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

A → nucleosynthesis process responsible for the generation of the → chemical elements heavier than the → iron peak elements. There are two possibilities for → neutron capture: the slow neutron-capture process (the → s-process) and the rapid neutron-capture process (the → r-process). The s-process is further divided into two categories: the weak s-component and the main s-component. Massive stars are sites of the weak component of s-process nucleosynthesis, which is mainly responsible for the production of lighter neutron-capture elements (e.g. Sr, Y, and Zr). The s-process contribution to heavier neutron-capture elements (heavier than Ba) is due only to the main s-component. The low- to intermediate-mass stars (about 1.3-8 Msun) in the → asymptotic giant branch (AGB) are usually considered to be sites in which the main s-process occur. There is abundant evidence suggesting that → Type II supernova (SNe II) are sites for the synthesis of the r-process nuclei, although this has not yet been fully confirmed. The observations and analysis on → very metal-poor stars imply that the stars with [Fe/H] ≤ -2.5 might form from gas clouds polluted by a few supernovae (SNe). Therefore, the abundances of → heavy elements in → metal-poor stars have been used to learn about the nature of the nucleosynthetic processes in the early Galaxy (See, e.g., H. Li et al., 2013, arXiv:1301.6097).

→ neutron;→ capture; → element.

In classical mechanics, an analytical method applied to a material sphere to determine the gravitational field at a point outside or inside the sphere. Newton's shell theorem states that: 1) The gravitational field outside a uniform spherical shell (i.e. a hollow ball) is the same as if the entire mass of the shell is concentrated at the center of the sphere. 2) The gravitational field inside the spherical shell is zero, regardless of the location within the shell. 3) Inside a solid sphere of constant density, the gravitational force varies linearly with distance from the center, being zero at the center of mass. For the relativistic generalization of this theorem, see → Birkhoff's theorem.

→ Newton; → shell; → theorem.

The Newton's equations of motion, if they hold in any → reference frame, they are valid also in any other reference frame moving with uniform velocity relative to the first.

→ Newtonian; → principle; → relativity.

The laws of physics are unchanged under → Galilean transformation. This implies that no mechanical experiment can detect any intrinsic diff between two → inertial frames. Same as → Galilean relativity.

→ Newton; → relativity.

There are only three parameters that can be applied by an outside observer relating to a → black hole: → mass, → electric charge, and → angular momentum. The collapse of a star into a black hole wipes out all other details of its structure, and the observer can never discover any other properties of the star which formed the black hole. In other words, none of its characteristics leave any trace outside the black hole, and that is what is meant by "hair."

No, M.E., from O.E. na "never, no," cognate with Pers. na, nâ, → non-; → hair; → theorem.

Farbin, → theorem; bimuyi, noun from bimu "without hair," from bi- "without" (→ in-) + mu, → hair.
Kacali "baldness," from kacal "bald," also "crooked, bandy-legged," from kajal, from kaj "crooked, curved, bent" + → -al; probably unrelated to kal "bald," → colure.

For a ring inclined to the planet's equator, the points at which the ring crosses the equator (nodes) slowly move around the planet (regress) in a direction opposite to that of the ring's orbital motion. (Ellis et al., 2007, Planetary Ring Systems, Springer).

→ nodal; → regression.

A → symmetry in a physical system leads to a → conserved quantity. For example, symmetry under → translation corresponds to conservation of → momentum, symmetry under → rotation to conservation of → angular momentum, and symmetry in → time to conservation of → energy. The Noether symmetry theorem is a fundamental tool of modern theoretical physics and the calculus of variations, allowing to derive conserved quantities from the existence of variational symmetries.

Named in honor of the German-American woman mathematician Amalie Emmy Noether (1182-1935), who published the theorem in 1918 ("Invariante Variationsprobleme," Nachr. D. König. Gesellsch. D. Wiss. Zu Göttingen, Math-phys. Klasse 1918: 235-257).

A means for specifying the noise generated as unwanted → electromagnetic radiation in a receiver system or one of its components. It is usually measured in terms of the equivalent temperature in a → Rayleigh-Jeans spectrum. Noise temperature is used mainly in radio astronomy.

→ noise; → temperature.

A set or system of names or terms assigned to objects or items in a particular science or art.

From Fr. nomenclature, from L. nomenclatura "calling of names," from nomenclator, variant of nomenculator "one who announces names, namer," from nomen, → name, + calator "caller," from calare "to call."

Nâmgozâri, from nâm, → name, + gozâri, verbal noun of gozâštan "to place, put; to allow, let," related to gozaštan "to pass, proceed, go over;" Mid.Pers. vitar- "to let pass, lead; to pass;" O.Pers. vitar- "to go across," viytarrayam "I put across;" Av. tar- "to cross over," vī-tərəta- "taken away, isolated;" ultimately Proto-Ir. *ui-tar-.

Radiation having waves that are out of phase in space and/or time; radiation which is not → coherent.

→ non-; → coherent; → radiation.

Not concerned with or based on the → theory of relativity. See also:
→ non-relativistic electron, → non-relativistic mechanics, → relativistic.

→ non-; → relativistic.

An electron that does not experience relativistic effects since its velocity is very small compared to that of light.

→ non-relativistic; → electron.

Mechanics in which the masses under consideration move at speeds much slower than the speed of light.

→ non-relativistic; → mechanics.

The absorption of a photon and its re-emission at a different frequency (in the observer's frame of reference) by scattering atoms.

→ non-; → coherent scattering.

A → linear differential equation if Q(x)≠ 0 on interval I.

→ nonhomogeneous; → linear; → differential; → equation.

A large area of the north polar region of Mars which is covered with alternating layers of water ice and dust. → South Polar Layered Deposits.

→ north; → polar; → layer; → deposit.

The half of the → Earth or another → astronomical object between the → north pole and the → equator.

→ northern; → hemisphere.

An analysis technique applied to some atomic nuclei that have the property to behave as small magnets and respond to the application of a magnetic field by absorbing or emitting electromagnetic radiation. When nuclei which have a magnetic moment (such as ¹H, ¹³C, ²⁹Si, or ³¹P) are submitted to a constant magnetic field and at the same time to a radio-frequency alternating magnetic field, the nuclear magnetic moment is excited to higher energy states if the alternating field has the specific resonance frequency. This technique is especially used in spectroscopic studies of molecular structure and in particular provides valuable information in medicine that can be used to deduce the structure of organic compounds.

→ nuclear; → magnetic; → resonance.

A process in which the energy, composition, or structure of an atomic nucleus changes.

→ nuclear; → reaction.

A device in which a nuclear fission chain reaction is maintained and controlled for the production of nuclear energy or radioactive isotopes.

→ nuclear; → reactor.