliej Polskiej i rzadem Republiki Poludniowej 
Afryki o wspolpracy naukowej i technicznej oraz protokolu
wykonawczego do tego porozumienia. Nastapilo to 25 listopada 1999 roku 
w Pretorii. Porozumienie i protokol wykonawczy podpisali 
prof. Andrzej Wiszniewski i dr Ben S. Ngubane.

Jednoczesnie chcialem poinformowac o mozliwosciach relizowania
wyjazdow naukowych do RPA. Istnieja dwa rozne pozrozumienia w ramach 
ktorych zgloszono tematy do wspolpracy z RPA i w ramach ktorych mozna 
takie wizyty realizowac:

1) Porozumienie miedzy Polska Akademia Nauk a National Research
   Fundation gdzie zgloszony zostal temat:
   "Fotometryczne i spektroskopowe obserwacje roznych obiektow 
   astrofizycznych, redukcja danych i wspolpraca w dziedzinie
   astrofizyki teoretycznej"
2) Umowa miedzy rzadem Rzeczypospolitej Polskie i rzadem Republiki
   Poludniowej Afryki, podpisana dnia 25.11.1999r w Pretorii gdzie
   zgloszony zostal temat:
   "Poludniowo Afrykanski Duzy Teleskop SALT i seminarium w 2000 roku 
   w Polsce"

Polska Akademia Nauk w ramach pierwszego tematu na rok 2000 przyznala 
26 dni wymiennych dla czterech polskich naukowcow oraz pokrycie kosztow 
przelotu. 
Limity przyznane w ramach drugiego tematu beda znane pod koniec lutego
2000 r, poniewaz wtedy uplywa temin skladania wspolnych tematow w RPA.

W obu tematach koordynatorem wspolpracy jest ze strony RPA dr Bob Stobie,
dyrektor SAAO, a ze strony Polski dr Marek Sarna, dyrektor CAMK PAN. 
Osobiscie stoje na stanowisku, ze z tygodni wymiennych powini korzystac
astronomowie pracujacy w roznych osrodkach astronomicznych w Polsce.
Jedyna preferencja, ktora bedzie uwazgledniana, to faktyczna wspolpraca
naukowa z kolegami z RPA z polozeniem specjalnego nacisku na realizacje 
wyjazdow obserwacyjnych. Zwracam rowniez uwage, ze zainteresowani moga 
zapraszac swoich poludniowo-afrykanskich wspolpracownikow do Polski
Zwracam sie z uprzejma prosba do wszystkich zainteresowanych o 
kontaktowanie sie ze mna pod adresem: sarna@camk.edu.pl

=======================================================================  

   III.  SALT - konferencja w Toruniu - 15-16 czerwca 2000

                      Komunikat numer 1 

Centrum Astronomii Uniwersytetu Mikolaja Kopernika w Toruniu, Centrum
Astronomiczne im. M.Kopernika PAN, oraz Polskie Towarzystwo Astronomiczne
zapraszaja do wziecia udzialu w konferencji pt.:

"Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) - nowe narzedzie polskiej astronomii"

Konferencja odbedzie sie w Toruniu w dniach 15-16 czerwca 2000 i bedzie 
prowadzona w jezyku polskim.

Wklady wyglosza miedzy innymi:   A. Wolszczan, J. Kaluzny, M. Sarna, 
                                      R.Tylenda, A. Woszczyk.

    Zgodnie z protokolem wykonawczym do Umowy Miedzyrzadowej pomiedzy
Polska a Republika Poludniowej Afryki podpisanym w dniu 25.11.1999 
w Pretori rzad polski zobowiazal sie partycypowac w 10% kosztow budowy 
teleskopu SALT. Piec polskich osrodkow astronomicznych (CAMK Warszawa, 
UMK Torun, UJ Krakow, UWr Wroclaw i UAM Poznan) zadeklarowlo dodatkowy 
udzial finansowy w tym przedsiewzieciu.

    SALT ma byc zbudowany na terenie stacji obserwacyjnej w Sutherland 
(RPA) i rozpocznie regularne obserwacje w roku 2005. Bedzie to kopia 
(aczkolwiek nieco zmodyfikowana) teleskopu HET w Teksasie.

    Konferencja poswiecona bedzie przedstawieniu samego teleskopu SALT i
jego instrumentarium, struktury i organizacji miedzynarodowego konsorcjum
SALT oraz omowieniu polskiego udzialu w tym przedsiewzieciu. Przewidywana 
jest tez sesja poswiecona perspektywom naukowym, jakie daje SALT, ze 
szczegolnym uwzglednieniem specyfiki i mozliwosci teleskopu. W sesji tej 
uczestnicy konferencji beda mogli przedstawic wlasne zamierzenia co do 
przyszlych programow badawczych mozliwych do realizacji na teleskopie SALT 
(w formie referatu badz plakatu).

Komitet organizacyjny: A. Niedzielski, R. Tylenda.
e-mail: tcfa@astri.uni.torun.pl
WWW:http://www.astri.uni.torun.pl/~tcfa/salt_konferencja.html

=======================================================================  

   IV. Konferencja ECRS2000 w Lodzi - 23-28 lipiec 2000

         ******************************************
         *   17th European Cosmic Ray Symposium   *
         *           July 23-28, 2000             *
         *            Lodz, Poland                *
         *  Physics Building, University of Lodz  *         
         ******************************************

The 17th European Cosmic Ray Symposium will take place from 23 - 28
July 2000 in Lodz, Poland in the Physics Building at the 
University of Lodz. The Symposium is jointly organized  by 
the University of  Lodz, Division of Experimental Physics (ul. 
Pomorska 149/153, 90-236  Lodz), and by the Andrzej Soltan Institute 
for Nuclear Studies, Cosmic  Ray Physics  Laboratory (ul. 
Uniwersytecka 5, 90-950 Lodz). The European Symposium is dedicated to 
all aspects of the origin, propagation, interaction and detection of 
cosmic rays from the lowest energies (produced by the Sun) to the 
extremely high energies. First circular, registration and abstract 
forms are available via the WWW page of the Local Organizing Committee: 
http://fizjlk.fic.uni.lodz.pl/ECRS2000.htm

Invitated talks for the 17th European Cosmic Ray Symposium:

(1) Peter Kiraly:       Solar Energetic Particles - What Do They Teach 
                        Us About Galactic Cosmic Rays ?
(2) Tatiana Roganova:   Direct Cosmic Ray Measurements at High Energies.
(3) John Kirk:          Shock Acceleration of Cosmic Rays - a Critical 
                        Review.
(4) Michael Hillas:     Are Supernova Remnants Sources of Cosmic Rays ?
(5) Tadeusz Wibig:      High Energy Interaction models and Chemical            
                        Composition at Extensive Air Shower energies.
(6) Karl-Heinz Kampert: Methods of Determination of the Energy and Mass 
                        of Primary Particle at Extensive Air Shower 
                        Energies. 
(7) Danilo Zavrtanik:   Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays - Experimental 
                        Status.
(8) Michal Ostrowski:   Mechanisms and Sites for Ultra High Energy 
                        Cosmic Ray Origin.
(9) Arnold. W. Wolfendale:  Prospects for Extragalactic Particles from 
                            Exotic Processes.
(10) John Linsley:      Beyond AUGER.
(11) Eckart Lorenz:     Status and Prospects of TeV Gamma-Ray Astronomy.
(12) Karl Mannheim:     Bounds on the Neutrino Flux from Cosmic Sources 
                        of Relativistic Particles.

From: bednar@krysia.uni.lodz.pl

=======================================================================  

   V. Polski "host" bazy danych INES

Od konca 1999 roku w Centrum Astronomii UMK dziala polski 'host' bazy danych 
INES w ktorej znajduje sie ponad 100.000 widm IUE dla blisko 10.000 obiektow. 
Oficjalne otwarcie nastapi w dniu 14 marca i mniej wiecej wtedy 'national 
host manager' czyli nizej podpisany rozesle oficjalna informacje do rzesz 
polskich astronomow oraz przygotuje polskie okienko. INES dostepny jest juz 
przez www (ines.astri.uni.torun.pl/). 
 
From: Andrzej Niedzielski <aniedzi@astri.uni.torun.pl>

=======================================================================  

   VI.  Nowinki naukowe 

STARLIGHT REFLECTED FROM AN EXTRASOLAR PLANET has
been reported by   University of St. Andrews astronomers.  Roughly 30
planets have been detected around nearby stars through an indirect
method which monitors fluctuations in the stars' positions.  More
recently the shadow of an extrasolar planet was observed to transit
across the face of its star (Update 458).  Now light has been detected
which apparently comes to us directly from a planet circling the star tau
Bootis, some 50 light years away.  The main difficulty was of course
discerning the reflected light while blocking out the  glare of the star
itself.   The planet seems to be blue-green in color, is twice the size of
Jupiter, and 8 times as massive.  (Cameron et al., Nature, 16 December
1999.)

THE SOLAR WIND DISAPPEARED for a day back on May 10/11, 
allowing Earth's magnetosphere to balloon out to the orbit
of the Moon.  Ironically, the greatly lowered solar wind flux of
particles and solar magnetic field allowed high-energy electrons
from the sun's corona  to penetrate directly to our upper
atmosphere unadulterate, where the electrons' characteristic x-ray
emissions were observed by satellites over the North Pole for the
first time.  Such a "polar rain" had been predicted years before.  
Normally the coronal electrons (with energies of tens of keV,
corresponding to temperatures of millions of degrees) lose much of
their energy through scatterings with other particles on their ride
from sun to Earth and in the topsy-turvy trajectories experienced at
our magnetosphere.  At last week's meeting of the American
Geophysical Union in San Francisco, these results were reported
by a number of speakers, including David Chenette of Lockheed, 
Jack Scudder of the University of Iowa, and Keith Ogilvie of
NASA Goddard. (Images available at www-
spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/istp/news/9912)

SPONGELIKE STRUCTURES NEAR THE SUN'S SURFACE,
newly observed by the TRACE satellite (at extreme ultraviolet
wavelengths) and the SOHO satellite (in x rays), lie between the
10,000-K chromosphere and the corona at a temperature of several
million K.  These filamentary structures (dubbed "solar moss" by
Lockheed scientists reporting at the AGU meeting) are typically
6000-12,000 miles in size and about 1000-1500 miles above the
photosphere, occur at various places around the sun's surface,
usually near the footprint of huge coronal loops.  The moss blobs
seem to be stable for hours but can also change brightness over
periods as short as 30 seconds.  Thomas Berger of Lockheed said
that the new structures may provide information on how the corona
gets so hot, an issue that remains one of the great unsolved
mysteries of solar physics.

COSMIC RAYS OBSERVED BY GRAVITY-WAVE DETECTOR.  
The NAUTILUS detector at the Frascati Laboratory
in Italy consists of a 2300-kg aluminum cylinder  cooled to a
temperature of 0.1 K.  The plan is that a passing gravitational wave
(broadcast, say, by the collision of two neutron stars) would excite
a noticeable vibration in the cylinder.  NAUTILUS has not yet
recorded any gravitational waves, but scientists have now
witnessed the cylinder vibrated by energetic particle showers
initiated when cosmic rays strike the atmosphere. The signal
generated by the rays is believable because conventional cosmic-
ray detectors surrounding the bar also lit up when they were struck
by the particles.  In effect the detector is able to discern a
mechanical vibration as small as 10^-18 meters, corresponding to
an energy deposit as small as 10^-6 eV.  (Astone et al., Physical
Review Letters, 3 January 2000; Select Article.  Contact
Giuseppina Modestino, modestino@lnf.infn.it, 011-39-694-032-
756.)

THE X-RAY BACKGROUND, the glow of x rays seen in all directions in
space, has now largely been resolved into emissions from discrete sources
by the Chandra X-Ray Telescope, ending the notion that the x rays come
from distant hot gas.  Previously only about 20-30% of the x-ray
background had been ascribed to point sources (by such telescopes as
ASCA).  Chandra was launched in July 1999 and put in an elliptical orbit. 
With its high angular resolution and acute sensitivity it could tell apart x-
ray objects (many of them thought to be accretion disks around black
holes) that before had been blurred into a continuous x-ray curtain.  (Of
course, now that the background has  been resolved into points it ceases to
be a background.)  Richard Mushotzky of Goddard Space Flight Center
reported these Chandra results at last week's meeting in Atlanta of the
American Astronomical Society (AAS).  Resolving the x-ray background
was not all.  Mushotzky added that the Chandra survey had revealed the
existence of two categories of energetic galaxies that had been imaged
only poorly or not at all by optical telescopes.  He referred to one category
as "veiled galactic nuclei," objects (with a redshift of about 1) bright in x
rays but obscured by dust at optical wavelengths.  The other category was
"ultra-faint galaxies."  One interpretation of these galaxies is that optical
emission is suppressed owing to absorption over what could be a very
long pathway to Earth.  Mushotzky speculated that such high redshift (z
greater than 5) galaxies could be the most distant, and hence earliest,
objects ever identified.   The XMM x-ray telescope, just launched, should
provide complementary information in the form of high-precision spectra
(from which redshifts are derived) of the distant objects.

OTHER CHANDRA RESULTS at the meeting included the mapping of a
thousand x-ray stars in the Orion Nebula portion of our galaxy 1500 light
years away, making this the highest density of x-ray sources yet recorded. 
Gordon Garmire of Penn State spoke about this finding as well as about
the effort to find x-ray counterparts for objects cataloged in the Hubble
Deep Field image made with visible light; some tentative matches were
made.  Meanwhile, Frederick Baganoff of MIT reported that Chandra's
inspection of the center of the Milky Way revealed what might be the first
recorded x-ray signal from the vicinity of the massive (2 million solar
mass) black hole residing at or near the radio-bright object called
Sagittarius A*.  In x rays this object proved to be fainter than expected by
a factor of 5.  The supermassive black hole at the heart of our sister spiral
galaxy, Andromeda, also is much cooler than expected. According to
Stephen Murray from Harvard-Smithsonian, the measured temperature
was only a few million K, compared to temperatures of tens of millions
for much more modest x-ray stars in the same galaxy.  None of this fits
with theories of supermassive black holes.  Finally, Claude Canizares of
MIT summarized Chandra observations of supernova remnant E0102-72,
located in the Small Magellanic Cloud.  E0102-72 is the leftover from an
explosion 1000 years ago of a huge star of 15-20 solar masses.  A
diffraction grating on the telescope was used to spread out incoming x
rays into a spectrum which could be scanned for the presence of specific
elements in the stellar debris. Canizares estimated that as much as 10 solar
masses' worth of oxygen was present in the wreckage of the older star,
enough to furnish thousands of solar systems like ours with the breathable
element needed for much of life on Earth.

SOLITARY, WANDERING BLACK HOLES, unheralded by any bright
accretion disk or rapidly orbiting stars or gas, have been detected through
the process of gravitational microlensing.  The Massive Compact Halo
Object (MACHO) collaboration regularly views millions of stars in the
direction of the dense bulge of our galaxy hoping to observe, every now
and then, stars brightening courtesy of the lensing caused by the passage
of some nonluminous object (hovering in the galaxy's halo) between us
and the star.  The brightening can last as short as two days or as long as
1000.  Longer durations suggest either large or very slow lensing objects. 
David Bennett of Notre Dame reported at the AAS meeting on two such
long-duration events in which the mass of the lens was calculated to be
roughly 6 solar masses, too heavy to be a neutron star and more likely to
be a black hole.  Bennett speculates that the lone-wolf black holes form
from supernova collapse and might be as common as neutron stars in the
galaxy.

=======================================================================