An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

An astrophysical phenomenon that occurs when the → crust of a → neutron star undergoes a sudden adjustment, analogous to an → earthquake on Earth. Starquakes are thought to be caused by huge → stresses exerted on the surface of the neutron star produced by twists in the ultra-strong interior → magnetic fields. They are thought to be the source of the intense → gamma-ray bursts that come from → soft gamma repeaters.

→ star; → quake.

A phenomenon similar to a → sunspot but occurring on the surface of a star other than Sun. Due to spatial resolution constraints, starspots so far observed are in general much larger than those on the Sun, up to about 30% of the stellar surface may be covered, corresponding to sizes 100 times greater than those on the Sun.

→ star; → spot.

A prefix attached to the name of a practical electrical unit indicating that it is part of the → CGS electrostatic system, e.g. statcoulomb, statvolt. These units are also indicated by the notation → esu (as in "volt esu").

Combining form representing → electrostatic, → -stat

A unit of → electric charge in the electrostatic → cgs system of units; equal to the charge that exerts a force of 1 → dyne on an equal charge at a distance of 1 cm under vacuum; equal to 3.3356 x 10^-10 → coulombs. Same as → electrostatic unit (esu).

→ stat-; → coulomb.

1a) The → condition of a → system characterized by a particular set of values for its properties.
1b) The → phase of matter; → solid, → liquid, or → gas.
See also:
→ eigenstate, → energy state, → equation of state, → equation of state parameter, → equilibrium state, → excited state, → ground state, → Hartle-Hawking initial state, → Hoyle state, → macroscopic state, → macrostate, → metastable state, → microscopic state, → microstate, → normal state, → quantum state, → singlet state, → solid state, → solid state physics, → steady state theory, → triplet state, → virial equation of state.
2a) To declare definitely or specifically.
2b) To set forth formally in speech or writing (to state a hypothesis).
2c) To set forth in proper or definite form (Dictionary.com).

M.E. stat, partly from M.Fr. estat, partly from L. status "manner of standing, position, condition," noun of action from p.p. stem of stare "to stand;" cognate with Pers. istâdan "to stand," as below.
The sense of "declare in words" (1640s) comes from the notion of "placing (something on the record), setting in a position."

Estât, from istâdan "to stand;" Mid.Pers. êstâtan; O.Pers./Av. sta- "to stand, stand still; to set" (Sogd. ôštât "to stand"); Av. hištaiti; cf. Skt. sthâ- "to stand;" Gk. histemi "put, place, weigh," stasis "a standing still;" L. stare "to stand;" Lith. statau "place;" Goth. standan; PIE base *sta- "to stand"); hâlat, from Ar. Hâlat "state, quality."

1) Something stated.
2) A communication or declaration in speech or writing, setting forth facts, particulars, etc.
3) A single sentence or assertion (Dictionary.com).

Verbal noun of → state (v.)

A person who is experienced in the art of government or versed in the administration of government affairs (Dictionary.com).

From state's man, translation of Fr. homme d'Etat; → state; → man.

1) Pertaining to bodies, forces, charges, etc. that act in equilibrium; at rest; stationary.
2) Pertaining to → statistics.

From Mod.L. statica, from Gk. statikos "causing to stand," from stem of histanai "to cause to stand," cognate with Pers. istâdan "to stand," as below.

Istâ "standing, static," from istâdan "to stand" (Mid.Pers. êstâtan; O.Pers./Av. sta- "to stand, stand still; set;" Av. hištaiti; cf. Skt. sthâ- "to stand;" Gk. histemi "put, place, weigh," stasis "a standing still;" L. stare "to stand;" Lith. statau "place;" Goth. standan; PIE base *sta- "to stand").

The state of a rigid body which is not moving at all. The conditions for static equilibrium are: 1) the sum of the external forces on the object must equal zero, and 2) the sum of the → torques must equal zero. See also → dynamic equilibrium and → mechanical equilibrium.

→ static; → equilibrium.

Same as → stationary limit.

→ static; → limit.

In → fluid mechanics, the → pressure felt by an object suspended in a → fluid and moving with it. This pressure is called static because the object is not moving relative to the fluid. See also → dynamic pressure.

→ static; → pressure.

A closed Universe of finite volume with a constant radius of curvature.

→ static; → Universe.

The branch of → mechanics which studies the laws of composition of forces and the conditions of equilibrium of material bodies under the action of forces.

→ static; → -ics.

Istâyik, from istâ, → static + -ik, → -ics.

A stopping place for trains or other land vehicles, for the transfer of freight or passengers. → space station.

M.E., from O.Fr. station, from L. stationem (nominative statio) "a standing, job, position," related to stare "to stand," cognate with Pers. istâdan "to stand," as below.

Istgâh "standing place," from ist present stem of istâdan "to stand" (Mid.Pers. êstâtan; O.Pers./Av. sta- "to stand, stand still; set;" Av. hištaiti; cf. Skt. sthâ- "to stand;" Gk. histemi "put, place, weigh," stasis "a standing still;" L. stare "to stand;" Lith. statau "place;" Goth. standan; PIE base *sta- "to stand") + gâh "place; time" (Mid.Pers. gâh, gâs "time;" O.Pers. gāθu-; Av. gātav-, gātu- "place, throne, spot;" cf. Skt. gâtu- "going, motion; free space for moving; place of abode;" PIE *gwem- "to go, come").

Having a fixed, unchanging position; motionless. geostationary orbit

M.E. from L. stationarius, in classical L., "of a military station," from statio, → station.

Isatvar, from ist present stem of istâdan "to stand" (Mid.Pers. êstâtan; O.Pers./Av. sta- "to stand, stand still; set;" Av. hištaiti; cf. Skt. sthâ- "to stand;" Gk. histemi "put, place, weigh," stasis "a standing still;" L. stare "to stand;" Lith. statau "place;" Goth. standan; PIE base *sta- "to stand") + -var suffix of possession, variant -ur (Mid.Pers. -uwar, -war; from O.Pers. -bara, from bar- "to bear, carry").

A → black hole with zero → angular momentum, that does not rotate.

→ stationary; → black hole.

A property of → space-time outside a → rotating black hole, which consists of a surface which geometrically bounds the → ergosphere outward. At the stationary limit a particle would have to move with the local light velocity in order to appear stationary to a distant observer. This is because the space here is being dragged at exactly the speed of light relative to the rest of space. Outside this limit space is still dragged, but at a rate less than the speed of light. Also known as → static limit.

→ stationary; → limit; → surface.

Electronics: A random noise whose intensity remains constant with time.

→ stationary; → noise.

An orbit in which the satellite revolves about the primary at the angular rate at which the primary rotates on its axis. From the primary, the satellite thus appears to be stationary over a point on the primary.

→ stationary; → orbit.

Mechanics: The condition of a body or system at rest.

→ stationary; → phase.